The Werewolf Prince and I (14 page)

“He let go.”

“To save Domenico’s life,” Esmeralda said.

“And your father? He blames Domenico for what happened?”

“In a moment of anger. You know how we say things we don’t mean. My father was so furious and…he was grieving. Domenico, he just became wilder and wilder. One night, my father exploded and said, he wished that Danilo was the one alive.”

Estrella was the one who spoke next. “And the next day, Domenico had changed. He was no longer wild, no longer…” Her voice lowered. “He was just suddenly perfect. He used to smile all the time, but not anymore. Everything he did was perfect, but he tends to choose alternatives that are sure to make Father angry.”

Misty almost didn’t want to ask the obvious. But she had to. “Like marrying me, you mean?”

Emilia squeezed her hand, rushing to say, “Please don’t take it personally. My father simply wants Domenico to marry any pack princess. Times are hard these days and we need to strengthen alliances. Marriage is the best way to do that. Of course, Domenico would disagree. And now he’s brought you---”

Again, she had to ask, “Do you guys hate me?” Would they suddenly become sisters-in-law from hell, out to punish her for daring to marry their beloved, unreachable brother?

Estrella was shocked. “Of course not. It’s obvious that Domenico cares for you. He smiled at you, didn’t he? We just want to make sure that you understand what’s happening…you’re possibly the only one to reach his heart. So make him come alive again, will you, Misty?”

Before she could answer, fingers suddenly clamped around his wrist. She looked up to meet Domenico’s furious eyes. “We’re leaving.”

She barely had time to wave at his sisters. She was panting by the time they reached the lobby. His strides were so hard to keep up with. “What’s wrong?” she asked, concerned.

Domenico shook his head. “Nothing.”

Their limousine came to a stop and Domenico all but pushed her inside. The chauffeur shut the door closed. Domenico opened the chiller and took out a wine bottle. He punched a button and out came wine glasses. He poured the wine in a glass and drank it in one gulp.

“Are you okay?”

“Not really.”

Her heart constricted at the sight of his hardened face. She had a feeling he was just hiding sadness behind that cold face of his. She wondered madly what she could do to amuse him. Then she had an idea and fished out her mobile phone, hurriedly punching buttons to get to the right message.

The continuous beeping of pressed key buttons pulled Domenico out of long-buried but never forgotten memories. He frowned at the sight of Misty with her head bent down, hair falling to cover most of her face. “What are you doing?”

“I have a joke,” she blurted out.

His frown darkened even more. “A what?”

God, what am I doing
, she asked herself.

The frown was scary. It reminded her of the fact that this guy was a werewolf. What if he got so mad he decided to eat her? “Umm…on second thought---”

Domenico crossed his arms against his chest. He placed the wine glass down. “I’m sorry. Please continue.”

“Ah…”

“You have a joke, don’t you? Share it, please.”

Shick. When he sounded like that, she felt like she had no power to refuse. He was in BOSS mode and it made her revert to EMPLOYEE mode.

If---when---we marry, it can’t be like this. It won’t be like this
, she promised to herself.

“Misty?”

She almost jumped.

Stupid, stupid, Misty. What have you gotten yourself into now
?

She cleared her throat. “There were three guys…”

Domenico raised a brow. “I hope this isn’t a sexual joke.”

“Not…really?”

“Or a joke about stupidity,” he added.

“Umm…”

He rolled his eyes. “Go on.”

“I can’t,” she practically wailed. “You’re scaring me!”

That made him blink. Then Domenico started to laugh. “I have, haven’t I?” His laughter faded. “I’m sorry for that.” He looked at her, glued to the other end of the seat. “Come here, Misty.” He patted the space next to him.

She went to him tentatively.

“Closer.”

She moved an inch.

“Misty,” he growled.

She moved two inches closer.

He sighed and without further ado, he pulled her close to him until they were skin to skin, her back against his chest.  He sighed again, relaxing. Misty had that effect on him, and it was extremely nice, especially after another bitter exchange of words with his father.

“Relax, Misty. Get used to this. We’re getting married, remember?” His arm tightened around her waist as he spoke the words. More and more, Domenico was realizing how much her presence meant to him, and it was unnerving. This hadn’t been part of the plan at all.

Domenico leaned his head back and closed his eyes. When he did, he felt Misty gradually relaxing against him as well, her back curving naturally to his chest.

“Tell me the joke,” he murmured.

Reluctance lined her voice when she said, “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She cleared her throat. “So, there were three guys stranded in the island. Jack, Jim, and John.”

He smirked without opening his eyes.

The women he knew would never make a joke like this. It would be something else, something witty, satirical even, and sophisticated. Or naughty – anything to impress him.

“Now, these three guys were stranded in an island. Bandits had caught them and brought the three to their leader. The leader then orders them to bring him 10 pieces of any fruit.”

He heard her pushing buttons of her phone and knew she was scrolling down to read of the rest of her joke. Domenico wanted to smile but managed to stop himself in time. Too much smiling would make him weak, and he didn’t want that.

Misty continued, “Jack was the first one to come back. He brought with him 10 apples. The leader then tells him that each and every one of them would have to be shoved in his butt.”

Domenico choked.

Misty was already into the joke and didn’t notice Domenico’s reaction. The chauffeur and bodyguard in front snickered. Then they caught sight of Domenico’s frown through the rearview mirror and coughed.

“The leader also adds that if ever Jack grimaces or laugh, even just once, they’d cut his head off. Jack got as far as two before he grimaced. And then it was off with his head!” Misty was narrating the joke now like a standup comedian, hands flying in expansive gestures, now completely carried away.

This time, it was impossible for Meralco to stop himself from smiling. She looked simply adorable.

“Jim comes back with ten grapes. He’s given the same ultimatum. By the ninth grape, however, he laughs. And it’s off with his head, too!” Misty made a chopping motion.

“Now, Jack and Jim met each other in Heaven. Jack asks Jim, why did you laugh? You were on your 9
^th
grape already. One more and you could have been saved.” Misty couldn’t help it and she fell to the seat, laughing. She knew the punch line of course, but it still made her double over literally.

Domenico nudged her, even as his smile widened at the picture she created. “Finish the joke.”

She strived to control her laughter. “So Jim replies, I saw John coming back.” She bit her lip to stop her laughter from bubbling over. “And he was carrying 10 pieces of pineapple.”

Laughter from Misty, Domenico, and the two uniformed men rocked the limousine.

“Ah, Misty.” She was still doubled over, laughing. She had probably heard the joke at least once before this but it still made her laugh. She was cute…and priceless.

Domenico pulled her to his lap and hugged her. Tightly.

That stopped her laughter. She gazed at him, wide-eyed, surprised at his sudden burst of affection. “Wow?”

He laughed and kissed her on the mouth. “Whoever hired you to work for my company deserves a cash bonus. I was lucky to find you, Misty.”

She blushed at his words. “I’m lucky to have you, too.”

He pulled her back and this time, she was able to relax and snuggle close in his lap.

“Come home with me?” he murmured.

She closed her eyes. “Yes.”

Chapter Three

Dear Diary,

Domenico is mad at me.

When I see him furious, sometimes I have this ridiculous fantasy of Domenico tying me up and forcing himself on me. I imagine him binding my wrists and holding my arms over my head, thrusting into me from behind. I’d cry for him to stop, but all it does is just make him ram his cock into me more and more. Is it so bad that I get all wet just thinking about it?

 “Misty?”

“You know how Lyccan hearing is really good, right?”

“Uh huh.” She wondered absently what he was getting at. She was so nervous. Had she truly agreed to go home with him? They were walking out of the airport now, and she felt like dragging her feet to delay the…inevitable? The unexpected? The anticipated?

“Well, I can hear your heartbeat right now.”

Her jaw dropped open.

He regarded her solemnly. “And it’s beating hard and fast.”

Her face flushed with color. Hard. Fast. Those were very, very bad adjectives to choose. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking about the two of them in bed.

Oh, dear.

How had Domenico turned her into a nympho in less than two days?

Domenico almost, almost laughed. Misty was absolutely priceless! He could read her every thought on her face. He knew exactly what she’d think when he used those words and she had not disappointed.

“Where are we going now?”

He was about to say something to make her blush again when his phone rang. It was a Council official, relating to him the massacre of a small group of individuals, all of whom came from prominent families. One of them was from his pack.

“Is something wrong?” Misty asked immediately when he ended the call, seeing his frown.

“An unfortunate matter that I can’t postpone,” he said absently. He glanced at her thoughtfully. “I’ll have you deposited at my home first---”