Chapter 10 - Emily
When I woke up, sunlight was pouring through the curtains, the kind of soft light that made me want to pull the covers over my head and pretend the world didn’t exist. But then I smelled something faint and sweet, a scent that tugged me from the haze of sleep.
Turning my head, I blinked at the sight on my nightstand: a huge bouquet of pink and white carnations. My favorite.
How did he know?
I reached out, fingertips brushing the soft petals.
There was a note tucked in the middle.
Emily,
Take today for yourself. I’ll handle things at work. Call if you need anything.
—Dominic
I read it once. Then twice. By the third time, my throat was tight, and I didn’t know what to do with the wave of emotions crashing over me.
Last night, he had made reservations for dinner, opened my car door, defended me against my father, let me cry on his shoulder, kissed my forehead
and then tucked me in. And now this?
Emotionally drained and physically worn out, my body begged me to stay home. But sitting alone with my thoughts all day? No way. I needed noise, routine, something to keep my mind busy. So I got dressed, grabbed my bag, and went to work.
The second I knocked and heard his deep, steady “Come in,” I stepped inside, and his brow lifted the moment he saw me.
“Emily,” he said, his tone a mix of surprise and curiosity.
I stood there awkwardly. “I know I’m late,” I blurted, avoiding his gaze. “I’m sorry. I just—”
His expression softened, and he cut me off with a slight shake of his head. “I wasn’t expecting you at all. I gave you the day off. And how did you get to work?”
“I booked a ride.”
His gaze hardened, just for a moment, and he straightened, his posture suddenly more tense. “Emily, if you ever need someone to carry you anywhere, please call Alec and he’ll come get you. Okay?”
I nodded quickly, my stomach dropping at the change in his tone. It was like he was trying to stay calm, but there was an underlying urgency I couldn’t ignore.
“Understood.”
“Why are you here?”
“I couldn’t just sit at home doing nothing. I needed to keep busy.”
He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable, and then he nodded. “Fair enough. But if at any time during the day you feel overwhelmed, let me know and I’ll have Alec take you home.”
There it was again, that quiet concern that threw me off balance.
“And thanks for the flowers,” I added, my voice soft. “They’re beautiful.”
He gave a small smile. “You’re welcome. I just wanted to do something to brighten your day and put a smile on your face.”
He hesitated for a second, “My brothers are coming for dinner tonight.”
My history with Dominic’s brothers wasn’t the best. The last time I saw Axel, I called him a lapdog—not exactly to his face, but it was close enough. Then there was Seb, that day when I was drunk. And Leo, he was at the wedding, but he didn’t talk to me at all. How was I supposed to be around his brothers now? They probably thought I was a rude, drunken mess who was desperate for a husband, so I married their brother, a man who wasn’t just twice my age but also my father’s ex-best friend.
A look of concern crossed Dominic’s face. “Emily, is something wrong?”
I shook my head, trying to hide the wave of unease rolling through me. “I’m not sure if I’m in the headspace for a big dinner. I hope you don’t mind if I sit this one out.”
“Actually, I do mind. Family is important to me, and I’d love for you and my brothers to get to know each other more.”
“But we haven’t even gotten to know each other more, and we’re living in the same house. Why should I get to know them?”
I blurted it out before I even realized the words had escaped my mouth. The second they left, I regretted them.
“I—I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to..”
Dominic stepped out from behind his desk and leaned against the front of it. He folded his arms across his chest, his eyes locking onto mine.
“Actually, you did mean it. Never be afraid to say what you mean,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “But you’re right. We haven’t been able to get to know each other, but is that entirely my fault?”
I bit my lower lip. Dominic had been nothing but a gentleman so far, letting me stay in one of the guest rooms without any pressure to join him in the master bedroom. He hadn’t pushed me for anything, yet I chose to lock myself in my room, away from him.
Yeah, that’s because this man forced you into this. You’re a prisoner of marriage don’t forget that.
“I guess you can’t get to know someone who’s been avoiding you.”
“So you admit that you’ve been avoiding me?”
“Do you blame me?”
“I guess not.” He stepped closer to me, and gently, placed his hands on the sides of my arms, his touch sending butterflies straight to my stomach.
“Going forward, I’d like us to get to know each other. I’ll get one of Lucy’s uncles to take her for the weekend, and I’ll give Mrs. Kensington the weekend off. Maybe we can do something together.”
The idea of spending the entire weekend alone with Dominic sent a rush of heat through me.
Me?
Alone with him?
I could hardly wrap my mind around everything that had happened so far, let alone what he was suggesting.
His recent behavior was awakening a strange desire inside me. He’d been so careful, so considerate, but now, as he stood so close, I couldn’t deny that I felt… something. Something that made me feel hot all over, and I wasn’t sure how to handle it.
I swallowed hard. “Okay,” I whispered, the word barely leaving my lips as the tension between us seemed to swell.
For a moment, Dominic’s eye bore into mine like he was searching for something. His eyes flicked downward, to my lips. My heart stuttered, and before I could think better of it, I found myself wanting him to kiss me.
The realization jolted me, and I pulled back abruptly, my movement so sudden and clumsy that I nearly tumbled backwards.
Dominic’s reflexes were quick. His arms caught me firmly, steadying me, pulling me against him. My breath hitched as my breasts pressed against his solid chest.
His breathing had quickened, matching the erratic rhythm of my heart as his arms stayed wrapped around me. I didn’t know whether I wanted to push him away or stay exactly where I was.
His phone rang, the sharp sound slicing through the moment, shattering it like glass. Dominic’s grip on me loosened as he cleared his throat, his expression shifting back to the composed man I was used to seeing.
“We’d better get to work.” His voice had an edge to it that I had never heard before.
I nodded quickly, not trusting myself to speak. As I stepped back, the warmth of his touch lingered on my skin, making my pulse race even faster. Without another word, I turned and left his office, my legs wobbly beneath me, like they were made of jelly.
By the time I reached my desk, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to scream or sink into the floor. What the hell was happening to me?
The rest of the day was a whirlwind of reports, emails, and three impromptu meetings. When Dominic finally stepped out of his office, the clock read 6:30 p.m.
“Ready to go?”
I nodded, and we headed to the car. Dominic opened the door, and I slid inside, settling into my seat. Moments later, he joined me, and Alec started the engine.
As the car moved, I felt the faintest brush of his fingers against mine. My breath hitched, and I glanced down, my pulse quickening as his hand wrapped around mine, warm, firm, and steady, yet gentle enough to make my heart flutter.
I didn’t pull away.
Instead, I let him hold it, the simple gesture somehow both comforting and disarming. My fingers stayed entwined with his all the way home, the silence between us now charged with something new, something unspoken.
As Alec pulled the car into the driveway, my pulse quickened when I saw the lineup of sleek, luxury cars parked outside the house.
“Looks like my brothers are already here. All except Axel, as usual.”
My stomach twisted, and I stiffened in my seat.
Dominic noticed immediately, his thumb brushing the back of my hand. “Hey,” he said softly, turning to look at me. “Don’t worry. They’re going to love you.”
I nodded, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes, and let him help me out of the car. My heart was pounding as we walked toward the door, Dominic’s hand never leaving mine.
The sound of laughter spilled out from inside the house, and when Dominic pushed the door open, I was hit with warmth and the delicious aroma of whatever Mrs. Kensington was cooking.
Lucy’s giggle rang out as she came running toward us, her face lighting up the moment she saw us. “Daddy! Aunty Emily!”
Dominic scooped her up with one arm effortlessly. “Lucy! Have you been keeping your uncles in check?”
She gave him a sassy grin, crossing her arms. “Daddy, I’ve been entertaining them. Big difference.”
I laughed softly, the sound helping ease some of my nerves. As Dominic set her down, she darted back toward the living room, her giggles echoing through the house. Dominic’s hand returned to the small of my back, reassuring, as we followed her inside.
As soon as we entered, all eyes were on us, and I’m sure if Dominic’s hand hadn’t been on my back, I would’ve hidden behind him. A wave of nausea hit, and I silently prayed that whatever was in my stomach wouldn’t rise to the surface. But then I thought of Kristi, how much she’d love to be in this room right now. She’d probably be soaking it all in with that mischievous grin of hers, thriving in the attention. I couldn’t help but imagine her in my shoes, confident, maybe even making a joke to break the tension. I looked around again, and if I’m being honest, they were some of the finest specimens of Adam that God has blessed women with, and I couldn’t be happier to have one of them as my own.
Dominic cleared his throat, his voice commanding but relaxed. “Everyone, you’ve already met Emily as my PA. But, now let me introduce you to her as my wife.”
One by one the brothers greeted me warmly before hugging me and returning to their seats.
“Now that Daddy has a wife,” Lucy piped up with a mischievous grin, “when are the rest of you getting married?”
The men exchanged glances, each one looking to Dominic as if silently begging to intervene. Before anyone could say anything, Lucy continued, not missing a beat.
“We need more girls around here to play with.”
Vincent dramatically clutched his chest, acting hurt. “Have we not been doing a good enough job, Lucy?” he asked, feigning offense.
Lucy glanced him over, unfazed. “Yeah, but when it’s time to talk about the boys I like in my class, I’m gonna need more females to talk to. It can’t only be Aunty Emily!”
Dominic’s jaw twitched, and I felt his hand tighten a fraction at my back, his body stiffening as he clearly wasn’t expecting Lucy’s blunt words.
Sebastien nearly choked on his drink, and Leonardo coughed, suppressing a laugh before calling out, “What’s that, Mrs. Kay? You need help in the kitchen? I’m coming!”
One by one, the men disappeared, leaving just me, Dominic, and Lucy in the room.
I could see his composure faltering just a bit, before he forced a quick smile and recovered.
“Don’t worry, Lucy. We’ll find some wives for your uncles,” Dominic said, his voice slightly more strained than usual. “But for now, go help Mrs. Kay set the table while Emily and I go freshen up.”
“Okay, Daddy,” Lucy replied, already running off to the kitchen totally unaware of the effect her words had on her father and her uncles.
Dominic let out a long breath, his hand leaving my back as he ran his fingers through his hair. I couldn’t help but chuckle at how he seemed to relax the moment Lucy was out of sight.
“How do you deal with all that sass?” I teased, folding my arms. “Can you imagine her at sixteen?”
“I’m not ready to even think about those teen years,” Dominic groaned. He glanced at me, and the smirk on his lips made my heart skip. “But I blame the fact that when she’s not at school, she’s surrounded by adults.”
“Are you blaming her sass on being an only child?” I raised an eyebrow, curious to see his response.
“Maybe.” His gaze softened as he met my eyes, and I felt a flutter in my chest. “But hopefully, that’ll change—soon.”
My face flushed with warmth, and I found myself at a loss for words, my breath catching in my throat. Dominic’s gaze lingered on me, his eyes full of passion? Lust? That made my pulse race. He reached out, gently brushing a few strands of my hair behind my ear sending a spark through my skin. “Go upstairs and freshen up,” he murmured, his voice low and hoarse. “Dinner will be served soon.”
I nodded. As I turned to head up the stairs, my stomach fluttered in anticipation but this time not because of the dinner with his brothers.
About an hour later as I sat at the dinner table, Axel had finally shown up and I couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through me as I watched Dominic interact with his brothers and Lucy. At first, I had assumed his brothers followed his rules, aimlessly deferring to his every word, seeing him only as their older, powerful sibling. But as I observed, I realized how different he was in this environment compared to at work.
In the office, he exuded control and authority, commanding respect effortlessly. But here, with them, he was relaxed, smiling more freely, and cracking jokes with his brothers as though they were just regular guys, not the powerful billionaires they were. Watching the way he teased and engaged with Lucy made me smile. There was an ease to him I hadn’t expected.
I couldn’t deny it, this family was amazing. And Dominic... well, he was more than just the man I thought I knew. He was layers upon layers of complexity, and I realized, with a mix of excitement and curiosity, that I wanted to uncover every single one of them.