Beautiful Trauma (Complete)

Chapter 25 - Our Past

Dominic's POV

I was a bloody fool now. I let my anger take over and never once did the consequences cross my mind. I am always so level headed when it came to business decisions. Always calculated and precise. This is what made me the leader I am today. Under pressure, I thrive even more which is why other leaders respected me and stood with me. They would be stupid to stand against me. One thing I do have is a temper and when that diminishes the demon inside me comes out to play. That's when I become the man everyone fears. 

But then my past reared itself back into my present and it shook me. No man could ever succeed with this in this lifestyle. However, a tall emerald-eyed beauty waltz back into my life and everything is upside down. My mind is too busy conflicting with itself to think clearly. More precisely too busy conflicting with my heart. One says one thing and the other says differently. It's a constant push and pull that consumes me and my emotions are taking control whereas before I knew to never rule with such things. 

So, when Aria told me about her past today those emotions overflowed and took the best of me. Who am I kidding? My emotions have been overflowing since she arrived here. No self-control, giving into her, feeling things I shouldn't be, striving to make her smile and laugh simply because I love that sight and sound. This constant battle within me is fucking traumatic. But every time I watch her I realize it's beautifully traumatic. 

Now I need to find her and fix the mistake of letting her see the little bit of chaos within me. I decided to try downstairs first. I saw Ruby sitting outside having a smoke. 

"Ruby, where's Aria?" 

"Um... I don't know?" She said as more of a question than a statement. "Should I know?" 

"No. Thought maybe you would. So, you haven't seen her around here?" 

"Not today, Boss." She let out the smoke from your mouth. 

I nodded then made my way upstairs. I stood in front of her door trying to figure out what I'm going to even say to her. I began pacing between the door and the wall of the hallway. Each time I think I am prepared to enter the conversation and knock on the door, doubt creeps in making me stop. 

I did this for a few minutes before the door swung open quickly. Aria stood there with one hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised. 

"I can hear you pacing and mumbling from inside here," she said to me. 

"Uh... Can we talk?" I asked her hesitantly. 

"Sure." She moved a little letting me into her room. 

She closed the door then made her way to her couch. She closed the book she was reading and set it down on the table. She seems quite calm for someone that just witnessed a glimpse of the demon within me. I wasn't sure how to take it or even approach it. So, I just jumped right in.

"I'm sorry for scaring you downstairs in the office. I just didn't know how to process what you just told me and honestly, there were so many emotions running through me at the same time. I had an idiot moment not thinking before reacting. Here you just told me about being abused and I go and trash the place with you in it. I have a temper and sometimes it tends to get out of hand and - " 

I was cut off by a pull on my shirt and the feeling of lips on mine. It took a few seconds to realize what just happened. She had moved from the couch to me all while I was talking and just cut me off by kissing me. I reacted and kissed her back. My hands went to the back of her head and tangled in her hair. She now had her hands on my back as the kiss deepened with our tongues meeting and dancing around each other.