His expression didn’t change, but something about him went a little more still, as if he was carefully considering how much to reveal.
“The black king?” he quizzed, tilting his head slightly.
I nodded.
“It represents power and position. It’s also the one piece on the board everybody moves for or tries to take.”
His fingers tapped lightly against the table.
“But it also means responsibility. Everything falls if that piece does.”
“And the red?” I pressed further, wanting to peel back another layer.
His jaw tightened just slightly. “That’s the cost. Blood… sacrifice… the shit people don’t see when they’re looking at the title.”
It didn’t sound like a metaphor; it sounded like experience, hard-earned and etched in scars.
“So… Domino. That’s really your name?” I asked, seeking clarity.
He turned his head slowly, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. “That’s the name people use around here."
“That wasn’t my question,” I challenged lightly.
“That’s what you should call me,” he stated firmly, as if that title held significance beyond just a name.
“What Ishouldor what you’dprefer?” I nibbled at my bottom lip, gauging his reaction.
“Both,” he answered, the tone leaving no room for argument.
I rolled my eyes playfully. “Well, I’m more interested in your real name.”
His jaw tightened visibly. “You don’t need that.”
I chuckled. “See…mean!”
Domino stared at me for a moment that felt suspended in time, just looking, maybe even admiring. Then, breaking the silence, he introduced himself, “My name’s Damari. Don’t get comfortable using it," he called himself, trying to give me a warning.
I scoffed, the slight offense rising in me. “I had no intentions of saying it too many times… or ever,” I replied, making it clear that I didn’t plan on getting too familiar.
A curious brow arched above his deep-set eyes, clearly amused by my reaction.
Oh, God…why did I have to phrase it that way?
His tongue swept lightly across his bottom lip, an indication that he was wrestling with an inappropriate comment. “Yousure about that?” he mocked playfully, a hint of mischief evident in his voice.
Heat surged up my neck instantly, an involuntary response to his provocative tone.
Yeah… he definitely twisted that in a way I hadn’t intended.
I straightened in my seat, scrambling to recover. “What I meant was—”
“It’s cool,” he interjected smoothly, cutting me off before I could clarify my words.
I cleared my throat, attempting to shake the moment off while shifting nervously in my seat.
“Anyway... soDamari,” I repeated, letting the name roll off my tongue deliberately, testing both the nameandhim.
His eyes narrowed slightly, assessing me with an intensity that was both unnerving and exhilarating.