Chapter 74:  His regret

"What’s going on between you and Athena actually?" Nathan asked with a frown, making Dominic go completely blank after hearing him.

"Nothing is going on.Everything is fine.Didn‘t you see that today morning?" Dominic asked in a blank tone with his eyes looking at anywhere else but them.

They both let out a frustrated sigh after hearing him.

"Don‘t lie or go blank in front of us.We are your friends.We don‘t want your bad.We want nothing else but to help you.Share it with us." Justin said with a frown.

He may joke around a lot but he wasn‘t stupid.

Even though he laughed around a lot and enjoyed their today morning‘s interaction a lot, he could see things.

They could see the distance between Athena and Dominic.

The distance was from Athena.She was not letting Dominic cross the wall she built completely.

And as Dominic’s friend, he and Nathan couldn’t see his friend in pain.

Dominic let out a sigh after hearing them.

He closed his eyes and put his face between his hands.

He let out a strangled groan of frustration.

Nathan and Justin shared a worried look but didn’t say anything.

They waited for Dominic to get a hold of himself.

They knew Dominic was ready to share whatever was going on with them.

"I don’t think you guys can help.I have messed up big time.I don‘t think anyone can help me until Athena decides to forgive me."

Dominic spoke up after a few seconds and looked up at them with tired eyes.

"Trust us, Dominic.In terms of mates, we are more experienced and expert than you." Nathan said with a smirk to lighten up his mood.

"I am a proud father of a three years old healthy and strong little boy. And you are talking about experience with me?"

Dominic said with a scoff, making them laugh out loud.

"Look at this man flexing about being a father!" Nathan exclaimed while laughing around.

Dominic smiled at them in happiness.

"Look at him blushing.Tell us, Dominic.How does it feel being a father?" Justin asked with a goofy smile.

"Damn, I want to be a father as well.Tell us."

He exclaimed with a big smile, eager to know about his experience.

But their excitement died down as soon as they saw Dominic’s face.

Dominic’s smile vanished into thin air as soon as he heard their demand of hearing his experience as father.

Ace’s father…

"What happened, Dominic? Why do you look sad?" Nathan asked with a worried frown.

"What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you hear about being a father? Or thought of being a father?" Dominic asked them in a blank tone.

The look he was giving them wasn’t blank though, it was filled with sadness and… Regret.

"Uhh… I guess the thought of calling someone ‘papa’ and running all around my house, is the best thing ever of being a father." Nathan answered with a soft smile on his face as he wondered about experiencing that.

The thought itself was so heartwarming and filled with happiness that it put a smile on his face.

Even Justin smiled softly hearing him as he got lost in the thought as well.

"Yes, that’s the best feeling ever.A little bundle of happiness whom I can call mine.And the feeling of being that little human being‘s feeling of protection just by the word ‘papa’, the best feeling ever."

Justin said with a smile while looking at the distance.

"Exactly, now imagine not having that permission or right to hear that little bundle of happiness call you ‘papa’." Dominic said in a broken tone and they both looked at him with widened eyes.

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked in shock.

"That’s the worst." Justin exclaimed in shock as well.

"Yes....Ace doesn’t know I am his father yet.You guys don’t know how hard it is to find that you have a son about whom you didn’t know anything for years and now that you know, you don’t get the acknowledgement from him.Do you know how hard that is?"

Dominic exclaimed with frustration and helplessness.

His eyes were red with unshed tears. Only he knew how he controlled himself in front of Athena from breaking down and begging her to let Ace know about their relationship.He was desperate and badly wanted that.

"Is it Athena‘s decision?" Nathan asked slowly.

He was feeling bad for Dominic because he could understand what Dominic was going through.

"Yes." He said with a sigh.

"Why?" Justin exclaimed in confusion, not liking it at all.

"Because she doesn’t trust me enough." Dominic said in a blank tone, getting tired of thinking about it anymore.

"What?" Justin asked in confusion.

"What’s there not to trust you about? About Ace’s security? Even Athena knows that’s not possible because you would give and take lives for him.Then what’s the problem?"

Nathan asked with a frown as he just couldn’t accept the fact of what Dominic just said.

"No, Nathan.It‘s not about his security from the danger in the outer world.It’s about his security from me.She obviously can’t trust a man in her son’s life who has been nothing but an asshole in her life.She is not getting the guarantee that I will not leave her again, that I will always be with her till the end.She just doesn’t trust me enough." Dominic expressed in a distressed tone.

Nathan and Justin let out a sigh hearing him.

"How would she trust you?" Justin asked in a blank tone, making Dominic frown at him.

"What do you mean?" Dominic asked in a slightly angered tone.

"What he meant is, did you do anything to show her that you regret what you did?" Nathan asked with a sigh.

He knew his best friend well enough to know where he made the mistake.

"What do you mean?" Dominic asked with a confused frown.

"My god, Dominic! Did you apologise?!"