When The Queen Meets The King

CHAPTER 8

It's been a few weeks since Dominic started living with us. During this time I saw what real Dominic is like and trust me he is nowhere near the dangerous and ruthless as he is said to be. The dangerous and ruthless Dominic is just a front to survive in the world his family introduced him to.

But him showing his real self is making me feel a lot guilty. Here, he is showing his most vulnerable side, his true self and on the other hand I'm hiding the most important fact of my life. He is trusting me with his life but what will happen when he gets to know who the real Aliza.

No one knows he's been living with us, not even Grayson, but I know sooner or later I will have to tell him. It's getting difficult day by day to avoid having Grayson over. He is definitely not going to like the arrangement and putting Alex at risk.

Speaking of, there's something different about him now. It's been a few days he started acting a bit off, I just can't put a finger on how. But what I do know is it started after a certain incident that took place a couple days back.

It was half past 11 we were sprawled on the couch in the living room, after putting Alex to bed, with a glass of wine in my hand and a bottle of whiskey in his. He wasn't feeling good today, something was bothering him, didn't know what.

Suddenly his head came down on my lap and his arms went around my waist. He hugged me tight. He was mumbling something, I turned his face to ask what was wrong but what I saw stunned me to core. The big bad gangleader had unshed tear in his eyes. I have no words to explain how disheartening it was.

"What's wrong Dom?" I frowned.

"I'm sick and tired of this life. I never wanted this for myself. I never knew what a family feels like until I met you guys. It is like a dream you know, to have a family, to have to someone waiting for me at home. I wanted a normal life Ali, is it too much to ask for?" His tears were now flowing down his flushed cheeks, which were enough to tell me that he had a little too much of the bottle. The bottle, sorry my bad, two bottles were lying empty on the floor.

With those words he passed out right there with his head on my lap and arms around my waist. But not before mumbling a sentence that took my breath away. "You taught me what s family is like and I would kill to have you and Alex as my family"

After that incident neither of us acknowledged his drunken words, but it's safe to say they never left my mind. Either he doesn't remember what he said or it's just difficult for him to them out loud without liquor in his system.

Dominic's POV

It's been quite some time that I have been living with them. I have never felt this bond with my own family as much as I feel it with this mother-son duo.

My dad was always the strict one. He was always busy with his work/gang, he never had time for his family. He never treated me like a son, in his eyes I was just another human being who will be taking his place at the top after he is gone for good.

Leading this gang was the last thing I ever wanted. Infact I wanted nothing to do with it. All I wanted to do was to live a normal peaceful life, but I guess you don't always get what you want.

Four years ago when my father died I had no other option than to take his place. He had been training me all my life for it. It was his last wish and I had to respect that. Even if he never acted like it but he still was my father.

My mother was never in the picture. As soon as she gave birth to me, she fled off from the face of earth.

So, it's safe to say that I never experienced what a family feels like which is why I treat my gang as my family, they are all I have now. But spending time with Alex and Aliza taught me the true meaning behind the family. Those little moments here and there. Like when their favourite song is on and they sing along like the crazy duo they are. They know each other inside out, care for each other and appear to be strong just for the sake of the other.

I envy them. I envy them for what they have and I never had. Yet I have grown to enjoy spending time with them. They took me in and made me feel like a part of their family. Specially Alex, who started looking up to me.

But now, all the arrangements for my safe houses and ganghouse were done, it was time for me to go back. I didn't want to leave them unprotected. So I will have my people watch them for their safety.

Before that I wanted to spend my last day with them like the family we have become. So I asked Aliza during breakfast.

"Aliza" to which replied with a hmm, not bothering to look up from her cereal bowl. But I had undivided attention of Alex.

"I wanted to take you guys somehwere." she frowned now looking up to meet my eyes, trying to read what was going on in my mind. "Where? Why?"

"Where-well that's a surprise, and why-because"

"because?" I grinned "just because"

"UGH.. fine, but we'll have to make a quick stop on the way."

"Alright. Dress cozy and meet me by the car in an hour." with that I was off to make arrangements for our day out.

Exactly an hour later I was pulling up to the drive way and saw both of them standing with their back against Aliza's car in exact same posture. Seeing this I chuckled "like mother like son" while getting out of the car, they both whipped their head to look at me at the same time and I laughed out loud.

I then opened the door for Alex and helped him to get in. By the time I closed his door Aliza was already in the passenger seat, so I went around, got into the driving seat and started off for our first stop.

Aliza had to meet someone so we were currently parked in the driveway of a one storey house. The owner clearly didn't bother to clean up the place. While Alex and I were sitting in the car Aliza went it to finish whatever work she had. I didn't ask, simply because it wasn't my place to know, if she wanted to tell she would have told me herself.

During my time with her I noticed she's a very closed off person. She doesn't like to share her story or the secrets she's hiding. Yes, I know she's hiding something, call it an intuition or whatever. Whatever I know of her is either by accident or by following her for example the street fighter side of her. I would have never imagined such an innocent and beautiful lady is into such an aggressive sport.

About 15 minutes passed and still there was no sign of Aliza. She said it will only take a couple minutes. Alex was busy playing games on Aliza's cell phone but soon he asked, "Dom, where's mama?"

As if on cue we heard a loud crashing sound coming from inside the house.