CHAPTER 37: NEWS
Bella’s POV
“Let’s have lunch in that restaurant, princess”, Dominic suggested while throwing his thumb in the direction towards a tastefully built diner across the street. “I am sure you are famished and we can give those lovebirds some privacy back in the apartment”, he added and then scowled while frowning.
Jealous much ? Hee hee.
I chuckled and laced my arm with his before tip toeing to peck his lips lightly, “Don’t worry, babe. Kai is fiercely loyal. He will not do anything wrong behind our backs. I trust him”, I gently said and Dominic’s tense features relaxed immediately as a smile graced on his lips in place of the angry, thin lined scowl.
“You are such a sweet talker”, he chuckled and led me to the restaurant.
Wohoo.
The diner seemed pretty, pretty expensive just by looking at the ostentatious decor and strictly professional looking staff.
“Welcome Mr Kent !”, the Manager personally came forward to greet and attend to us.
Dominic seemed to have given some sort of look to the Manager from behind my shocked figure coz the latter immediately, bowed his head and added, “Would you like to take a private booth, Sir or a table on the terrace ?”, he asked.
It is so damn clear that Dominic was well known here.
Why is trying to act otherwise ?
He is sometimes so mysterious.
Dominic sighed heavily and replied, “Stop being so formal, Ryan !! We are like brothers !”, he exclaimed. “This is my girlfriend, Bella Diaz, my Queen”, he introduced me to the grinning man whose name was Ryan. The emphasis on the word “Queen” made me quirk up an eyebrow but then it was soon forgotten when Ryan said something so outrageous.
“Did you get her pregnant, Dumb Dom ? Never knew the player could settle down”, he teased.
Dumb Dom ? Mhmm. Nice nickname. Pretty poetic if I may add.
“Don’t make me smack you in front of my men, dickhead”, Dominic spoke through gritted teeth and immediately after regretted it.
He realized it too late and the words had been already spoken.
“My men ?”, I queried surprised while straining my neck closer to him.
“Fuck !”, Dominic muttered lowly.
“He is the ultimate King of this chain of restaurants”, Ryan explained and my eyes widened in surprise.
“No way !”, I breathed out.
“Yeah !! He is the man behind these successful ventures. We have thirty two outlets all over the continent and over a hundred all over the world. He started this business since the damn age of 12”, Ryan gossiped, completely ignoring his boss whose eyes were throwing daggers at him.
Looks like they have been buddies since a long time. Hmmm.
“And this modest doofus here is not a mere manager but my best friend, equal partner in this business and …. Beta”, he breathed out the last word strangely and I could not catch the last word he uttered but I think he said something similar to “Beta”.
But then I might be wrong.
Ughh.
Never mind.
Ryan chuckled and gave a knowing glance towards Dominic before leading us to an outrageously opulent looking booth near an overlooking pool.
I could never afford to dine here even for 1 square meal !
What even was the cost of salad here !!
I feel like a pauper in front of my boyfriends now. I might be wealthy due to my royal ancestry but I was not so humanely filthy rich !!!Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
“Just ask Mary to get the special dishes of the day”, Dominic requested Ryan who nodded before leaving us to our luxurious privacy.
Thank God he ordered for me too. I was so lost in looking around me !! Who wouldn’t when everything was beyond you !
“You are a fucking millionaire ?! And you didn’t even tell me about it !!!!”, I shrieked and kicked him under the table like a stuck up child.
Dominic chuckled and answered, “I am sorry babe but I hate getting in the public light and hence keep a low profile”, he replied.
“Any more secrets you have ?”, I asked with the astonishment on my face refusing to fade away any time soon.
“Not secrets but there things that I haven’t told you yet. I plan to tell you everything when you are ready”, he replied.
“What do you mean by ‘ready’ ?”, I inquired while shooting up an eyebrow.
“You will know everything soon but for now, I can tell you that I am not a millionaire”, he informed.
“Bullshit”, I trashed his claim. “You own 32 fucking ultra expensive franchises in the continent and god knows how many more globally. How can you not be a millionaire ?”, I questioned incredulously.
“Yeah, that is why I am not a millionaire. I am a billionaire and this is just a side business. My actual businesses range from hospitality to manufacturing to retail to construction”, he revealed and it took a lot of effort in me to not spray out the water in my mouth on Dominic’s gorgeous face.
“WHAT ?!”, I exclaimed in bewilderment.
“Yeah ! Actually, Ryan and I both lost our mothers to rape and assault by our bloody fathers. The tribal folk took care of us and helped us with the initial process of setting up the businesses. Ryan studies in our uni but his courses are much more inclined towards Law while mine are Business related just like yours”, he divulged.
“Wow”, I breathed out the word in awe. “You guys are really inspiring”, I commended them.
“Oh that’s nothing ! I am sure that – …. “, he was suddenly cut off when the huge, flat screen TV blared out the news of a murder in the grocery shop we had just been in.
When I heard the name, “Hayden”, my ears immediately perked up.
Fuck !
What the hell happened ?
This was the last thing I wanted !!
” …. STORE EMPLOYEE, HAYDEN MEYERS WAS FOUND DEAD AND LITERALLY DEAD WHITE AND NOT A SINGLE DROP OF BLOOD WAS FOUND IN HIS BODY. THE BRUTAL MURDER WAS COMMITTED IN THE EMPLOYEE RESTROOM. THE BODY WAS FOUND BY HIS COLLEAGUE MR …. ”
Everything tuned out after that when I stared hard at Dominic who was texting someone unfazed.
“What happened love ?”, Dominic asked with concern as he placed his warm, comforting hand in my comparatively smaller one.
“Hayden”, I whispered or rather squeaked in shock. “The store employee”, I added.
“What about him, baby ?”, Dominic cooed as he got up and dragged his chair closely to mine.
“Someone murdered him !! We talked to him some time back !”, I exclaimed and by now Dominic had already pulled me in his lap and tried to comfort me by drawing soft circles on my back to soothe me down.
“Relax honey bunch. Everything will be alright”, he coaxed.
No ! Nothing can be alright now !!
Someone fucking killed a supernatural being- a werewolf in broad daylight !
And not to forget that he was one of the Dark Lord’s rogues !!
I am so screwed if they trace me through him.
“You are panicking”, Dominic murmured and before I knew it, he had bitten me by my neck and immediately after, I lost myself to the dark blackness of unconsciousness.