INSATIABLE CRAVINGS
Insatiable Cravings – Episode 17
Subtitle; {Loving You Is A Loosing Game}
TAGS: Age-gap, Mafia, Forbidden Love, Drama, Tragedy and Betrayal.
Settings: United Kingdom, Russia and others.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
~ Genevieve ~
A couple of weeks have passed since Julianna and I had our little row, and Dominic nearly kissed me, along with my rather bold declaration about toúching myself.
Yes, it’s been a right rollercoaster of a fortnight.
However, Jules and I are friends again. She apologised first, knowing full well I wouldn’t be the one to do so.
I don’t do that—apologise when I’m not in the wrong. Nor do I ever take the initiative to end a spat.
Even though I didn’t speak to her, I made sure to give Maggot—otherwise known as Margot—a taste of her own medicine. I simply replicated her antics towards my best friend, but with a bit of chilli sauce thrown in for good measure.
It was a hilarious sight to witness her utterly drenched. The yelps she let out were like music to my ears, especially knowing it was because it stung her eyes. And yes, it may or may not have been the reason she didn’t show up at school for the rest of the week.
It was.
I couldn’t care less.
I also have no idea why she might hate me.
Yes, you do.
Oh, yes, I do.
Maggot is a petty, attention-seeking wannabe who simply cannot accept the fact that I’m brighter than she is. She wants what she can’t have, and it’s honestly rather tràgic.
It’s not my fault that I’m both stunningly beautiful and clever. I mean, I was made this way.
If only she spent less time being an annoying pint-sized bràt, perhaps she’d have a bit more sense and could actually beàt me academically—because there’s no other way she’s going to manage it.
Then there are the low budget Mean Girls — Cheryl and Clara. They also détest me because I have a better sense of style than they do, and because I attract boys even without trying.
I usually had to deal with them separately, but they’ve been sticking together lately, which is double trouble.
Meanwhile, I’ve made no progress with Dominic Morozov. He’s retreated back into his shell, resisting my every advance with renewed vigour. But I can tell he’s slipping; he knows I know it. And when he finally lets himself go, I’ll be there to catch him.
So you can see how chaótic these last two weeks have been for me. I desperately need a massage, but I can’t allow myself one until I’ve fulfilled my vow of turning Dominic into a puddle in the palm of my hand.
Anyway, I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I approached my locker. However, the universe seemed to have other ideas, for as I turned the final corner, I collided with someone—a girl.
The books she was holding tumbled to the ground, along with my own.
“I’m sorry,” we both exclaimed simultaneously before even looking up.
Our gazes met, and a new kind of shock washed over her face, but I did my utmost to brush it off. Crouching down, I began collecting my books into one pile, and she quickly did the same with hers.
I picked up a pink book before realising I didn’t own any books in that garish colour. It was far too bright, and frankly, I found pink quite revolting.
Hey, that’s just my opinion!
“Aurora M,” I read from the pink book, and she glanced up from gathering her remaining books. “Sorry, this is yours.”
“Oh,” her soft voice brought an instant smile to my face. “Thank you. This one is yours—it says Genevieve King.” She extended a black book towards me.
Now, that’s a colour I can tolerate, and it happens to be my favourite.
I took it from her. “Thank you as well. What does the M stand for in your name?”
Aurora glanced at her pink book as if she wasn’t the one who’d written it, then looked back at me. “It says Mo…”
“Vie!” Julianna’s voice interrupted before she could finish. I turned to see my best friend racing towards me. “What happened?”
“We bumped into each other,” I told her, and she nodded in understanding. “Let’s go, Jules.”
“Bye, Genevieve!” Aurora chimed far too cheerily for my liking.
The reason I felt that way is because there’s something about her that makes me feel like I both know her and don’t know her at all.
It’s an odd sensation that had me glancing back as I walked alongside Jules. I caught her looking back with a knowing smile.
It was clear she knew something I didn’t.
Pushing that thought to the back of my mind for later, I asked Julianna, “Why aren’t you with your boyfriend?”
“He’s in class, and I’ve told you that you need to like and accept him.”
Accept who?
For what?
No, no, no. I don’t like Alessio, and if he wants me to, he’ll have to earn it; I don’t hand out freebies.
“No can do.”
“Why not?”
“The question here should be, why?”
“Goodness, I’ve almost forgotten how headstrong you are.”
“Well, this should be a friendly reminder for you.” I flashed her a big smile as if I wasn’t bombarding her little boyfriend with every insult I could conjure in my head.
♡♡♡♡
Do you know that feeling we get when we see our plans finally falling into place?
If you do, then you can relate to me so much right now.
Aside from all the sneaky glances Dominic was throwing my way, I felt this absurd sense that something significant was about to happen.
I have no idea what it might be, but I can see him grasping tightly onto that self-control that doesn’t even want to be held anymore.
Like, set it free!
I ought to be reading my book, and Dominic should be working on whatever he has going on with his laptop, but instead, we’re busy taking turns looking at each other without the other’s knowledge.
Except, I know he’s looking at me.
I mean, he did tell me not to stay here in his home office to read because ‘I distract him,’ but you know me—I insisted.
When have I ever distracted him? I am innocent of that accusation.
Yes, the constant teasing and flirting definitely don’t count as distractions.
Exactly!
Wait, did my own brain just sass me?
I was on the brink of thinking that I’d finally gone màd when a glass of water blocked my vision. I grinned before looking up because I knew who it was.
“I don’t want water.” I told him, shaking my head like a petulant child.
Dominic shot me a scolding look, but when I giggled, it instantly softened. He snatched my Kindle from my hand and said, “You haven’t drunk water in over two hours.”
I see no problem with that.
“I don’t want water, Dominic, seriously.”
“Who told you I wasn’t serious, too?”
He does this a lot because ‘hydration is a must’ and blah, blah, blah. I mean, who drinks water almost three times in an hour?
Do I look like a relative of a toad?
The answer is glaringly clear, so you’d better mind your words.
“Dom,” I grumbled. “I don’t need the water. Give me juice instead.”
“Have the water first, and then I’ll give you your juice.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, Vixen.”
Even though I was groaning and grumbling like something I couldn’t quite identify, my body didn’t fail to react to that nickname.
I don’t know how to explain what or how I feel each time he calls me that. All I know is that I don’t want him to ever stop.
“A glass of water first before any juice, deal or no deal?” he added.
“Fine, deal.” I replied and took the glass of water from him. After I downed it all to avoid his lecture, I stood up, causing him to immediately step back.
He always does that when he sees we’re too close, and it never fails to make me laugh. I didn’t mean to have such an effect on a mafía head, but here I was.
Okay, that was a lié. I totally meant to make him react like that because I know I can.
“I’ll get your juice.” Dominic said and left.
With my bléeding Kindle, mind you.
When he walked back in with my juice, he said, “Here.”
“My Kindle?”
“Don’t you think you read a lot of books?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Do you even study?”
“Yes, Dominic.”
“I don’t see you studying.”
“That’s because I come here for you, not to study.”
My words seemed to throw him off track for some reason, and I noticed it despite his attempts to hide it.
After all, he’ll say I can’t read him when it’s pretty obvious that I can.
“How then do you manage to get B’s?”
“I study at home, mostly before exam period, why?”
“Can’t you get an A?”
“I do get A’s in some subjects, except for mathematics; I’ve told you this.”
“Yeah, I know that.” He replied. “I want you to get an A in maths—in fact, in all your subjects for this upcoming midterm test.”
I laughed because it was simply impossible. Dominic sent me another scolding look, and I scoffed. “I can’t get an A in mathematics.”
“Why do you think you can’t?”
“Because I hàte maths.”
Dominic looked as though he wanted to say something but thought better of it. For a moment, he seemed deep in thought, which made me somewhat anxious about what he was considering.
He broke my anxiety by saying, “I’ll tell you what, if you get all A’s in this test, I’ll take you on a trip.”
A trip? With him?
Doesn’t that sound lovely?
But because I am the way I am, I asked, “Will you kiss me if I do?”
I almost cringed at the awkwardness of the question. Why did it feel like I was begging him for a kiss?
I am Genevieve King, and I don’t beg. Ever.
I watched his face for any sign of a reaction, but he expertly schooled it. His answer was firm and sharp, “No.”
Ground, can you swallow me whole?
Dominic must have noticed my mood shifting because he quickly added, “Hey, don’t be màd. You asked a question, and I answered.”
Yeah, a stúpid answer that he definitely didn’t mean!
Another scoff escaped my lips as I tilted my head for dramatic effect. I also hummed once, stepping forward into his personal space. “So, what you’re saying is that I should study really hard to get all A’s and I won’t even get a reward for my hard work?”
“You’re getting a reward.” His voice sounded breathier, and I knew it was because I was this close to him. “The trip.”
I chuckled, almost mockingly. “Come on, Dominic. You do remember that I’m a King, right? I can fund my own trip.”
I once told him that I would love to go on a trip after my exams, on my own of course. I didn’t realise he would want to plan it for me, though.
But because I was still slightly miffed, I put my excitement on hold.
“Of course, I remember that.” His tone drastically shifted to something darker, for reasons unknown to me. “But you will be going with me.” Then, his voice softened again, swirling my brain in confusion. “Don’t you want to go with me?”
He just flirted, and as soon as he realised it, he took a couple of steps back, creating distance between us.
Typical Dominic, always retreating.
The trip I wanted to go on was supposed to be a time for myself, without any annoying humans nearby. Although, the thought of being alone with Dominic for a few days did sound tempting enough to consider.
Who knows, I could finally make him fall.
So, are you doing it?
Héck yes!
“Alright.”
“Alright what, Genevieve?”
“How many days exactly is this trip going to be?” I needed to know just to be sure about my own plans.
“You told me your parents are travelling away and will be gone for ten days, so let’s say a week.”
A whole week alone with Dominic Morozov is the best thing that could ever happen to me. I can finally get what I want, and when I’m done with him, the thought of me being a child would have vanished from his mind.
And yes, I’m still irritated about that!
I hummed again, thinking about all the studying I had to do, especially the mathematics that terrified me. Rather than backing out like a coward, I nonchalantly shrugged my shoulders as though I wasn’t scared to death by the mere thought.
I can do this.
Yes, you can.
Clearing my throat, I walked up to where he was and extended my hand for a handshake. Dominic looked down at my hand, smirked, and then back at me.
Then, he placed his palm in mine, which looked awfully small compared to his, shaking my hand with a big smile on his handsome face. “Is it a deal, Ms King?”
I smugly lifted my head and firmly nodded, just once. “It’s a deal, Mr Morozov.”
TBC📖✍️
