Chapter 26 Dominic’s Jealousy
Dominic’s POV:
I know exactly where she is.
That’s the problem.
Not knowing would probably be easier.
Instead, I’m sitting through a board meeting while mentally replaying the image of Sebastian leaning too close to Alina yesterday like he had every right to flirt with her.
And apparently, today he decided flowers weren’t enough.
Now they’re having lunch together.
Wonderful.
“Dominic.”
I blink once and look up.
Three executives are staring at me expectantly across the conference table.
Right.
Meeting.
“Sorry,” I say smoothly. “Continue.”
The presentation resumes, but my focus is gone.
Completely.
Every few minutes, my attention drifts back toward my phone sitting face down beside my laptop.
Pathetic behavior.
I’m fully aware.
Still doesn’t stop me.
Because the moment Daniel mentioned Alina left early for lunch, I already knew who she was with.
Sebastian has never hidden interest in women he wants.
And judging by the way he looked at her yesterday, he absolutely wants Alina.
The thought irritates me instantly.
Worse than irritates me.
It burns.
“Mr. Vale?”
I force myself back into the conversation again.
Unfortunately, it lasts less than thirty seconds before my attention slips for a second time.
This is getting ridiculous.
I’ve negotiated billion-dollar acquisitions without blinking.
Now one woman smiles at another man and suddenly I can’t function professionally.
Unacceptable.
By the time the meeting finally ends, my patience is nearly gone.
Victor notices immediately as we walk out together.
“You’ve been distracted lately.”
I loosen my tie slightly. “I’m handling it.”
“That usually means you aren’t.”
My father studies me carefully while we move through the hallway toward my office.
Cold man.
Sharp instincts.
Very dangerous combination.
“Is this about Eleanor?” he asks suddenly.
“No.”
The answer comes too quickly.
His eyes narrow slightly.
Interesting.
I stop walking before we reach my office doors. “Was there something else?”
Victor watches me for another second before speaking.
“The wedding date should be announced publicly soon.”
Tension settles immediately across my shoulders.
“I told you I’m considering adjustments.”
“You’ve been considering adjustments for weeks.”
“I’m aware.”
“And I’m losing patience.”
There it is.
The threat underneath the conversation.
Predictable.
“I’ll handle it,” I repeat calmly.
Victor’s expression hardens slightly. “You’re allowing emotions to interfere with business.”
The irony almost makes me laugh.
If he had any idea how bad the situation actually is, this conversation would be significantly worse.
“You’re overthinking things,” I say instead.
His gaze sharpens instantly at the familiar phrase.
Then without another word, he walks away.
The second he disappears down the corridor, I exhale slowly.
Because right now, my father is the least complicated part of my life.
Which is saying something.
I step into my office and immediately pull out my phone again.
Still no response from Alina.
I stare at the screen longer than necessary.
Then finally type:
Where are you?
The message sends instantly.
And somehow waiting afterward feels even more irritating.
Five minutes later, my phone buzzes.
You sound possessive.
I lean back slowly in my chair.
Because she’s teasing me.
And somehow that only makes the jealousy worse.
I type before thinking too carefully about it.
Maybe I am.
The truth sits heavier than expected once the message sends.
Because I mean it.
I’m possessive of her already.
Protective too.
Neither feeling should exist.
Yet here we are.
I rub a hand across my jaw and stare out the office windows overlooking the city.
This situation has become dangerous faster than expected.
Alina was supposed to be one reckless mistake.
One night.
One moment of weakness.
Instead she’s become the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing on my mind before sleep.
And now another man is making her laugh over lunch while I sit here losing my sanity quietly.
My phone buzzes again.
Unknown to anyone else, the sound immediately shifts my entire mood.
But when I open the message, it’s Sebastian.
You’re terrifying by the way.
I stare at the screen flatly.
Then another message appears.
Relax. I’m returning her alive.
I nearly crush the phone in my hand.
Cocky bastard.
Before I can decide whether murder is legally defensible, my office door opens.
Sebastian walks inside casually twenty minutes later like he hasn’t personally irritated me all afternoon.
“You know,” he says while dropping into the chair across from my desk, “most people at least pretend not to be jealous.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“Right.”
I give him a long unimpressed look. “Why are you here?”
“To enjoy this moment.”
“What moment?”
“The one where Dominic Vale finally experiences human emotion.”
I should throw him out.
Instead, I say coldly, “You’re wasting my time.”
Sebastian grins openly. “You like her.”
Silence.
Not because he’s wrong.
Because hearing someone else say it aloud changes something.
Makes it real.
Sebastian notices immediately.
“Oh,” he says slowly. “That bad?”
I lean back in my chair carefully. “You’re making assumptions.”
“No.” He studies me knowingly. “I’m making observations.”
My patience thins further. “Stay away from her.”
The words leave my mouth before I can stop them.
Sebastian’s eyebrows lift instantly.
“There it is.”
I already regret saying it.
Not because it isn’t true.
Because now someone else knows.
And Sebastian is observant enough to become a real problem.
“You should probably be careful,” he says quietly now.
I narrow my eyes slightly. “Meaning?”
“She likes you too.”
My chest tightens unexpectedly.
Dangerous information.
Very dangerous.
“She shouldn’t,” I say eventually.
“No,” Sebastian agrees casually. “But unfortunately people rarely ask permission before falling for someone.”
The words hit harder than expected.
Because that’s exactly the issue, isn’t it?
None of this was intentional.
I didn’t plan to want her.
Didn’t plan to think about her constantly.
Didn’t plan to become irrationally possessive every time another man looked at her.
Yet somehow every boundary I had carefully maintained around my life started collapsing the second she stepped into that elevator.
Sebastian stands slowly.
“For what it’s worth,” he says while adjusting his jacket, “I’m not actually trying to steal her.”
I don’t relax.
Because even hearing the possibility makes something ugly twist inside me.
He notices too.
Then laughs softly.
“You’re completely gone.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Dominic.” He shakes his head slightly. “You looked ready to commit homicide because she laughed at one of my jokes.”
I say nothing.
Mostly because denial would sound pathetic at this point.
Sebastian heads toward the office door before stopping briefly.
“One piece of advice?”
“I didn’t ask for one.”
“You’re running out of time.”
My expression hardens slightly.
“What does that mean?”
“It means eventually she’s going to stop pretending this situation doesn’t hurt her.”
The amusement fades from his face completely now.
“You need to decide what you actually want before someone else decides for you.”
Then he leaves.
And for the first time all day, silence fills the office completely.
I stare at the closed door for a long moment afterward.
Because Sebastian accidentally confirmed the one thing I’ve been trying not to admit to myself.
Alina feels this too.
Not just attraction.
Not just chemistry.
Something deeper.
And honestly?
That realization should probably scare me more than it does.