Chapter 152
She'd spent the entire day searching for him.
Of all places, she never expected to run into Dominic here.
The situation couldn't be worse.
He was the wealthy, extravagant client. She was just an ordinary salesgirl.
Carrying her suitcase filled with contraceptive products.
Dominic exhaled a plume of smoke. His words drew every eye in the private room toward them.
These men were all his longtime companions.
Most had attended school with him since childhood.
The rest came from powerful families intertwined with the Blackwoods.
Nearly all were either married or in committed relationships.
Dominic stood alone among them - untouched by scandal.
Once, some fool had sent a beautiful young man to his bed.
The logic was simple: if Dominic didn't like women, perhaps he preferred men.
The humiliated boy returned defeated. If Mr. Blackwood didn't desire women, why reject him?
After years of observation, his friends concluded Dominic desired neither.
Perhaps he was asexual.
Perhaps his relentless focus on business left no room for romance.
A rare specimen among men.
Maybe that's why he'd found a woman to bear his children.
Yet now, Dominic was doing the unthinkable - engaging with a contraceptive salesgirl.
The poker player stood, removing his cigarette. "Whatever you're selling, come sit."
Just like that, Evelyn was ushered toward them.
"Sit beside him." The man gestured politely to the seat next to Dominic.
When she complied, he poured her water with the same care he'd show Alexander or Isabella.
He wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away.
After twenty-nine years, Dominic had finally shown interest in a woman.
A sight rarer than the dodo bird!
"Talk privately. Call if you need anything." The poker player discreetly closed the divider behind him.
Dominic's gaze remained obscured by smoke. "Show me what you're selling."
She remained motionless.
Silent.
After a moment, he reached over and opened her unlocked case.
Neat rows of products wrapped in garish packaging.
Each item sealed in waterproof plastic.
Dominic studied them, cigarette in hand. He pressed the burning tip against a package.
She thought he meant to point at an item.
When she realized he was burning her merchandise, she stayed quiet.
She knew his temper.
Knew his cruelty.
Knew the venom in his words when angered.
But when she pictured Alexander and Isabella's faces...
Her conclusions about Sebastian's information, while logical, lacked concrete proof.
Claiming his children as hers wasn't something to do lightly.
She needed to hear it from Dominic himself.
His gaze on the contraceptives held the weight of life and death decisions.
Smoke and the chill made his voice rough. "Does the Lockwood family know you're selling these?"
Evelyn knew conversation was impossible today.
Every word dripped with malice.
"If you're married to Maxwell, why peddle contraceptives in places like this? Does he neglect you? Are you that desperate for money?" Dominic's frown deepened.
"Sorry, but my boss prohibits chatting with customers. If you're not buying, don't waste my time." Evelyn stood, case in hand, ignoring the damaged packaging.
As she rose, Dominic caught her wrist.
Effortless.
His large hand engulfed hers. When she stubbornly refused to face him, his expression turned murderous.
One sharp tug sent her crashing against his chest.
Face to face with those lethal eyes, she froze. Her suitcase burst open...
Breath coming fast.
She struggled, but his arms were steel traps.
His cologne mixed with tobacco overwhelmed her. The confined space grew unbearably warm.
"If you want company, ask for a hostess... Plenty of beautiful women here..." Her ears burned.
Dominic ignored her, examining a box of condoms.
"You think gamblers care about protection?" He'd never used one himself.
Their proximity made her fair skin flush pink. His breath warmed her cheeks.
"Let me go..." Trapped, she braced against his broad shoulders, trying to push away.
The movement only made things worse.
Her squirming ignited him.
Studying her shy expression, he opened a box. "Explain the benefits."
Her cheeks burned crimson...
Dominic's gaze dropped to her lips. His voice turned dangerously seductive. "Obey me tonight, and I'll grant any request. Even never seeing me again. I keep my promises."
Evelyn stared in disbelief.
It felt like a trap.
Alexander and Isabella bound them together. Never meeting again was impossible.
She could never abandon her children - and she knew he felt the same.