Elijah's head was spinning. His body was still pinned against the wall, Dominic's presence overwhelming him in every possible way. His lips tingled from the bruising kiss, and his breath came in short, ragged bursts.
He should push Dominic away. He should tell him to stop, to slow down, to give him a moment to think.
But he didn't.
Instead, he stared up at Dominic, his heart pounding so hard he was sure the mafia boss could hear it.
Dominic's fingers brushed over Elijah's lips, tracing the curve of his mouth with a touch that was surprisingly gentle, considering the raw intensity of what had just happened.
"You don't get it, do you?" Dominic murmured.
Elijah swallowed, trying to steady himself. "Get what?"
Dominic's jaw clenched, his grip tightening just slightly on Elijah's chin. "That I don't do halfway. If I want something, I take it. And if I take you, Elijah, you won't belong to anyone else."
The possessiveness in his voice sent a shiver down Elijah's spine.
Dominic wasn't just talking about sex. He was talking about ownership, about something deeper and far more dangerous.
Elijah scoffed, trying to keep himself from drowning in the intensity of it all. "Last I checked, I'm not some piece of property you can claim."
Dominic smirked, but there was no humor in it. "You think so?"
Before Elijah could respond, Dominic leaned in again, his lips grazing Elijah's ear. His voice was a low whisper, dripping with promise and warning.
"Then why do you keep coming back?"
Elijah stiffened.
Because he was an idiot. Because no matter how many times he told himself this was a bad idea, he still found himself drawn to Dominic like a moth to a flame.
And everyone knew what happened to the moth in the end.
But Elijah wasn't going to let himself burn so easily.
With a smirk of his own, he pushed against Dominic's chest—not hard enough to actually move him, but just enough to make a point.
"Maybe I just like messing with you," Elijah teased, tilting his head.
Dominic's eyes darkened. "Careful, Eli."
The nickname. Again.
It sent something sharp through Elijah's chest, something warm and confusing and entirely unwanted.
Dominic ran his thumb over Elijah's lower lip, his expression unreadable. "One day, you're going to push too far."
Elijah arched a brow. "And what happens then?"
Dominic's smirk widened, but this time, it was predatory.
"You'll find out."
Elijah wasn't sure if that was a threat or a promise.
But either way, he knew he wasn't ready for it.