Chapter 23

Chapter 23
Dominic rolled the car over on the driveway to Amelia's house. When the engine sounded and he put it into park, neither of us tried to get out. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, his bright eyes fixed on something heavy, like he was holding up some other part of the car. Amelia reached for the door handle and tried to get out.

It was when she was about to go in that Dominic finally broke the silence.

"You need to get a restraining order on Frederick."

A second was wasted before she quietly took a small whiff of air and, looking at him again, her face nonchalant and unobtrusive: “Dominic, that's not happened. ”

With his face flushed with doubt, he watched her. "Ah, he hasn't achieved that? '" he said dryly, blowing into his ear. "Amelia, this man bulldozes you when he can. He humiliated you in front of the whole world and let's not forget what he said to you today. Do you really think he was being amusing?

She folded her arms and tilted her head as she looked at him "I don't think he said it with sincerity. "

Dominic rapidly sucked in, wagging a hand through his hair. "And what if you're wrong?

She shrugged. "Fred is a very dramatic man. He says things to get my attention, but I don't think he would ever do anything.

He hit his head and tightened his jaw. "You're giving him too much credit. Guys like him, selfish, entitled, and never like to lose. He's seeing you leaving, Amelia and it's annoying him. He's not gonna give you a choice.

Amelia sighed again, this time more gently. "I just don't want to escalate things to an absurd point. A restraining order does seem drastic."

Dominic leaned back a little harder, his voice quivering. "But it's not drastic if it keeps you safe. "

She met his gaze, and some part of his tone brought her heart shut. There was some concern in his eyes, a real protecting quality she wasn't used to. Not from a man. Not in a while.

“Thanks for your concern, Dominic, ” she said in a softer voice than before. “But I know how to handle this. ”

He regarded her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to her shock, he settled back against the seat and smiled. "Stubborn as ever, huh?"

Amelia blinked. "What?"

Dominic shrugged, amusement glinting in his eyes. "I should have known you'd be this difficult to handle. You never do the easy thing."

A small laugh escaped her before she could stop it. "And you just now realized that?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "I had hope. Stupid of me, really."

Amelia rolled her eyes. "You handle me like I'm some impossible case."

"You are." He smiled. "But, I guess it keeps things interesting, though."

She raised an eyebrow, playing dumb. "Are you kidding me now?"

Dominic's smirk widened. "What made you wonder?"

She huffed, shaking her head. "This is the same Dominic that becomes ice when he feels like it?"

He tilted his head to one side, as if balancing it. "Maybe. Or maybe I just like keeping you in suspense."

She smiled softly, tension between them easing just a little. "Goodnight, Dominic."

"Goodnight, Amelia."

As she closed the door and stepped out into the crisp night air, she couldn't help but smile despite everything. Dominic Anderson was a complicated man. But maybe, just maybe, she was starting to understand him.

She waited by the door, watching his car pull out into the night. It was strange—the ease with which he switched from serious to teasing. One moment, he was scolding her for safety, and the next, he was smiling as though he didn't have a care in the world to get under her.

Shaking her head, she unlocked her door and climbed in. The silence of her own home greeted her, and she slowly exhaled. She had made up her mind. She was not going to obtain a restraining order. That didn't mean she wasn't aware of the risks, but she just didn't believe Frederick would do that. He had always been critical of words, remiss—but hurting her physically? She couldn't envision him going that far.

Still, Dominic’s words echoed in her mind.

What if you’re wrong?

She sighed and set her purse down on the small table by the entrance. She wasn’t going to dwell on it. Frederick had already taken too much space in her life, and she refused to give him any more. She had more important things to focus on.

With that, she made her way to her bedroom, dressing in something comfortable. Sleep did not come easily, though. She found herself rolling over and over, her mind going back to what had been said in the car. Dominic's concern, his frustration, his attempt at reasoning with her—all of it stayed with her.

So did his condescension.

Her lips curved at the memory. He was quite the character, for sure.

The next day, Amelia was surprisingly fresh despite her sleepless night. She got ready for work with a new determination. Today was a new day, and she was not going to let anyone or anything ruin it.

She arrived at the office a little earlier than usual. The hush of the building pre work morning was abnormally comforting. She brewed herself a cup of coffee in the break room and went to sit at her desk to start the day.

However, as soon as she settled in, the phone beeped with an arriving text message.

Unknown Number: You should hear him out. A restraining order isn't all bad.

Her heart missed a beat as she read the words. Her gaze swept the office, trying to find something—someone—out of place. But everything was okay.

She took slow breaths and closed her phone, trying to ground herself. She wasn't going to let fear control her anymore.

But for all that, as the day went on, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her.