Chapter 6: Caged Bird

Elijah wasn't kidding.

He's getting out of here.

Screw the mafia. Screw the stupid rumors. Screw Dominic Moretti and his goddamn possessiveness.

Elijah moves quietly through the halls of the mansion, his heart hammering in his chest. He doesn't know how many guards are posted, but he's banking on luck.

Step. Step. Step.

He sees the door.

His escape.

His freedom.

He lunges.

Click.

A hand grabs his collar.

Elijah barely has time to yelp before he's yanked backward—slamming into a hard chest.

"Going somewhere?"

Fuck.

---

Dominic's Patience Runs Out

Dominic's grip is tight.

Not painful.

But firm enough to make a point.

Elijah twists, struggling. "Dude, let me go—"

Dominic doesn't even flinch. "No."

Elijah's blood boils. "I'm not your prisoner!"

Dominic tilts his head slightly. "Aren't you?"

Elijah glares. "You're insane."

Dominic leans in slightly, voice dangerously low.

"You're reckless."

Elijah freezes.

"You don't think," Dominic continues. "You act on impulse. And that's going to get you killed."

Elijah grits his teeth. "So what? You think keeping me here is the solution?"

Dominic's eyes burn. "Yes."

Elijah laughs bitterly. "Wow. Great plan. Keep me locked up forever. That'll solve everything."

Dominic is silent for a moment.

Then he sighs, like he's finally losing patience.

Before Elijah can react—

Dominic throws him over his shoulder.

"WHAT THE HELL—"

---

The Lockdown

Dominic carries Elijah like he weighs nothing, completely ignoring his struggles.

Vincent watches from the hallway, clearly amused.

"Boss, you know kidnapping doesn't usually end well in romance movies, right?"

Dominic ignores him.

Elijah flails. "PUT ME DOWN!"

"No."

"DOMINIC."

"I said no."

Elijah screams in frustration.

This asshole.

This controlling, arrogant, high-and-mighty

The moment Dominic drops him onto the bed, Elijah springs up but Dominic is faster.

He leans down, caging him in.

And for the first time, Elijah really sees him.

Dominic's eyes aren't just angry.

They're furious.

But beneath that

There's something else.

Something dangerous.

"Elijah," Dominic murmurs, voice lethal.

Elijah shudders.

"What…?" he whispers, suddenly breathless.

Dominic tilts his head slightly.

"Run away one more time…" His fingers brush against Elijah's chin, tilting it up.

And then, softly:

"I'll break your legs."

Elijah stops breathing.

His heart pounds.

But what terrifies him the most

Is the way his stomach twists in something that is definitely not fear.

Elijah hasn't moved.

He's still sitting on the edge of the bed, heart hammering in his chest, staring at the door Dominic slammed shut behind him.

What the fuck just happened?

His body is burning. Not from anger. Not from fear.

Something else.

Something he doesn't want to name.

Denial is a Bitch

Elijah grabs a pillow and screams into it.

No. No, no, no. This is NOT happening.

He does not feel anything when Dominic touches him.

He does not find the man's anger attractive.

And he definitely doesn't

His face heats up.

FUCK.

Vincent is No Help

The door suddenly swings open, and Vincent walks in like he owns the place.

Elijah jumps. "Jesus—can't you knock?!"

Vincent grins. "Nah. It's more fun to catch you off guard."

Elijah throws a pillow at his face.

Vincent dodges. "Whoa, feisty. You sure you're not mad because your little escape plan failed?"

Elijah crosses his arms. "Whatever."

Vincent chuckles. "Orrrr, are you mad because your heart did a little somersault when Dominic pinned you down?"

Elijah chokes.

"SHUT THE HELL UP."

Vincent laughs. "Oh my God, you're blushing."

"NO, I'M NOT!"

Vincent smirks, leaning against the doorframe. "Yeah? Then why does your face look like a damn tomato?"

Elijah grabs another pillow.

Vincent raises his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll stop." He sits on the chair across from him. "But seriously, Elijah… how long are you gonna keep pretending you don't notice?"

Elijah frowns. "Notice what?"

Vincent gives him a long, knowing look.

Then, finally, he says, "Dominic."

Elijah's stomach drops.

No. No, no, no.

That's not even a possibility.

Because Dominic Moretti doesn't like him.

…Right?

Dominic's Dilemma

Meanwhile, Dominic is pacing in his office, jaw tight, hands clenched into fists.

Vincent's words from earlier won't leave his head.

"Should I leave you two alone?"

"You should really get a room."

Vincent had been teasing, but he wasn't wrong.

Dominic has a problem.

And that problem is Elijah Sinclair.

The smart-mouthed, stubborn little idiot who has somehow forced his way under Dominic's skin.

Dominic exhales sharply, gripping the desk.

He needs to get himself under control.

Because if he doesn't

He's going to ruin everything.

Elijah has a mission.

A simple one.

Prove—to himself, to Vincent, to the whole damn world—that he doesn't feel anything for Dominic Moretti.

Because he doesn't.

Right?

---

Step One: Avoid Dominic Like the Plague

It starts with the small things.

Elijah changes his schedule, waking up late to avoid seeing Dominic at breakfast. He lingers in the library instead of hanging around the common areas. If he hears Dominic's voice from a room, he turns the other way.

Vincent notices immediately.

"You look like a rat dodging a cat," he comments, amused. "You do realize Dominic owns this whole damn mansion? You can't avoid him forever."

Elijah glares. "Watch me."

Vincent grins. "Oh, I will. And I'll be laughing my ass off when it backfires."

---

Step Two: Get a Distraction

Elijah decides to talk to literally anyone except Dominic.

The guards. The maids. The damn chef.

At one point, he finds himself in the kitchen, watching the staff prepare dinner, pretending to be super interested in the way they chop onions.

Dominic finds him there.

Elijah nearly drops the knife he's holding.

Dominic leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching him with that unreadable expression.

Elijah swallows. Fuck.

"You're avoiding me," Dominic says.

Elijah snorts. "I think you're overestimating your importance in my life."

Dominic's eyes darken.

"Elijah." His voice is low. Dangerous.

And something in Elijah shivers.

He forces a smirk. "Relax, big guy. You're not my world."

Dominic moves so fast that Elijah barely has time to react before the man is in front of him, boxing him in against the counter.

Elijah's breath hitches.

Dominic tilts his head, studying him.

"Then why are you running?"

The Problem With Denial

Elijah doesn't answer.

Because he doesn't know how.

Dominic is too close.

And his body reacts before his brain does.

His pulse skips. His stomach flutters. He's acutely aware of Dominic's heat, his scent, the way his voice wraps around him like a trap.

And for the first time

Elijah realizes he might be fucked.

Dominic notices.

And he smirks.

"I'll ask again," he murmurs, voice like silk. "Why are you running, Eli?"

Elijah shoves him away. Hard.

His face burns.

"Go to hell, Moretti."

And he storms out, ignoring the way his heart pounds like it's trying to escape his chest.

Dominic watches him go.

His smirk widens.

Interesting.