The Dominant's Obsession

Chapter 3

A L L I E

Allie was startled by a soft creak of metal on the fire escape above her. She jerked unconsciously, drawing a line straight through the last word she'd written in her journal. Writing down her anxious thoughts, all the terrible doubts and swirling darkness inside of her, was one of the only things that worked to make her mind a more livable place the rest of the time. Her heart kicking in her chest, she craned her head to look up and around for the source of the noise.

The sun had set about two hours ago, but given that it was New York City, there were sources of light everywhere. A soft yellow glow spilled out the windows of her apartment, illuminating the lined pages of her journal. A similar glow illuminated the landing above her, revealing a figure moving around up there.

Allie rose to her feet and turned around. "Hello," she said, unsure what else to say. She wasn't sure if he'd even noticed her yet.

He stepped to the top of the stairs and her eyes widened as she took him in. Maybe a few years older than her, he was tall and built like a fighter, lean and muscled. An all-black tattoo sleeved his left arm from his fingers to his shoulder, where it disappeared under the sleeve of his black t-shirt. His hair was a wild, ruffled shock of intense black. His nose was crooked from having been broken. An unlit joint was perched between two of his long fingers.

But what captured her attention most was his eyes. Rimmed by dark circles, his eyes were hard and haunted.

He seemed in no hurry to return her greeting as he sat on the top step, lifted the joint to his lips, and lit the tip. He exhaled a cloud of smoke before returning his dispassionate gaze to her.

"I haven't seen you around before, have I?" he finally said, in a deep, accented voice.

"No. Actually, I just moved in. I'm Allie." The words came out in a rush.

The stranger considered her with an impassive stare. "Allie... That short for anything?"

She struggled to place his accent. Irish? Scottish? It was hard to tell.

She shook her head. "Just Allie."

"Just Allie," he echoed. He considered her as he took another drag off his joint, and she got the unnerving feeling that his hard gaze could see right through her to her every flaw and fear. "I'm Dacian."

"Pleased to meet you," she said politely.

"Are you?"

Her eyes widened. "Shouldn't I be?"

He sighed like he was exhausted. "Not really."

Allie frowned. What was his deal?

The stranger looked away. "Look, I don't really do the neighborly thing. In fact, I'd prefer to be alone." As though to emphasize the point, he lit up his joint again, effectively dismissing her.

She flushed. "Then go back inside your apartment. I was here first."

Blowing out a cloud of smoke, he said, "Then you've had your turn. Now it's mine."

"Is it usually that easy for you to get what you want? You just boss other people around until they do what you tell them to?"

His lips curved in a hint of a smile. "Are you usually this antagonistic to a simple request?"

She crossed her arms. "If you had asked politely, I would have been happy to oblige. But sadly for you, I'm allergic to assholes." Especially now. After Colin, she'd never let anyone boss her around again.

Especially not a man.

His lips twitched. "I've been called worse, little mouse."

"I'm sure you have," she said sweetly. "And don't call me that."

"Then don't call me an asshole."

"You're being an asshole."

"And you're being a pest." His gaze held a naked challenge, but there was still an amused curve to his mouth. He was enjoying this.

She narrowed her eyes. "Well Dacian, I'm actually glad you came out here. I needed to talk to you."

"Now this I can't wait to hear," he said with dry amusement.

"You've been making a lot of noise at night."

"Yeah," he said. "I tend to do that."

"Well, it's been keeping me awake."

"So."

She fumed. "So, I'd appreciate it if you would try to keep the noise down from now on."

His slight smile was bemused. "And what makes you think I'll take orders from you?"

"I'm not ordering," she huffed. "I'm simply asking you, politely, to keep it down."

"The answer is no."

She glared up at him, fire licking through her veins. "You enjoy being contrary, don't you?"

~

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