Page 36 of The Replay

"I'm not a pawn, Mariana," Dom says behind me. "But if you're going to take a while, I can call a car and leave on my own. I wouldn't want to bother you."

I startle and turn. "Dom. Were you listening?"

"Say hi to your mom," he mutters, and walks away.

I swallow back a curse. "Mom. Can I call you later?"

"Of course. Good luck."

That was cheeky. I roll my eyes. Now she thinks I'm unreliable on top of everything else.

"Chat soon," I say and hang up.

Dom shakes hands with the university team and strides away. I say my goodbyes and thank yous in a rush, and run behind him.

"Dom! Wait."

I follow him through a long corridor. He turns left, I do the same just a few seconds later. I'm barely holding on to my bag, but I don't let it slow me down.

"How much did you hear?" I ask. "I can't believe you were listening."

"You weren't quiet as I approached. What did you expect? That I would cover my ears?"

"Was I… very loud?"

Did the other people in the room hear me? Tension heightens in my belly.

We go down a flight of stairs. I don't know where we're going, but I follow Dom.

He keeps striding away. "I doubt they heard that your mom doesn't have to worry about me. They don't know how gone the magic is either, or how I won't get an invite to a hockey game. As if."

Hot embarrassment blooms in my chest.

"Let's talk," I say.

He doesn't stop.

"Dom." I lunge and grab his wrist.

He turns around and I crash against him. He holds me up only as long as necessary to make sure I don't fall, then lets go.

"Talk?" He snaps. "Why talk? We know where we stand."

"My mom is visiting."

"That has nothing to do with me."

"No? Have you thought about what you'll do if you meet her again? She'll probably want to come see Cora and me at work. Will you bicker with her the way you do with me? Or ignore her like you tried to do with me?"

"Ignore her, of course."

"Have you ever met someone who can ignore Alicia Montt?"

He rolls his eyes and turns away. I grab him by the wrist again and this time, when he turns around, he's the one grabbing me from the arm. He pushes me back into a small alcove, caging me against a door.

I'm a little breathless from the shock. He plays with the handle and, finding the door unlocked, he pushes us inside.

Chapter 13