CHAPTER 198: YOU’RE WORTH BEING LOUD ABOUT

We lay there together, tangled in sweat and sheets, both of us completely wrecked.

My chest was heaving so hard, and Dominic wasn’t any better....his skin was hot against mine, his breath ragged in my ear.

For a long moment, neither of us said anything. Just the sound of our breathing.

I turned my head slightly, catching a glimpse of him. His hair was plastered to his forehead, his lips still parted as he fought to steady himself.

"Holy shit," I whispered.

He laughed, sounded so tired, but it was the kind of laugh that carried satisfaction. "Yeah. Holy shit is right."

I rolled onto my back, staring at the ceiling, trying to process what just happened. "That was... wow."

"Best sex of my life," he muttered, shifting closer until his face was pressed against my shoulder. "Hands down. You literally killed me."

Dominic shifted down and rested his head on my lap.

I slid my fingers through his damp hair, massaging lightly, and his whole body seemed to soften under my touch.

"I’m glad you’re okay," he smiled. "Today was... intense."

A shaky laugh left me. "Intense is one word for it."

We stayed in that quiet for a bit before I broke it. "So... the funeral. You holding up?"

His jaw clenched. "It was rough. Seeing everyone. Ren, Ian... it made Liam’s death feel even heavier. But..." He hesitated, then his voice dropped. "Since I told them about us. I feel lighter."

My fingers stilled in his hair. "Honestly, at first I thought it was a wrong time to come out. But I’m glad you did."

He tilted his head, just enough to look at me. "Yeah. Couldn’t hide it anymore. I needed them to know. I’m done pretending."

"Dom..." My thumb brushed his forehead, and he kissed my wrist gently. "Thank you."

"Don’t thank me," he whispered. "Just... stand proud with me, okay? You’re worth being loud about."

God. My chest ached.

I swallowed before asking, "And the child services?"

He sighed. "We’ll fight them, okay? No one’s taking Alia away."

"You sound so sure," I whispered.

"I am sure," he said, firmly. "Honestly, I don’t like when you’re worried, you start spiraling."

I exhaled, until another thought tugged at me. "What ’bout your parents. They’re back, right? Have you seen them yet? I bet you were happy."

He chuckled, and shrugged.

"Yeah... I guess."

I frowned, tilting my head. "Guess? That doesn’t sound like you."

He shifted slightly, pressing his face against my thigh. "It was okay. They said they’ll be in Estrella for a while."

"That’s... good news, right?" I smiled gently, trying to encourage him.

But he scoffed again. The sound was bitter.

"Dom..." I pressed, brushing my fingers through his hair again. "Are you sure everything’s okay with them?"

His eyes flicked up to me for a second. Then he forced a crooked grin. "Yeah, baby. It’s fine. I promise."

But I didn’t believe him. Not for a second.

Before I could say more, he pushed himself up and leaned over, kissing my forehead. "Let’s go wash up." His tone was soft, like he was closing a door.

I wanted to pry, to shake the truth out of him, but I bit it back. He’d tell me when he was ready... right?

"Tomorrow," he went on, brushing hair off my face, "I’ll figure out how to shut the child services down. And Ian and Ren are already digging into the Coil, and the guy who killed Liam. We’ve got this."

His hand stroked through my hair, his voice was soothing, anchoring me. "Everything’s going to be fine. I promise."

But when I looked at him, I could see something behind his eyes. A weight he wasn’t sharing.

And that scared me too.

"Let’s wash up," he smiled, holding me up.

The bathroom was hazy with steam by the time we stepped out, towels slung around our waists.

I caught myself staring at him in the mirror.....his hair damp, skin flushed, water trailing down the slope of his back. He caught me staring and smirked.

"What?" he teased. "Never seen me wet before?"

I threw the towel at him, rolling my eyes. "You’re such a flirt."

"And you love it," he said, catching the towel midair, smug as hell.

Back in my room, the sheets were messy and smelled like heat and sweat.

I changed the sheets, and curled against Don, with his head tucked under his chin.

His arm came around me, pulling me tighter. "Better?" he whispered into my hair.

"Mm." I nodded against his chest. "Better."

We lay there in the dark, the quiet broken only by the hum of the fan.

My body was still buzzing from everything.....the funeral, child services, the sex, his parents, all of it. I wanted to sleep, but my mind wouldn’t shut off.

"You’re still thinking," Dom murmured, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "I can feel it."

I exhaled. "Of course I’m thinking. CPS, Alia, everything... It’s too much."

His thumb brushed slow circles on my arm. "I told you, we’ll handle it. Together. Nothing’s going to happen to her."

His certainty was so steady, it made my chest ache. I wanted to believe him so badly.

"Dom?" I whispered after a long pause.

"Yeah?"

"Promise me something."

He tilted his head. "Anything."

"Don’t lie to me. Not about stuff that matters."

For a moment, the silence was heavy. Then he kissed my forehead again, softer this time. "I promise."

But the way his hand tightened on me, the way his chest rose and fell just a little faster....I knew. He already was.

Still, I let him hold me. My body melted into his warmth, my face against his chest. For tonight, that was enough.

"Sleep," he murmured, stroking my hair. "I’ll be here when you wake up."

I closed my eyes anyway and let myself drift off, hoping tomorrow wouldn’t tear it all apart.

I just hope tomorrow turns out better.