Submitting to my Ex Uncle-Chapter 183

Dominic smirked. He lifted his face from her skin, held both sides of her face, and stared into her eyes.

"Your hair suits you so well," Dominic murmured, his fingers sliding down the silk fall of her new style.

He tucked a strand behind her ear, letting his knuckles graze her cheek as though the simple act itself were a privilege.

Celeste smiled faintly, her lips curving with a mix of shyness and mischief. "You like it."

"Of course I love it." His voice dipped lower, almost husky. "You could shave it all off and I’d still love it. You’d still be beautiful."

Her laugh came out soft, a little breathless, and she leaned into his palm, her eyelids lowering as if savoring the feeling of his skin against hers.

"You really don’t know how to stop, do you? Compliments, flowers, cars, and diamonds." She shook her head lightly. "If I don’t keep up, you’ll spoil me into forgetting what normal feels like."

Dominic’s mouth curved, but it wasn’t just a smirk this time. It was something softer, and dangerously close to vulnerable. "That’s the goal. I don’t want you to ever settle for normal again. Even if I get buried one day."

Her chest tightened. She bent forward and pressed her lips to his, lingering just long enough to taste the depth of what he meant. "You’re not dying," she murmured against his lip.

She pulled back, and her fingers trailed to the velvet box still on the bed. She stroked the necklace lightly, her gaze softening.

"You realize," she whispered, "I’m never taking this off if I wear it."

"You better not," he murmured, threading his fingers along her thigh beneath the blanket. "It belongs to you. Just like every damn thing I could ever give you."

Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs. She stared at him, memorizing the way his lashes shadowed his cheek, and the way his jaw flexed under the weight of things he didn’t often admit.

"You know," she said quietly, "you could give me nothing, and I’d still feel spoiled. Just... you being here—" She broke off, exhaling sharply, and pressed her forehead against his. "You being here is enough."

Dominic closed his eyes briefly, as if steadying himself, then, he kissed her forehead. "Say that again."

She tilted her head back slightly, meeting his gaze. "You’re enough."

His throat bobbed.

Silence stretched between them, but it was thick, charged, and pulling both of them closer until their lips met again.

When they finally broke apart, breath mingling, Dominic reached for the Rolex on the nightstand. He held it up, the polished silver catching the lamplight.

"You really bought this for me." he chuckled, his heart feeling so warm. He was still in disbelief.

Celeste arched a brow, a playful glimmer in her eyes. "Do you think I only know how to receive?"

He shook his head, staring at the watch as though it were something holy. "It’s not the watch." His eyes lifted to hers, piercing. "It’s the fact that you thought of me. That you went out of your way. That’s..." He swallowed. "That’s not something I’m used to."

"Well," she said softly, curling her body closer to his, "get used to it. Because I’m not stopping."

For a moment, Dominic said nothing. Then, with a quiet chuckle that barely disguised the raw edge of emotion in his voice, he slid the watch onto his wrist. It fit perfectly. He lifted his arm, flexing his wrist, and letting the weight settle on him like a vow.

"Perfect," he murmured. Then he looked at her, eyes steady. "But it’s nothing compared to you."

Her lips trembled with a laugh. "There you go again."

"Not a compliment," he corrected. "A fact."

Celeste shook her head, trying to hide the way her eyes glistened. She turned into him, pressing her face into his chest, breathing him in until the world outside the room ceased to exist.

Dominic’s arms tightened around her, one hand stroking slow circles against her back, the other resting at her waist like a lock. "Sleep," he whispered against her hair. "I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere."

Her lashes fluttered. The warmth of his body, the rhythm of his heart, and the faint scent of his cologne, all of it pulled her deeper into the safety of him.

"Promise?" she murmured.

His lips brushed her temple. "Promise."

Dominic felt the shift in her body first. Then, he noticed the way her breathing slowed, and the way her fingers folded up once curling tightly into his shirt.

Celeste’s face softened against his chest, lashes finally still against her skin. She had fallen asleep in his arms, trusting him enough to not let go.

He stared down at her, at the fragile peace etched across her features, and something inside him clenched. For a man like him, peace was a currency he could never buy. But here she was, giving it to him freely.

Dominic pressed a final kiss into her hair, letting his lips linger against the crown of her head, before he slowly reached for his phone on the nightstand.

He didn’t move her. He wouldn’t dare. She remained draped across his chest, her weight grounding him, even as he slid the device into his hand.

The screen’s glow painted across his sharp features, catching the curve of his jaw, with the intensity still etched in his gaze even in the soft light. Notifications stacked the screen, but one stood out.

Chairman.

Dominic’s thumb hovered for a second, then he opened it.

The message was brief, clean, and short. "London. The ball would be in a week. A formal ball to seal agreements. Attendance is not optional." the message read.

Dominic’s jaw flexed. He glanced down at Celeste again, and at the way her lips parted softly in sleep.

His thumb tapped the screen once, opening the keyboard. "I’ll be there." He replied swiftly.

He locked the phone, setting it back down without sound, and returned his attention to her.

Dominic tightened his arms slightly, drawing her closer. His eyes stayed on her. For now, she was asleep. For now, the world could wait.