INSATIABLE CRAVINGS
Insatiable Cravings – Episode 67
Subtitle; {Loving You Is A Loosing Game}
TAGS: Age-gap, Mafia, Forbidden Love, Drama, Tragedy and Betrayal.
Settings: United Kingdom, Russia and others.
โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ
~ Dominic ~
“Where are you going?” Aurora asked as she entered my room, her eyes landing on me while I was wrapped up in a phone call with the pilot.
I turned to her, keeping my tone neutral. “Hawaii.”
“Hmm, that’s interesting. Genevieve happens to be in Hawaii right now too.”
“Is she?” I feigned ignorance, fully aware of my Vixen’s whereabouts. “I didnโt know.”
“Sure you didnโt.” Rory nodded, skepticism etched across her face.
Her sarcasm was sharp, and I could feel the weight of her knowing gaze. I was powerless against her scrutiny; my baby sister had a way of piercing through my defenses.
A breath escaped my lips, and I noticed a glimmer of amusement in her eyes, as if my turmoil was an amusing spectacle.
“You’re going to see her, aren’t you?” My throat tightened, so I simply nodded. “You love her?”
My gaze dropped, focusing on the floor beneath us. “I think I do.” The confession barely rose above a whisper, but the truth was undeniable. “Actually, I do. A lot. I feel like I’m losing my will to live without her.”
Tears threatened to spill, a testament to the vulnerability love had instilled in me. I should have recognized my feelings sooner, especially after the first tear I shed in years because of her. Or perhaps, the countless other moments she made me weep.
How could I have been so blind to my own heart’s desires? I longed to give myself to her, yet I had pushed her away. How could I look into her stunning blue eyes and deny her love when she had offered it so freely, even when I felt unworthy?
She deserved everything, and I vowed to be the world that would cherish her.
“Aww,” Aurora’s voice rose a pitch, and I glanced up to see tears shimmering in her eyes. “I’ve never seen you cry before. I always thought you were part robot and part man, but now… this is adorable.”
“I am not crying,” I retorted sharply.
“Do you want a hug?”
Her tone was infuriatingly high-pitched, reminiscent of how one might speak to a pet. I grimaced, taking a step back.
“No.”
“Why not?” she whined. “You finally admitted your feelings for Genny! That deserves a hug.”
“No.”
My sister rolled her eyes and, despite my protest, wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace. I couldnโt help but smile as I returned her hug.
“Only because you’re my sister,” I said, pulling away. Her grin was radiant as I placed a quick kiss on her forehead. “And I wasn’t crying.”
“Sure about that?”
“Yeah, something got in my eye.”
“Clichรฉ, Dominic.”
I rolled my eyes at her accurate observation but refused to concede. She looked smug, confident in her assumption.
“Do you know where she is?”
“No. But I have a number.”
“I donโt understand; isnโt she ignoring your calls and messages?”
“Rub it in, will you?” I shot back, glaring at my occasionally infuriating sister, who simply winked at me. “As I was saying before I was interrupted, I have Julianna’s number.”
“Oh. Julianna Nelsons, her best friend?”
“No, Julianna Michaels, her sister.”
“Ugh, you’re cranky today,” she muttered. “What will you do when you find her?”
“Confess my feelings.”
“That’s so cute.”
There it was again.
“Stop talking to me like that,” I snapped.
“Like what?”
“Like Iโm a pet.”
“But youโre so adorable right now, I canโt help it.”
“Good night, Rory.”
“Itโs morning.”
โงโงโงโง
That fateful day I pilfered Julianna’s number from Genevieve’s phone, knowing she wouldnโt hand it over without a fight, had finally come in handy. For some reason, I hadnโt been able to find her number during my background check.
As the plane touched down in Hawaii, I called Julianna. She didnโt pick up at first, but after a few tries, she finally answered.
“Hello, Julianna speaking.” Her voice came through, slightly shaky. “Who is this?”
“Dominic,” I replied smoothly. “Dominic Morozov.”
My lips curled into a self-satisfied smirk at the sound of her startled gasp upon hearing my name.
“I understand Genevieve is with you.”
“Y-yes.” Her once steady voice quivered now, laced with a palpable fear that sent a thrill through me.
I relished the power I held over her.
“Where?”
“I… I… I c-can’t…” Her stammering was infuriating, and I could sense her irritation mirroring my own. After a heavy breath, she attempted to regain composure. “Sorry, I can’t tell you that.”
A dark, menacing chuckle escaped my lips at her audacity to defy me. The annoyance simmered within, tightening my grip on the steering wheel. “You might want to reconsider your decision, Julianna.”
“How d-do y-you know my n-na-name?”
I sighed, growing weary of this exchange. All I wanted was Genevieve, and I wanted her now. Silence loomed on the other end, and for a moment, I thought she had hung up, but the faint sound of her breathing confirmed she was still there.
My patience was fraying, teetering on the edge of oblivion as she continued to remain silent. “Julianna, I am waiting. I don’t appreciate delays.”
“Why do you want to know Genevieve’s whereabouts? Itโs not like you can get here in the next hour or so.” Julianna seemed to have shed her stuttering, her voice steadier but still trembling.
“Let me handle the logistics, Julianna. Now, I will ask again, and I donโt like to repeat myselfโwhere is she?”
“Ummm…”
Her hesitation was infuriating.
“Speak, Julianna. I know you can articulate a response. You’re not unintelligent, so make the right choice.”
“Else what?”
Hmm, a daring retort. She was bold, but this was a grave mistake on her partโdaring me, Dominic Morozov.
“We’ll have to find out.”
“Are you… are you threateรฑing me?”
“Perhaps I am, perhaps I am not; it’s hard to say.”
Julianna sighed in resignation. “I’ll send you the address.”
“Good choice, Jules.” I let the nickname slip, knowing it was what Genevieve called her, relishing the reaction it provokedโa heavy sigh. “If you could expedite that, Iโd appreciate it. And for the love of all thatโs holy, donโt mention this to Genevieve.”
โขโข
The torrential downpour that began shortly after my call with Julianna showed no signs of abating. I had expected it to lessen, but it only intensified, a relentless assault of rain on this already tumultuous night.
As if the dreary British rain wasn’t enough of a nuisance, it had to unleash its fury tonight of all nights. And of course, I was without an umbrella.
Dร mn it!
I killรฉd the engine of the rented car in front of the cabin I suspected was the one from the address she had sent. Stepping out into the deluge, I cursรฉd the weather that taunted me.
You might think that, as Dominic Morozov, I would have meticulously crafted my words for when I faced her. But the truth was, I had no idea what I would say.
And even if I did, I would likely forget it all the moment I locked eyes with her. Those mesmerizing blues had a way of ensnaring my thoughts, rendering me utterly defenseless. All she had to do was look up at me, and I was lost.
But I hadnโt arrived unprepared. My Vixen had once mentioned, while reading, โOh, how Iโd adore it when a man confesses to me with a letter.โ So thatโs precisely what I had done, a perfect solution for a man who struggled to find the right words.
As I approached the cabin, I caught sight of them in the window. Genevieve curled up on the sofa, Julianna beside her, both engrossed in the television. Retrieving the folded letter from my pocket, I slid it beneath the door and waited.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Six long minutes passed as I stood beneath the relentless downpour, my body trembling from the cold. My clothes clung to me, soaked through, and my vision blurred from the rain cascading down my face.
A few seconds later, the door swung open, and my gaze fell upon Genevieve’s tear-filled eyes. She wore my hoodie, and in her shaky hand, she clutched my letter, staring at me as her breath quickened.
Genevieve held the letter delicately between her index finger and thumb, her expression a mix of disbelief and intrigue. “You wrote this?”
Seeing her stand there, a stark contrast to our heated exchange just two days prior, set off a whirlwind of emotions within me. Clad in my hoodie and exuding an undeniable charm, she looked utterly adorable.
That spark in her eyes hadnโt dimmed, even after Iโd been an absolute fool on what should have been an important night. How was it possible for her to still look at me with such warmth?
I couldnโt even muster that kind of regard for myself!
My chest tightened under the intensity of her gaze as I nodded, unable to find my voice.
“Oh. You sure you didn’t just copy it from Google?” she teased, a playful skepticism dancing in her eyes. I shook my head, and she feigned suspicion with a soft hum. “Do you want to come in?”
“No, not while youโre still upset with me.”
She blinked, clearing her throat as if to regain her composure. “Then, I guess I should come out and meet you.” My Vixen briefly turned her gaze away to signal Julianna, who was still in the cabin, to take the letter. When she faced me again, the faintest of smiles graced her lips.
In that letter, which I had agonized over, rewriting it countless times to ensure perfection, I had poured my heart into every word.
๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐. ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐รง๐๐ ๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐. ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.
๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ฐ ๐ ๐๐’๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ , ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โกโก
Genevieve stepped out of the cabin, her movements deliberate and slow. By the time she reached me, her hair clung to her face, dampened by the rain, and my hoodie bore the same evidence of the downpour.
Talk.
Talk.
Dominic, for heaven’s sake, just say something.
Anything, at least!
“Hi,” I blurted, snapping my eyes shut in mortification, cursiรฑg myself for that pitiful greeting.
Well, itโs something, isnโt it?
The enchanting woman before me, who had captured my heart in ways I never thought possible, let out that infectious laugh of hers, sending my pulse racing. Then she echoed, “Hi.”
Now, for the love of all that is good, say something to her.
Dominic, speak! Sheโs looking at you; talk to her.
It was no secret that Genevieve King could read me like an open book. She noticed my hesitationโor was it speechlessness?โshe filled the silence instead. “Is it true? The letter, is it true?”
“Yes,” she replied, her voice steady.
“So, are you saying that you love me?”
“No, I donโt love you. Perhaps itโs because Iโve never encountered feelings like this before. Itโs utterly overwhelming. I canโt close my eyes without seeing you, and I canโt even think without your voice echoing in my mind. Whenever I convince myself that I can manage without you in my life, my thoughts become muddled, consumed by everything that is you.”
Genevieve’s cheeks flushed that delightful shade of red that I adore as she brushed away the wet strands of hair clinging to the corner of her eye.
Can she be any more mesmerizing?
Yes. The answer is undoubtedly yes.
“Genevieve, whether I want to or not, you occupy my thoughts endlessly. My entire being has become so accustomed to your presence that I struggle to function without you. I have no idea what youโve done to me, and even if I did, I wouldnโt dare to change it because I relish this feeling. Your mere existence has become an addictionโintoxicating, much like a drรบg that I know is hร rmful, yet I canโt resist or quit wanting it to survive.”
“I need you as much as I want you, if not more. And yes, I know I can be an ร rse arse sometimes, perhaps a bit foรณlish for the things Iโve said to you.” She laughed. “As perplexing as this turmoil in my heart is when I think of you, itโs also exhilarating in a way that makes me reluctant to put an end to it.”
“I miss you profoundly. I miss your eyes, your smiles. I long for your quick comebacks and remarks, your face. I miss those moments when Iโd watch you, absorbed in a book on your Kindle. I miss your laughter and the way you indulge in sweets. I miss your scent, your calming touch. God, I miss every little thing about you, and it feels like an eternity since I last gazed into your eyes.”
“All Iโm trying to convey is that being with you is a blend of every good and bร d sensation. Itโs akin to drowniรฑg, with no desire to save myself. A siรฑful yet strangely peaceful feeling. Itโs sweet, yet undeniably dangeroรบs. But do I wish for it any other way? No. Absolutely not.”
“You do know that โI love youโ is just three words, right?”
“Love?” I scoffed. “What I feel for you transcends mere love. Itโs like walking through fรญre and relishing every moment of it. Not wanting to escape the tรณxic, choking, and dangeroรบs smรณke because somehow it resembles my favorite scentโyou.”
Genevieve exhaled softly, her gaze flickering anywhere but at me. “I donโt know what to say.”
“Just say you will be my girlfriend.”
“But you didnโt ask.”
Oh, I will.
I will do everything within my power to ensure that she is mine forever.
“Very well, Vixen.” Thunder rumbled in the sky, intensifying the rain. I blinked away the droplets as I stepped closer, taking her hands in mine. “Will you be my girlfriend?” My voice was low yet resolute, shaky yet sincere.
She pursed her lips, feigning thoughtfulness as she hummed softly. “Let me think about it.”
“Genevieve.”
“Jeez, okay, jeez.”
Is that a yes?
“Say it.” I urged, my heart racing.
“I am your girlfriend,” Genevieve said, a shy smile lighting up her face.
“Good, because I am your boyfriend, Baby.”
TBC
