Chapter 30: Chapter 0030

•AVELINE•

Matteo was still standing close to me after the kiss when the strange feeling in my chest grew stronger, like something inside me was warning me that I should move before it was too late.

Then I saw Dominic walking toward us.

The people around him slowly stepped out of his way as if they could already tell he was not here to join the party.

The dark look in his eyes made my stomach tighten because I had never seen him look at me like that before.

Matteo noticed the tension in my body and glanced over his shoulder.

“Oh,” he muttered.

I didn't wait to see what would happen next.

I grabbed Matteo’s hand and pulled him toward the side corridor that led away from the music and the flashing lights, hoping we could disappear into the crowd before Dominic reached us.

“Come on,” I said quickly.

We barely made it three steps before Dominic’s voice growled behind us.

“Aveline.”

The sound of his voice stopped me immediately. It was calm but firm, and the way he said my name made it clear that ignoring him was not an option.

I turned slowly while still holding Matteo’s hand.

Dominic was standing only a few feet away now with another guy from his group beside him.

His eyes dropped to our joined hands for a moment before returning to my face.

“Let him go,” Dominic said firmly.

Matteo scoffed. “Who the hell are you talking to?”

Dominic didn't even look at him. Instead, he turned slightly toward the guy standing next to him.

“Keep him occupied,” Dominic instructed him.

The guy grinned like he had been waiting for those words all day. “Gladly.”

Before Matteo could react, the guy stepped forward and grabbed his arm. “Hey,” Matteo snapped while trying to pull free.

I tightened my grip on Matteo’s hand. “Dominic, stop—”

But Dominic was already moving.

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me away from Matteo and the noise of the party before I could protest, dragging me down the dim corridor that connected the underground halls to the storage rooms.

“Dominic!” I snapped while trying to pull my hand free. “What are you doing?”

He didn't answer.

The music from the party faded behind us as he continued walking until we reached a darker part of the corridor where no one else was standing.

Then he suddenly stopped.

Before I could react, he pushed me gently but firmly against the wall. My back hit the cold stone and my breath caught in my throat.

“Have you lost your mind?” I asked.

He smirked and stepped closer until there was barely any space left between us. His hand moved to the wall beside my head, trapping me in place.

“You were kissing him,” he muttered.

“So what?” I replied.

His jaw tightened. “You were kissing him,” he repeated.

“And?” I asked. “Why do you care?”

For a moment he just stared at me.

The look in his eyes made my heart beat faster because there was something intense about the way he was watching me, like he had been holding something back all day and was finally done pretending it didn't exist.

He leaned closer. His mouth stopped near my ear. “Leaving me behind in your room wasn't a smart choice,” he whispered. "I thought I warned you from seeing Matteo."

The words sent a strange warmth through my body. My lips parted before I could stop myself.

I should have pushed him away. But instead, I stayed still while feeling the heat spreading from my lower stomach through the rest of my body.

Dominic’s gaze dropped briefly to my mouth, then he kissed me.

The kiss was nothing like the one I had shared with Matteo a few minutes ago.

There was no hesitation in it.

Dominic’s hand moved to the back of my neck as he pulled me closer, and the moment our lips met I felt the same strange pull I had been trying to ignore since the first day we met.

My fingers grabbed the front of his shirt without thinking. For a few seconds, the world outside the corridor disappeared.

Everything faded except the feeling of his lips on mine and the heat building between us.

When he finally pulled back slightly, my breathing was uneven and my mind felt foggy.

I looked at him while trying to catch my breath. “Dominic…”

He was still standing close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body. The look in his eyes made my stomach tighten again.

Without thinking, I grabbed his hand. “Come with me,” I murmured.

He frowned. “Where?”

I glanced down the corridor where several empty rooms were used for storage.

“Somewhere private.”

For a moment Dominic didn't move, and I thought he might refuse. But then he followed me as I pulled him a few steps toward the nearest door.

Just as I reached for the handle, Dominic suddenly stopped. His grip tightened on my wrist. “Aveline.”

I turned back toward him. “What?”

Instead of answering, Dominic pulled his hand away from mine. The change in his expression confused me.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

He took a step back. “We’re not doing this,” he answered.

I stared at him. “You kissed me after taking me away from Matteo.”

“Yes,” he replied.

“And now you’re stopping?” I asked.

“Yes.”

Frustration rushed through me. “Dominic, that doesn’t make any sense.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he walked past me and started heading back toward the direction of the party.

“Dominic!” I called.

He didn’t stop. I stood there for a moment while trying to understand what had just happened. Then I followed him back down the corridor.

The music grew louder as I approached the underground hall again.

When I stepped inside, the crowd was still dancing and laughing as if nothing had happened.

But I knew something was wrong as I scanned the crowd, looking for Matteo and Dominic.

Ember and Suzie were standing near one of the tables talking with other students. But Matteo wasn't there.

My stomach tightened.

I pushed through the crowd while searching for them. Neither of them was anywhere in the room.

And suddenly I had the strong feeling that whatever Dominic had planned when he told his friend to keep Matteo occupied hadn't ended at the party.