“Way better now that my baby girl is here.” He narrowed his gaze on Dominic, tensing. “Cannot say the same about you, Pakhan.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
Shaking my head, praying for patience, I said cheerily, “Okay, we need to hurry. He is the best man and I have to meet the bride like now! Let’s catch up during the party, okay?” I kissed him on the cheek, while he frowned. “Dominic, let’s go.” After a moment, he followed me, but not before they shared a look.
God help me, seriously.Once we reached the suites, Vitya, who arrived at the place a few minutes before, pointed to the right for me and the left for Dom, and we parted as I blew him a kiss.
I couldn't wait to see everyone again and celebrate the love of Damian and Sapphire!
Dominic
I knocked on the door two times and then walked inside as Connor clicked fiercely on his phone. Damian sipped from a bottle of water, while Kristina danced to “Counting Stars” by One Republic. Easily recognizable to me, since it was one of Rosa’s favorite songs. The kid wore a mini suit with her hair in a high ponytail, but even all this didn't diminish her beauty. Her sapphire eyes, just like her mother’s, widened, and she screamed, “Uncle Dominic!” And in a second, a bundle of joy ended up in my arms squeezing the life out of me, while I had no fucking clue how to react except to hold her so she wouldn't fall. The kid never even met me in her life, so this utter acceptance confused me, to say the least. When I visited them two months back to get some paperwork done, she was sound asleep, and I didn't stay for the night.
A pair of amber eyes flashed over her head, as my brother’s mouth lifted in a smile while he saluted me with a bottle. “Glad to see you here, brother.”
Kristina palmed my face, moving it from one side to the other. “You look just like Daddy.” After further inspection, she added, “He’s just more handsome, of course.”
Damian chuckled. “That’s not nice, baby girl.”
She stretched her arms wide. “What can I do? I promised not to lie to you and Mommy.” Then she wiggled to get free, so I put her down, and she darted outside, shouting, “I’m going to see Rosa!” And just like lightning, she was gone.
“Spitfire,” I murmured, then clapped Damian on the shoulder. “Congratulations, man.”
“Thanks, Dom. We were worried you wouldn't make it.”
Given our past, I imagined he did. “Nah, Oleg has lots of experience. Had it not been for airport stuff, we’d have been on time.”
Connor snorted. “You two always act like kings of the world.”
Focusing my attention on him, I wondered why all of a sudden the always cheery guy wasn't in the mood. Then it hit me. “Women problems?”
He blushed, and Damian elbowed me. “In love like a puppy.”
Grinning, I dropped onto the seat next to him. “So why the unhappy look then?”
“Mind your business, Dom,” he snapped.
I placed my hand over my heart, and said dramatically, “Oh, no! I hurt your feelings.”
Glaring, he pointed a finger at both of us and kind of moved it around. “Easy for you to say. You don’t ask your women. You just claim them as yours.”
Shrugging, Damian asked, “What’s wrong with this technique?”
Connor rose, walking to the window and gazing at the ocean. “Not all women want it.”
“Beg to differ. I actually wooed my woman.” I pointed out, but even I could understand this whole situation with his woman bothered him. “Maybe she is afraid of your manwhore reputation or something.”
He sighed in frustration at my suggestion. “I stopped screwing other women the minute my eyes landed on her, and she was only seventeen, so I couldn't do shit about it. Stayed celibate. Then we had sex when she was eighteen. Now… it’s fucking months later, and she still wants nothing to do with me.” Yeah, the guy had it bad, all right. Not being able to get your dick hard for anyone but a specific woman was a pretty good neon sign.
“Kidnap her,” Damian and I said in unison, grinning. He flipped us off and then stormed out of the room.
Yeah, loving a woman could be frustrating.
I could relate.
Rosa
"You still have a chance to run away. I'll cover for you," I said with a straight face, while Amanda and Annie, Sapphire’s friends, choked on their champagne. We all sat in the bride’s room as a makeup artist and hairdresser finished the last touches. The boudoir consisted of pink and white furniture, a la eighteenth-century England, and practically begged to have a tea party inside. Huge mirrors allowed everyone to cryptically study themselves and the dresses they wore, while the bride had a dressing table with a mirror and a chair.
