Chapter 35
Dominic
I keep my eyes on my sexy wife until the door shuts behind her then I turn my attention on my baby brother.
“What is wrong with you!” Bash demands incredulously. His eyes widen, then he pulls his glasses off and rubs the bridge of his nose.
“Calm down. It wasn’t what it looked like,” I try to assure him. Despite my instinct of ordering him to back off, I know I need to explain it to him.
“It looked like you were choking your wife while threatening her!” Bash points at me accusingly with his glasses, then sighs and puts them on his face.
“What you didn’t see was her threatening me with a knife to my throat.” It comes out heated. I won’t have anyone thinking my wife is weak or needs someone to defend her. She’s more than capable of taking care of herself.
“No?” He gasps in disbelief.
I pull down my collar and reveal the red markings of the blade.
“Dom, is she a threat to you? To the Syndicate? Do we need to find a way out of this marriage?” Despite it coming from a good place, his insinuation of taking Katerina from me enrages me.
I stalk toward him until I’m towering over him. He’s only a couple inches shorter than me, but he’s leaner and younger. I glare at him.
“No one can take her away from me. I’ll kill anyone that tries,” I promise. He needs to know. She’s mine. No one can change that.
Instead of looking scared, Bash looks confused.
“But… she was trying to kill you? She had a knife against your throat.” He looks so innocent when he says it. I tread lightly, knowing he’s too pure to understand the appeal of her passion.
“She wasn’t trying to kill me. If she was, I’d be dead. She was just putting me in my place. She’s incredibly passionate, and it’s thrilling.” I can’t hide my grin as I say it. She was so fucking sexy, threatening me. My sexy tiger has so much bite behind her bark.
Bash looks between me and the door she just went through and back at me a few times before shaking his head.
“You guys are freaks. I’m glad you found each other.” His nose scrunches, and his lips curl. “Blah! I won’t interfere again. Just don’t do your little freak shit in the hallway. I don’t want to walk in on it again.”
I smirk and nod. “We’ll keep it PG for you.”
He throws his hands in the air then storms down the hallway to the bathroom.
I return to my seat at the table to see my plate has been cleared and a flourless chocolate torte is in its place. I gaze upon my wife as I dig in. The sight of her, the feeling on her nails digging into my thigh, and the taste of chocolate seduce me.
Conversation goes on around me, but I don’t pay any attention. My entire focus is on the temptress next to me. She catches my gaze and raises a brow. I blow her a kiss, and she rolls her eyes then turns her back to me. But she can’t hide the flush on her cheeks.
“Guys, why don’t we meet in Dad’s office?” Bash suggests.
It takes me by surprise. I’m always the one pushing for Syndicate meetings after dinner, but tonight, I don’t want to.
I don’t want to leave my wife. And not because I think she’ll stab anyone in my family without my supervision, although they’d probably deserve it, but because I simply don’t want to leave her side.
Roman and Matthias look just as reluctant to leave their wives. For the first time in my life, I consider cancelling a Syndicate meeting. I look at Katerina in question, but she just ushers me away.
“Go talk business. Your dad’s going to show me his knife collection.” She sounds excited at the prospect, and my gaze flies to my dad. He looks just as giddy as she does. None of us have taken an interest in his more unusual hobbies, but it looks like my wife has.
“Have fun,” I tell her then kiss the top of her head.
I freeze as she tenses. What the fuck did I just do? Just because we barely kissed doesn’t give me the right to kiss her whenever. Or does it? I mean I am her husband. But we don’t have that kind of relationship.
I rush out of the room without looking back. I walk quickly into Dad’s office and lean against a bookshelf.
As my brothers trinkle in, I maintain a mask of indifference. Far too many people have seen me emote because of my damn wife. No one needs to know what I’m feeling… except her. She brings it out of me.
“I see married life has been treating you well,” Matthias says with a smirk. When I shoot him a glare, he wiggles his eyebrows at me.
Bash coughs in discomfort, but we ignore him.
“I never thought I’d see the day Dominic Montclair was smitten for a woman. I bet she leads you around by your cock.” Roman adds unhelpfully.
Bash chokes and turns red.
“My relationship is not up for discussion!”
“We’re just messing with you. It’s good to see you happy.” Matthias’s words make me wonder if I seemed unhappy before Katerina.
“Let’s get on task. What did we need to discuss?” I ask, ready to put an end to the conversation.
My brothers look at me in shock.
“What?” I demand.
“You don’t have something planned? You always want to talk about work.” Roman sounds confused, but then he smiles. “Oh, I get it. Something else is on your mind now.”
He wiggles his brows suggestively, so I reach over and punch him. He just laughs harder.
“Fuck off. If no one has anything to say, then meeting dismissed.” I straighten my stance and head to the door, ready to get back to my wife.
“Oh, I have a lot to say,” Roman starts.
“Me too!” Matthias continues, and they high five.
I ignore their jabs as I make my way to the family room. Sure enough, Dad has multiple sets of knives laid out and is explaining the history and use of each one to Katerina. She’s actively engaged in the conversation, eagerly taking in the information.
I hang back by the doorway and just watch her. I can’t put words to the feeling in my chest at watching her with my family. There’s just something so right about it.
My mom is the first to see me and beckons me into the room. I come in and sit next to her. Katerina looks up at me and winks, then makes a small stabbing motion with one of the knives in my general direction. A laugh erupts from my chest at my psychotic wife and her stabbing tendencies.
“You don’t know what it does to a mother to see her child so happy. I’m grateful for Katerina. She’s brought you such lightness. She’s such a marvelous young lady.” Mom grabs my hand in hers and squeezes.
My chest hurts at containing the laugh at Katerina being referred to as a lady after our conversations, but I know my mom is being serious, so I won’t mock her.
“She’s great, Mom. She’s strong, fierce, and stubborn in the best way. She doesn’t let me get away with anything. I thought she was this weak, boring woman when we met, but she’s been full of great surprises.” I smile softly as I tell my mom about my wife.
“She’s a great addition to the family,” Mom says sweetly, then her eyes harden. “You’re not allowed to miss anymore family dinners. And don’t forget, your brother’s vow renewals are next weekend.”
I try to remember anything about the vow renewals but can’t.
“We’ll be there… Which brother is it?” I try to keep my voice light, but wince anyways, knowing the slap on the back of my head is coming.
“Roman and Cecilia’s vow renewal. They didn’t have a wedding, remember?” She sighs as she scolds me.
I honestly didn’t remember. I can’t be bothered with the details of my brothers’ love lives. I have more important things to worry about.
Before I can respond, Roman and Cecilia are on their feet.
“It’s time for us to go,” Roman says, ushering his wife out the door.
“Let me say goodbye!” She stops him. “He has me on a strict prenatal routine.” Even as she rolls her eyes, she lets out a sweet giggle and lets him pull her in for a hug.
Matthias and Margot stand and start saying their goodbyes.
I make my way to my wife and help her to her feet. I gently pry to karambit knife out of her hand and place it on the table.
“Let’s go home,” I tell her.
She stands and gives my dad a hug. I feel a pang of emotion in my chest. I’ve never seen her hug Viktor. It’s nice to see her receiving parental love.
After Dad releases her, he pulls me in for a hug. Before I let go, he whispers in my ears.
“She’s a good woman. You treat her well.” I nod. It’s the kind of fatherly threat Viktor should’ve given me. I hate that it didn’t come from her father. “You chose a good queen for the Syndicate. She’ll be a great asset.”
He pulls back, and I try to shake off my astonishment. He can’t mean for me to include her in Syndicate affairs. She’s Bratva. She’s a woman. There’s no place for her in the Syndicate.
The rest of the evening is spent mulling over his words. Katerina is fierce for sure, but I’d break so much tradition bringing her in.