The jet landed smoothly, but the tension in the cabin was anything but.
Elijah stepped onto the tarmac, stretching his arms with a deep sigh. He had barely processed what happened in Italy, and now they were back, expecting him to carry on like normal. Yeah, right.
Adrian was still fuming. "So you're just going to act like everything's fine?"
"Would you rather I cry about it?" Elijah shot back, adjusting his hoodie.
"I'd rather you tell me what the hell is actually going on between you and him." Adrian threw a glare at Dominic, who looked completely unbothered as he buttoned his jacket.
Dominic smirked. "Ask him."
Elijah gave Dominic a sharp look. Not helping, asshole.
Adrian groaned. "This is insane. Do you hear yourself? Do you even understand what kind of situation you're in?"
"Trust me, I know," Elijah muttered.
Dominic stepped closer to him, voice low. "Then act like it."
Elijah tensed. "Excuse me?"
Dominic leaned in, close enough that Elijah could feel the heat of his breath. "You act like you're free to do whatever you want, but let me remind you—you belong to me now."
Elijah scoffed and took a step back. "I don't belong to anyone."
Adrian looked between them, his frustration growing. "Okay, what the hell did I just walk into?"
Vincent, who had been silently watching, finally chuckled. "A mess. A very entertaining mess."
Dominic shot him a glare, and Vincent held up his hands. "I'll go warm up the car."
As he walked off, Adrian turned back to Elijah. "Tell me you don't actually have feelings for this guy."
"I—" Elijah hesitated.
Dominic raised a brow.
Adrian's eyes widened. "Oh my God, you do."
Elijah groaned, shoving a hand through his hair. "It's not like that."
Adrian crossed his arms. "Then explain it."
Dominic interrupted, voice smug. "He doesn't need to."
Elijah shot him a glare. "You are not helping."
Dominic's smirk didn't fade. "I wasn't trying to."
Adrian groaned again. "I hate everything about this."
Before Elijah could respond, Vincent's voice crackled through the earpiece in Dominic's ear. "Boss, we might have a problem."
Dominic's playful demeanor vanished in an instant. "Talk."
Vincent's tone was serious. "I think we're being followed."
Elijah's heart skipped a beat. "What?"
Dominic immediately grabbed Elijah's wrist and pulled him toward the waiting car. "Get in. Now."
Adrian hesitated. "Wait—"
"Now," Dominic ordered, his tone sharp.
Elijah climbed in, his pulse racing. Adrian followed, still looking confused and pissed.
As the car sped off, Elijah couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over.
Matteo wasn't done.
And neither was Dominic.
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