Victoria's POV
Dominic's hand never left my waist as we lingered near the bar. His steady grip, the weight of his touch, was both grounding and suffocating. I couldn't decide if I wanted to lean into it or push him away.
The truth was, I didn't know how to feel about anything right now—especially not him.
"Dominic," I said quietly, gathering my courage. "Thank you for stepping in earlier, but… it really wasn't necessary."
His head turned sharply, his dark eyes locking onto mine with a piercing intensity that made me swallow hard. "You're thanking me?" he asked, his voice low but laced with an edge I couldn't place.
"Yes," I replied, keeping my tone polite and steady. "But, like I said, it wasn't necessary. I'm not… I'm not hurt by what they said. Not anymore."
His jaw tightened at my words, and his gaze darkened. "Not anymore?" he repeated, as if testing the weight of the phrase.