Chapter 36
Samantha’s POV
"Dinner? With you?"
The words tumbled out of me before I could stop them and Dominic just stood there, in front of me, calmer than I was used to, like he had carefully rehearsed this moment. I was not sure what I expected him to say after the meeting, but it wasn’t an invitation to dinner.
“I know it’s unexpected,” he replied, shoving his hands into his pockets. “But there are things we need to talk about, Samantha.”
I stared at him, feeling my irritation bubble beneath the surface. “We’ve talked enough, haven’t we?”
He exhaled through his nose, something faintly like frustration crossing his face, but he reined it in quickly. “Just one dinner. No arguments. I’ll take you back as soon as you want. I promise.”
It was not his words that swayed me, but the way he looked, like he had thought about this long and hard. Like whatever he wanted to say could not wait. And curiosity, my constant enemy, nudged at the back of my mind. “Fine,” I muttered before I could change my mind. I could always leave if it became unbearable.
The restaurant Dominic chose was just in a nearby street, but far enough from familiar faces to avoid curious stares. When I stepped inside, the muted lighting and soft hum of conversation told me he had picked it for privacy.
The host led us to a private dining room in the back. The moment the door clicked shut behind us, I tensed. It felt isolated like I could not escape if I wanted to.
Dominic moved ahead, pulling out a chair for me. “Go on.”
I stared at him for a beat longer than I needed to, my thoughts a mess. “This place is... quiet.”
“That’s why I picked it,” he replied evenly.