Chapter Two
Dominic
Parking in the private car park around the side of the restaurant, I sigh and stare out the window at the bright lights illuminating the dark city around me that's bustling with people considering it's a Friday night.
My phone vibrates on the leather seat beside me, and I glance over to see my father's name flashing across the screen.
I close my eyes and lean my head against the headrest, taking a few deep breaths as I give myself a moment to prepare for what I'm about to walk into.
When my phone rings again, and I take a peek at my screen to see my mother's face and name now lighting up, I sigh and answer the call.
"I'm just parking up. I'll be in soon."
"You've always been a terrible liar, you know?"
I frown as I take my key out the ignition.
"Who says I'm lying?" I ask.
She chuckles lightly.
"I've been standing here watching you since you parked up a few minutes ago, Dom." I glance out my window and see her standing a few metres away with a smug smile on her face. "Come on. Your father is waiting inside and he'd like for us to all be seated at the table before the Garcia's show up."
Pocketing my keys, I get out of the car and walk over to my mother, pulling her into my chest for a brief hug before we walk into the restaurant together, towards the table my father's already seated at.
"You took your time," he grumbles as I take the seat to the right of him while my mother sits on the other side, leaving the three chairs opposite us empty. "Was starting to think you wouldn't show up."
"I was contemplating it," I tell him honestly, unbuttoning my suit jacket and loosening my tie.
"Don't make yourself look sloppy, Dom. We want to make good first impressions," my mother says, leaning forward in her seat to look at me.
I sigh, tightening my tie back into place, but then I remove my jacket and hang it over the back of my chair.
A waiter comes over with a jug, asking if we want some water, and I breathe a sigh of relief now that my parents are distracted, taking the opportunity to look around the restaurant my father's friend owns and lets him use for business meetings.
We're tucked away in a corner, and all of the tables surrounding ours are empty—which I'm assuming is on purpose—but outside of the little circle around us, every table is full, and the atmosphere is loud and heavy.
As my eyes scan the extravagant chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, I'm distracted by a flash of colour in my peripheral vision.
Dragging my gaze to the entrance of the restaurant, I see the most mesmerising woman I've ever laid eyes on in a gorgeous blood red dress that's moulded to her like a second skin, showing every delicious curve of her body.
My eyes run along her bare, silky smooth legs until they reach the hem of her dress, the colour of it standing out against her warm, olive skin.
The tightness of the dress has me gulping, and my eyes eat up every inch of her as she takes off her shawl and hands it to a member of staff.
Her wide hips sway as she walks through the restaurant, and I could swear I'm enchanted by some sort of spell because I cannot seem to tear my eyes away from them.
She turns to the side, squeezing through a gap between people's chairs, and my eyes finally travel further up her body, enticed by the backless dress which showcases her glowing, bare skin, and a tattoo that runs down the length of her spine.
Jesus Christ.
This woman is a goddess.
Her dark brown hair is slicked back in a ponytail, yet it's long enough that the loosely curled ends of her hair reach halfway down her back, obscuring the tattoo I'm fascinated to see more of.
When my eyes connect with hers, I'm convinced she's a figment of my imagination.
She's gorgeous.
Not only is her body absolutely stunning, but her face is so delicate, smooth, and downright beautiful.
Dark, long lashes frame her striking green eyes, giving them a sultry look which has my stomach stirring, and my dick twitching beneath my trousers. The little diamond studs on either side of her cute button nose intrigue me, and her plump, glossy lips capture my attention instantly.
I'm practically salivating just looking at her.
A little five-foot firecracker is how I'd choose to describe her.
My father clears his throat from beside me and nudges my arm with his as he stands and reaches out his hand towards the two men standing on the other side of the table, beside the woman I'm currently drooling over.
Shit.
I was so distracted I hadn't even realised Brody and Lenny had also entered the restaurant with her, meaning this dream woman of mine is going to be my wife in a few days.
Not only were they all in the restaurant already, they're also standing across from us, waiting to be greeted before they sit down so we can discuss all of the changes we both want made, and agree to the new terms.
Honestly, if I keep staring at Alicia, I'd probably agree to whatever they wanted me to.
I shake my head, tearing my eyes away from her and instead, focus on the two men beside her.
I can't allow myself to get distracted right now.
"It's nice to finally meet you both in person," my father says, a wide smile on his face as he shakes hands with them both and nods his head respectfully towards Alicia.
"Welcome to London," I add, also shaking both of their hands.
When I glance back at Alicia, about to introduce myself to her properly, I see her grimacing at me, and I freeze as my brows raise in surprise.
"Is there an issue?" I ask, offering her my hand to take.
Her eyes flick down to my hand, then back to my face, and she scoffs.
"Obviously, there's an issue when I'm having to marry you."
My mother sputters, almost choking on the wine she was sipping on, my father quietly chuckles beside me, and Brody glares at his daughter as he shakes his head in disappointment.
"You'll have to forgive her. She's had a rough day," he says, trying to justify her behaviour with a poor excuse.
She narrows her eyes at me as they drag down my body, and once she's done a whole sweep of me, her nose scrunches up in the cutest way.
"I thought you'd be more impressive than this," she says. "Oh well, at least this will make the arrangement much easier for us both."
Okay, I take it back.
There's nothing cute about this woman.