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*** Vance's POV***

"I'm really nervous." Karis dresses in the bathroom while I walk around the room collecting what I need to take along with us.

"That is to be expected. Don't be. I told you that they will love you." I walk over to her to place a kiss on her neck.

"Okay." Her soft affirmation lacks confidence. Knowing that will not do, I turn around to pull her into my arms.

"I would never put you in an uncomfortable position without assurance that you are safe. Doll face, these people love me. They will love you. I promise that if you feel any way other than happy, we can excuse ourselves." I pick her chin up to place a promising kiss to her lips.

"Thank you." Karis visibly relaxes after accepting my comfort.

"You look stunning by the way, divine." I rake my eyes up and down her body. Nobody pulls off clothing the way Karis does. She looks like a precious China doll in her chic attire.

The beautiful pink dress she wears hugs her curves while accentuating the swell of her breasts. Her legs are an endless path that dare to distract you from the hemline of her dress. Her heels put her at my height, as if she needed the vertical boost.

I drink her body in from a position of worship. Everything about my Karis is gorgeous. She could easily steal the attention of every man in a room. I just happen to be lucky enough to be on the receiving end of her affection tonight.

"I'm ready." Karis nods her head without opening her eyes. I would not be a dominant if I did not notice the slope of her shoulders. Her posture screams defeat. I have tried to comfort her with words. I will take my chances that my actions will bring her to a place of peace.

Gently taking her hand, I lead her through my home. We exit the elevator with Karis as silent as one could be. Nothing changes as we take my car towards the restaurant. Waves of anxiety ripple around my sweet girl.

Upon arrival, we are the first to be seated at our table. I order wine with a back up martini just in case Karis cannot find it within herself to relax. I hate to use alcohol as a crutch. The truth is, I am also extremely wound for the way this could go.

I may have over exaggerated the depth of affection in my family. While we are close, we do have a tendency to push our opinions onto others. I just hope that tonight, for once, we can be peaceful among siblings. I do love my family. I would enjoy our evening if Karis came out of this feeling a little more relaxed for having met them.

"I need to use the restroom." Karis stands, I jump to my feet to pull her chair away from her. I point in the direction of the restrooms so that Karis will not get lost. I know how anxious she feels in new places.

As Karis disappears behind the wall, I hear the telltale announcement of my sister and brother. Their raucous nature is a siren to others that are around. Rarely do we leave a place without stares from less extroverted attendees.

"Did she stand you up?" Gant looks to me with appreciative eyes for his assessment of the absence of my date.

"You said you would behave." Diane pushes my brother to the side. I open my arms for my darling sister-n-law. God did not make a mistake when he brought her to our family. The girl balances out the crude and often obnoxious nature of Gant.

"She's probably just relieving her bladder. Vance most likely already pushed several glasses of wine on the poor thing." Sasha opens her arms in welcome to me. I briefly kiss each of her cheeks before offering a hand to my brother-n-law Sergio.

"How is she? Is she nervous? We promise not to ruin this for you." Sergio glances around the room in warning.

"She is nervous." I hear the sweet sound of my everything as she responds to the question asked about her instead of directly to her.

"Well. How the fuck did you land her?" Gant openly gawks at my lovely date.

"Luck." I answer with a smug smile.

"Vance is a gentleman. You could learn a lot from him." Diane swats her husband brusquely over the shoulder.

"That he is." Karis whispers. I pull her chair for her before introducing the crowd to her.

"How did you two meet?" I roll my eyes over Sasha's feigning of innocence. We have went into full detail of mine and Karis's relationship.

"I accidentally walked into his club while looking to cry over my shattered dreams." I nearly choke on my wine with Karis's answer.

"Did you know he was into that thing he does when you agreed to give him the time of day?" Sergio busts into laughter as I stare at him with daggers.

"I did not. However, I would not change his appetite." Karis blushes as she admits her particular taste for my brand of poison.

"Are you naturally submissive?" Gant is way too intrigued by my love. I already want to give him a show of my hands.

"Definitely not." I take the lead on the conversation.

"That must be difficult to relinquish your power over to someone who can be quite controlling." Sasha doesn't miss a beat. I swear I am rethinking their places in my fucking will right now.

"I have the power. The dominant leads the dance. However, it is my control that affords him that luxury." Karis brings a smile of vindication to my lips.

"Karis, you are a very intelligent woman." I kiss her lips with a longing to dominate her at the edges of my desire.

The blush that stains my China doll's cheeks is a beautiful prize to my pride.

"You are adorable." Sergio stares with adoration at my Karis.

"Vance thinks so as well. I do not understand the delusion. I guess it is all in perception." Karis rolls her eyes with her statement, guaranteeing that she will be screaming my name later on this evening.

"So much sass. It is a wonder you two get along." Diane looks to me for confirmation that Karis is indeed a good fit for my personality. A nod of my head is all the assurance that my sister-n-law needs. A bright smile adorns her carefully painted face.

"I get in trouble often. It suits me just fine." Karis winks in my direction. I have half a mind to drag her sexy ass to the bathroom for an impromptu lesson as we speak.

The waitress cuts in with an apology as she collects the orders of our party. We take our time in explaining our meal preferences. We thank her as she walks off to submit our order.

"Enough with introductions. It is time to see if you measure up for my little brother." Gant causes a snarl to leave my lips. How dare he disrespect my beautiful girl with a threat of failure.

"Vance, I am fine." Karis whispers quietly to me. I close my eyes while trying to collect my anger. This is why I stay single. This bunch could run off even the most brazen of women. Karis is too delicate to face off with these hooligans.

"Calm down, Alpha. I will take it easy." Gant gives me a less than reassuring smile. I surrender to the intrusion knowing that if I ever hope to stabilize Karis in my life, she will need to learn how to handle these bastards.

"Carry on." I wave my hand dismissively. That does not prevent the warning glare that meets my brother before his lips begin to move.

"Karis, what is it you do for a living?" Sasha opens with a question that I am satisfied will not lead to my aggressive side showing up.

"I own a catering company." Karis answers concisely. That is the business side coming out of her. It reminds me of the meeting we had with the four jackasses from long ago. That thought brings me solace. Karis devoured those cocksuckers like a praying mantis after she has had her way with her mate.

"Are you successful?" Diane's question brings no cause for concern. Karis is successful. The mere act of trying for your own goals is a win in my world.

"Financially I am stable. I have a good repertoire, solid clientele and an expansive selection on the menu." Karis brings me pleasure as she answers with grace.

"That does sound badass." Sasha giggles while Sergio breaks the ice.

"I have a tendency of being fierce when necessary." Karis continues to hold her own while I sit back to absorb the conversation.

"Do you want kids? Will you be providing us with nieces and nephews?" Diane brings up the question that I was most afraid of. The immediate ashen appearance of my love tells me we need to abort mission.

I stand quickly, ready to bolt. I grip Karis's elbow gently to nudge her towards freedom. These assholes have no fucking cooth.

"I believe you are all under a misimpression. Vance and I are not dating as of now. Although, that could change in the future." Karis gives me sad eyes as she clarifies our relationship status. It is not news to me. I have not breached the status of our courtship because she is not in a place to be faced with such pressure at the moment.

"To hear him talk about you, one would believe you were half way down the aisle." Gant throws me an incredulous look that makes me want to toss him over the god damned balcony.

"That is a high praise coming from a man of Vance's character. I am newly divorced. To answer your question, I would love kids. My body has not been kind to me in my earlier attempts. I cannot say with certainty that I would be a suitable prospect for a family." With that, my beloved excuses herself once again.

The moment her ass rounds that wall, I turn on the fucktards that started this game of idiocy.

"What is wrong with you?" I belt my words out with excessive force. I have met my quota of pleasantries today.

"Dear brother, those are standard questions for a prospective family member. Do calm down. Your blood pressure is skyrocketing." Sasha all but laughs in my face. She hasn't seen me explode in a while. It may be a good time to remind them why we all keep our distance.

"She isn't interviewing for a place in my life. The fucking moment she tells me she is ready, I will have her tied to me in every way under the heavens. This should have been an interview for you four to win a spot in that spectacular woman's life. You have done yourselves no justice." I am seething. How dare they make Karis feel as though she must fit a build to be beside me. Any man would be so lucky to have that woman at their side.

"If she was such a catch, she wouldn't be divorced now would she?" Gant stands up as he comes toe to toe with me. Diane's hand leaves her husband's arm while they find a new place over her gaping mouth.

"I will not have you speak of her with such disregard. Karis is not a secondary prize. She is an eccentric woman with nothing less than a heart of solid platinum. You vile piece of manure; you wouldn't know quality if it was written in the sand with glass and you had to stand on top of it." My heart feels as though it may explode with the intensity of my disgust.

"He has a point." Sasha brings the heat on herself as she becomes the target of my rage.

"Unlike you, Karis didn't cheat her way out of her first marriage. You're just lucky Sergio sees you with rose colored glasses. God only knows how he hasn't caught you in bed with one of your lovers yet." My words do not even begin to shed remorse in my heart. The fact that my sister is as unfaithful as a politician is a flying joke in my family. She couldn't stick to one dick any better than she could grow one in a petri dish.

"You son of a bitch. I have not cheated on my husband yet." Sasha's hand comes up to sting my face. It would bother me if she had not hit me with less force than a newborn.

"Vance." Karis's voice grabs my attention as we all turn to her with the shock of a California earthquake rolling through us.

"Yes, my love." I slowly feel as though a hole would be divine right now. I would welcome it to swallow me where I stand.

Karis looks between all of us. I see the mascara leaking down the side of her cheeks. My fingers immediately move to brush the ink stains from her porcelain skin.

"Squid. Daddy."