CHAPTER 225: WHO’S THE REASON MY GIRL’S BLUSHING?

Ash’s POV

The next morning, the house was weirdly quiet. Considering how chaotic it was last night.

I was already up, dragging myself around the living room.

There were red cups everywhere, half empty bottles of tequila on the table, and someone’s shoe by the couch. I had no idea whose.

I was moving around, picking up trash with a headache that felt way too dramatic for someone who only had one shot last night.

Dominic was still asleep upstairs. I left him there. After last night, he deserved to rest.

He’d cried. On his birthday. I still couldn’t stop replaying that in my head....him breaking down after his dad embarrassed him in front of so many people.

Then I heard footsteps on the stairs.

I turned, expecting maybe June or Ian.

Nope. Dominic.

Sleepy, messy-haired, wearing nothing but those grey shorts that did absolutely nothing to hide his morning erection.

"Morning, babe," he said in that deep, raspy, voice.

He walked over and kissed my cheek before grabbing some cups from my hand.

"You should’ve left this for me," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"You were out cold," I said, smiling a bit. "I didn’t wanna wake you."

"Yeah, because somepeople didn’t let us sleep," he said suddenly, leaning closer so his breath brushed my ear.

I frowned, already knowing where this was going.

"Oh my god...please don’t."

He gave me that smirk.

"Omg, June and Ian last night," he said, pretending to gag. "Did you hear the noises?

It was like living next to a porn set."

I groaned, covering my face. "Let them be. My best friend finally got some action. I’m happy for her."

"But they didn’t let us sleep," he added, shaking his head dramatically. "I can’t trust Ian anymore. Only God knows what he was doing to her in the middle of the night."

I threw a paper towel at him. "You’re so dramatic."

He caught it midair. "No, I’m traumatized. June better be ready. Ian’s a sex addict. I hope she can handle his urges."

"Wow," I said, rolling my eyes. "You sound jealous. Should I be worried?"

"Jealous? Nah. I’m just looking out for your bestie."

"Right," I said slowly. "And what about your urges? Didn’t I keep up with them just fine?"

"That’s different," he said, grinning. "Mine’s manageable."

"Manageable? Dominic, last time you literally..."

He cut me off, pointing a finger at me. "Don’t finish that sentence."

"Fine," I said, smirking. "Just saying, you’ve got no moral high ground here."

He laughed and shook his head. "You keep talking like that, and I’m dragging you back upstairs."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Help me with the trash before anyone wakes up."

He picked up a few cups, then paused, watching me quietly for a second.

When I looked up, his expression had softened.

"I meant what I said last night," he said quietly.

"About what?"

"About being scared," he murmured. "About my dad. He’s not easy to deal with. I don’t know what’s gonna happen when I talk to him again."

That softened me.

He wasn’t joking anymore.

His eyes had that tired kind of warmth, the one that made me want to pull him close again.

"Dom..." I started, "whatever happens, you’re not your dad, okay? You don’t owe him anything."

He nodded slowly, then leaned in, pressing his forehead against mine.

"I know. But I’m scared of what comes next. Every time I think I’ve figured him out, he finds a new way to make me feel like I’m failing."

I sighed. "You’re not failing, Dom. You’re surviving. That man’s a full-time emotional workout. He doesn’t know how to love someone without making it complicated."

He huffed out a weak laugh. "That’s one way to put it."

We both went quiet again.

And then.... footsteps.

We both turned at the same time.

It was June.

She walked in with her messy ponytail, swollen lips, and Ian’s oversized shirt hanging halfway down her thighs.

I raised an eyebrow immediately.

Dominic noticed too, obviously. His jaw dropped a little.

"Good morning, lover girl," I said, dragging the words out with a smirk.

Her eyes squinted at us. "Why are you both staring at me like that?"

I tried to hold my face together, but the grin slipped out anyway. "Oh, nothing. Just admiring how refreshed you look... you know, after last night."

Her eyes went wide. "Ash!"

Dominic was worse. "You slept well? Or... didn’t sleep at all?"

"Dominic!" she groaned, covering her face. "You guys are so immature."

I held up a hand. "Don’t even try to deny it. See how you’re glowing? That’s the kind of glow you don’t get from eight hours of sleep."

She scoffed, and sat on the couch.

I leaned against the counter. "So... how was it?" I gasped dramatically. "My best friend got laid and didn’t even call me for moral support?"

"I... we didn’t even..." June stammered, tripping over her words. Her face turned red instantly. "No, no, we didn’t have sex! We just... we just..."

She immediately regretted it. "Oh my god," she mumbled, covering her face. "I shouldn’t have said that."

I blinked slowly. "Wait... what do you mean you didn’t have sex?"

"I mean we just..." she started, then realized Dom who had literally stopped wiping the counter, was leaning to listen.

She stared at him.

He stared back.

"Oh my god," she said, throwing her hands up. "Is everyone seriously interested in what happened between me and Ian last night?"

Dominic raised his hands like he was innocent. "I didn’t say anything!"

"Yeah, but you’re staring!" she pointed out. "You both are!"

I tried not to laugh. "Babe, no one’s judging. We’re just... fascinated."

"Fine! Ian and I just talked," she blurted, way too fast.

I raised a brow. "Talked?"

She nodded aggressively. "Yes. Like, deep emotional, spiritual, no clothes kind of talk!"

Dominic burst out laughing. "Right, right. Naked therapy.."

June groaned louder, pacing around. "Was I that loud? Oh my god, please tell me I wasn’t that loud."

Dominic covered his mouth, trying not to laugh. "I mean... we did hear some things."

Her jaw dropped. "What?!"

I couldn’t hold it anymore. I started laughing.

"Babe, the walls here are thin. I woke up twice thinking a ghost was crying out for help."

She buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god, no no no no...this can’t be real! Maybe it was just..like..a... squeaky bed or..."

Dominic was wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "Sure, Juney. A squeaky bed that kept moaning Ian’s name every ten seconds."

She screamed, and fake fainted.

So dramatic.

"Relax," I said between laughs. "Dom’s exaggerating. But yeah, maybe tone it down next time."

She jumped on the couch. "I’m so embarrassed."

"And you’re glowing! Don’t even deny it. Look at you... your curls, your smile.."

She tried to glare but ended up laughing too. "You guys are the worst."

Dominic leaned back against the counter, still smiling. "Sounds like Ian really did a number on you."

"Dominic!" I gasped dramatically. "I love this new bold side of you."

He smirked. "I’m just saying. If I had to hear it, I’m allowed to comment."

June threw her hands up again. "I hate all of you."

I grinned, bumping her shoulder gently as she walked past me. "No, you don’t. You love us."

She sighed, smiling despite herself. "Yeah... unfortunately."

Dominic grinned. "That’s our juney."

That’s when we heard another voice. That cocky voice.

"Who’s the reason my girl’s blushing this hard?"

Ian.