Chapter 108:
Makenna’s POV:
Bryan almost went mad when he saw me with Dominic.
“Where are you going?” he demanded.
Dominic barely glanced at him, shrugging coldly instead. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re here for dinner.”
Bryan’s scowl deepened, and he turned his icy gaze on me. “Having dinner with him?” His tone was too serious—dangerously serious.
The memory of what had happened in the garden behind the banquet hall still sent a shiver down my spine. I’d always been wary of Bryan, but I nodded and forced myself to hold his gaze.
Before he could unleash whatever storm was brewing behind his eyes, Dominic cut in, calm as always. “Bryan, if you’ve got nothing else to say, move.”
It was getting tense. The temperature seemed to drop another few degrees.
My heart raced, still haunted by the thought of what Bryan was capable of when provoked. The last thing I wanted was a scene, especially here.
As these thoughts ran through my mind, Bryan’s lips twisted into a sneer. “What a coincidence, I’m hungry too. I’ll join you.”
Before we could even protest, he brushed past us, heading straight into the restaurant.
I blinked, caught off guard by his audacity. He’d just eaten and come out of the restaurant, hadn’t he?
The man’s stubbornness knew no bounds. Even if we’d told him no, it wouldn’t have made a difference. We had no choice but to let him sit with us.
I slid into my seat, trying to ignore the way my nerves danced under Bryan’s scrutinizing gaze. Sitting far from both him and Dominic felt like being caught between two warring tornadoes.
This was supposed to be my chance to talk to Dominic about Lily, but with Bryan’s unexpected intrusion, any hope of a private conversation had vanished.
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Resigned, I mentally pushed the plan to the back burner, deciding to wait for a better moment.
Bryan, utterly ignorant of the tension he’d caused, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and barked out, “Well? What are you waiting for? Order the food already—I’m starving!”
Dominic handed me the menu, and I skimmed through it quickly, picking dishes at random.
Both men were practically shooting daggers at each other. It was like a battle of wills, playing out across the table.
The waiter who brought our food was visibly nervous. He placed the plates on the table with shaky hands before making a hasty retreat.
I picked up my fork and started stabbing at the food without much interest. But after a few bites, I gave up.
My appetite was long gone—thanks to the two men across from me, who were locked in a perpetual staredown.
Bryan had been the one to insist on ordering food, yet now that it was here, he seemed more interested in goading Dominic than eating. Still leaning back in his chair, he smiled like he knew the devil. “Plenty of time on your hands, Dominic. Is that why you’re dragging a sex slave out for dinner instead of doing something useful?”
Dominic, never one to take an insult lying down, shot back, “And you’re any better? You’ve already eaten, yet here you are, following us like a lost puppy.”
“Dominic!” Bryan erupted, his fist slamming down on the table.
The force of it rattled the dishes, and heads turned throughout the restaurant.
I felt the heat of embarrassment creep up my neck, wishing the floor would just open up and swallow me whole.
And Dominic wasn’t about to back down. He stared his brother down. “What? Did I say something wrong?”
His posture was coiled tight, ready to spring, as if he was one step away from turning the restaurant into a battlefield.
They were both noble princes. If they started fighting here, it would be a disaster.
The tension ratcheted up another notch as Bryan’s hand twitched, as if he was considering flipping the table in a fit of rage. Sensing that things were about to spiral out of control, I decided to make my exit. I placed my napkin on the table and stood up, forcing a polite, “I’m done here. I’ll be going now.”
I didn’t care who won their ridiculous standoff. I just wanted out before I got dragged any deeper into their mess.
But just as I turned to leave, I felt a firm grip on my arm.
Bryan’s eyes bored into mine. “You’re coming with me.”
Almost simultaneously, Dominic reached out as well. His usual cool demeanor cracked, revealing a flicker of something else—something almost desperate in his gaze. “I brought you here, Makenna. I’ll take you back.”
