The Only Rule

Chapter 17: The Op

He pushed through the crowded room, his jaw tight, steps brisk. The laughter and clinking glasses of the party buzzed around him, muffled and distant, as if he were underwater. His earlier conversation with Raymond still lingered in his mind, poking at his patience like an itch he couldn't scratch. When a hand tapped him on the shoulder.

He spun around with a scowl—and his expression shifted to one of immediate annoyance..

Because Ana stood there, her lips curled in a suggestive smirk. But without a word, he immediately angled his body to walk away—

"Wait—" she said quickly, stepping forward and grabbing his wrist to stop him.

He shook her hand off with a sharp glare. "First of all: You don't touch me. Second of all: You don't waste my time. I'm off."

"Dommy, please—"

Already a few steps away from her, he cringed, "Last one—you don't get to call me that—"

"I know how hard it is to forget about her!"

That's when he stopped, feeling the rage boiled higher. Dominic turned, eyes narrowed in annoyance. "The fuck you tryna say?"

"Her. The girl you can't get out of your head. You've been struggling, haven't you? Feels like no matter what you do, it's never enough to just not. think about her."

His posture stiffened, jaw clenching as her words hit a nerve.

"Look," Ana continued, hesitantly stepping into his space, her voice dropping. Tilted her head, her smirk softening just slightly as she pitched her Oscar worthy performance of all time.

"I'm there too, you know. Trying to forget someone who's stuck in your mind like a bad habit. What do you think I kept being crazy about you either?" Ana paused as an emphasis, but Dom scrunched his forehead at the cringe.

"It's exhausting. You think you've moved on, but every time you see something that reminds you of them, it's like ripping the bandage off all over again."

Dominic's gaze shifted, dropping briefly to the floor before meeting hers again. Finally, there was a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes, though his expression remained guarded. "What? You came here to psychoanalyze me?" he said dryly, tone laced with sarcasm.

"No," Ana replied smoothly, stepping closer, "maybe.. we can help each other."

Dominic's expression darkened as her suggestion registered. "How?"

"Simple," Ana said, her smirk returning. "I help you forget about her; you help me forget about him."

For a moment, he just stared, debating whether to walk away or play along. But before he could decide, Ana leaned in closer, her hands finding their way to his shoulders. Dominic stiffened, his instincts screaming at him to back away, but a flicker of temptation danced in his mind. For a fleeting second, he thought maybe—just maybe—this could work.

For a second, he let himself imagine forgetting you—letting someone else occupy the space you left behind. But just as quickly, the thought soured. "Sheesh," he said in a mocking tone, stepping back and breaking her hold.

Ana stepped back, her expression twisting with disbelief and frustration. "What do you mean, sheesh?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Bring a friend. Otherwise, I'm not interested."

"Are you kidding me right now?!"

Ana fumed, but Dominic shrugged, his face a picture of apathy. "Take it or leave it."