DOMINIC'S CLAIM

CHAPTER TWONicole rubbed her palms before letting out a long puff of warm air. Knocking timidly on the CEO’s office, the sweet voice of a middle-aged woman answered. Walking in, the lady looked up getting rid of her reading glasses, her piercing gaze landing on Nicole. She was a prim woman with a small frame but with firm authority. She could smile on your face while firing you and you would do nothing about it. "Tell me you already have a best seller idea," she stated point-blank. "Not yet, Mrs. Forbes but if you give me more time, I’m pretty sure I would deliver," the words stumbled out of Nicole’s light pink coated lips. Didn’t someone understand the meaning of writer’s block? "It’s already been eight months since your last hit book was released. We are running out of time Nicole and we are losing buyers to Vienna publishers. The one book we

CHAPTER FOUR Nicole’s POV I blasted the volume of Beyoncé's song If I were a boy through my earphones as I increased my jogging pace. It was only six ten in the morning and until now my mind was as blank as the day I had been born. I had spent the entire week brainstorming but it was evident my career was on the line. All I had come up with were the cheesy romance spins that Mrs. Forbes were quick to dismiss. I was deep in my thoughts, trying to figure out if there was an actual way I’d be able to save my career, when I ran into someone. I raised my eyes to stare into the dark brown of the one person who has got people in the whole of New York City or perhaps even beyond, talking in whispers: Dominic Valiente.  "I’m so sorry," I apologized jogging past him feeling like I just escaped a death trap. He hadn't spoken a word though

CHAPTER SIX I groaned feeling as though someone stuffed stones in my head. Repressed pulsations of my head muscles made me aware of just how much I got drunk yesterday. I pried my eyes open while managing to sit. Despite the hangover I was currently experiencing it was easy to recognize this wasn't my room and neither was it any room in Julian's house. My clothes were still on which made me feel a little better but still where the fuck was I? Should I begin panicking?  "You know I didn't take you for someone who drinks too much, enough to make you pass out," My gaze flew to the smirking tall figure of Dominic sitting in the couch across the bed. "Did you kidnap me? My brother will come after you. You have no idea just how close I’m to the Chief of police in NYPD and I have friends in the FBI too," My heart was racing inexplicably. This had to a

CHAPTER EIGHT “Dominic, I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” I gasped inaudibly at my mum’s obvious joy at his presence. How does she know Dominic Valiente? Did he do something to my mother? Probably threaten her? He was the coldest person according to the rumors so I wouldn’t put it past him. “Well, Nicole forgot her purse at my house and I came to drop it off,” his eyes were trained on me. “You are such a gentleman and I’m really glad you are marrying my daughter. My husband and I didn’t get to thank you yesterday for your kindness,” What was mum talking about? “Oh no! It’s not a problem. You are already a family to me so it’s my duty to take care of you,” his fake show of care was both nagging and scary. “So, I’ll see you at dinner tonight?” he asked my mum. “Oh, I’m really sorry but I don’t think tonight is possible. It’s kind of a closed fam