Dominik and Salina stared at each other from across the table. He'd taken her to an expensive restaurant their food was in front of them by now.

"Are you going to say anything while we're here or no?" Salina twirled her pasta onto her fork. "You just going to stare?"

Dominik rolled his eyes at her, "Is it so terrible I like a little quiet after work?"

Salina balked, "Why the hell did you take me out to dinner then?"

The man across from her frowned, he'd changed into a clean white button up. The top three were undone, showing off the array of tattoos across his body. When he'd finished changing and walked out, adjusting his wedding ring and the other rings he wore, Salina was not proud to admit how long she checked him out. He was a handsome bastard that's for sure, his face was damn near perfection. Even the imperfections like his previously broken nose or the scar cutting into his upper lip. It all just enticed her more.

"I took you out because the Irish will get word of our marriage. There's a reason all of these people are staring at us. If the public is going to find out about my marriage it'll be on my terms."

Salina bit the inside of her cheek, nodding. A part of her thought he might be bringing her out because he simply wanted to take her out. Maybe he was just dumb. That's her current running theory, Dominik was an emotionally stunted idiot. Despite that she's starting to actually like him- the thought made her cheeks go warm. Salina hadn't ever really liked someone, it was all always a means to an end.

Dominik narrowed his eyes at her silence, leaning forward as he sipped on the vodka in his glass. "Your father reached out to me," he announced to try and get a reaction from her.

And a reaction he got. Salina's eyes widened and slid right up to his own, her back straightened in her chair, and he watched as she grabbed the necklace he'd given her to fiddled with it.

"I've been calling him and he hasn't gotten back to me at all... he talked to you?"

If he didn't know any better he'd say there was a twinge of embarrassment in her voice, Dominik sat up straighter as well. "He asked how we were doing as if the last time we saw him was fucking peaches and cream. He spoke about how he misses his daughter and he wants to visit to see how you're doing."

Reaching over, Salina took a large gulp of her white wine. "And what else?"

"I told him to come for lunch tuesday," he informed her.

Tightening her grip on the glass, she felt her brow twitch a bit. "It would've been nice if you asked me."

Snorting, Dominik rested his elbows on the table while wrapping one fist in the other. He rest his chin on his hands, "You really think he wants to meet about anything other than business? If I thought he was actually coming to visit you then sure I'd have mentioned it but if our topic of discussion will have nothing to do with you and mainly business why would I ask?"

There was a stinging at the back of Salina's eyes that she chose to ignore, he just had to poke at everything possible, didn't he?

Inhaling deeply, she lifted her napkin that was neatly folded on her lap onto the table. Aware of all the prying eyes, she pushed a smile onto her face. "You're a real ass, you know that Ivanov?" She hissed through her teeth. "I'm going to get another drink," there was a huge bar at the center of the restaurant that was calling her name.

When she stood up he grabbed her hand, but with a swiftness that caught even him off guard, she switched their grip. Now she was the one holding his hand, mockingly she pressed what looked like a loving kiss over his wedding ring. Simultaneously, she pinched his cheek especially hard and patted it once.

"I'll be right back, sweetheart."

With that she sauntered off. Dominik's brown eyes were wide, what had he said?

Now, Salina stood at the bar all alone for everyone to gawk at. His beautiful wife was truly a sight to see. He had trouble taking his eyes off of her all night- maybe that's why she was upset with him. She'd had enough of his eye fucking. But he really couldn't help himself, she'd dressed herself in a wine red, rouched dress that had off the shoulder straps. The deep maroon color made her brown skin glow in the low lights of the bar.

Her tits were practically suffocating in the damn dress and it was so fucking tight he could see all of her womanly figure. It reached mid calf and had captured the attention of everyone in the restaurant. He didn't doubt for a second that his little wife had made a stellar first impression as she walked with the grace of a goddess. Honestly, she'd caught a little bit too much attention, he scowled.

He was a possessive man, he knew that since day one. But he'd never felt that over a person he supposes, maybe that was part of why he kept her hidden away for the past week. Grumbling into his glass, he decided his pretty wife had ten minutes of solitude to come back to him before he took matters into his own hands.

At the bar, Salina leaned her arms against the granite top. She dragged the tip of her nail over the designs of the counter while she waited on her cosmopolitan.

"That's one hell of a rock on your finger," the bartender caught her attention. The woman had dark her and striking blue eyes that popped against her eyeliner. Salina spared her a polite smile before looking down at the ring as well.

"I'm a lucky girl," Salina didn't plan on letting anyone on to her emotional state at the moment. She didn't know this woman or if she might want Dominik or even if she was just a gossip who'd tell everyone that Mrs. Ivanov was already unhappy.

"Your husband would come in here by himself and always order the same thing every once in a while. The family that owns the joint works for him. Same meal, same drink, same table. It's nice to see he has someone else to bring."

Salina's brow raised up at the bit of information on Dominik. The bartender continued, "Although, it is funny to see him in the dog house."

Sucking in a sharp breath, Salina could only get out a short chuckle.

"I'm a bartender, babe. It's part of my job to read the room, don't worry I added a smidge extra vodka for you."

Never one to be caught red handed, Salina sat at the stool besides her and smiled. "Thank you. We can't agree on a honeymoon spot. I'm hoping the silent treatment will get me to Italy."

The bartender giggled, nodding in agreement. "I don't see how anyone could tell you no, he must have his hands full."

"I do," Dominik's raspy voice sent a zing up Salina's spine. "I'm sure my wife would like her drink now," his arm braced on either side of her. In what looked and almost felt like a loving embrace, gave Dominik the perfect opportunity to graze his lips over her ear.

"I don't like being left alone, солнышко." His voice rumbled as he kissed the shell of her ear.

little sun

Salina recognized the nickname as something he'd called her that first day they met.

"Well neither do I, mon cochon."

If Salina was facing him, she would have caught how Dominik visibly faltered at the 'term of endearment' she'd given him. But she only smirked at her own joke with herself.

my pig

He recovered quickly, "I haven't left your side in almost nine days, woman." All during this conversation, everyone saw him speaking softly to his wife as she smiled smally at whatever he was saying.

"Keeping me in a room next door does not count, Ivanov." The cosmopolitan was sent over with a sheepish smile from the bartender that'd been chatting her up. Before she could grab it, Dominik took a large sip from it.

Growling in annoyance, she stopped him from stealing the cherry she'd requested on the side. Holding his wrist and bringing his fingers to her mouth, Salina stared into his eyes as she took the cherry between her lips. Her stupid husbands eyes lit up with mischief.

She couldn't help but openly glare.

"You should have asked me about my dad coming, you saw how he treated me."

Dominik squinted in confusion, "I thought we established that I wouldn't let anyone disrespect my wife."

"Well did you ever consider that you're disrespecting your wife by making these decisions without her? Hm?" The bite in her voice could not be missed as hurt and frustration pinched at her brow.

Both of them paused for a moment, forgetting their public setting for a moment as they felt all eyes on them like it had been all night. Except there was a hint of tension in the air now. It was obvious now to everyone around them that they were arguing.

Closing her shimmery eyes for just a second, her slender hand came up to the side of his neck. Dominik was none the wiser as she moved him closer, presumably to continue the argument. Her thumb brushed his sharp jaw, feeling the stubble on it. Her painted nails felt good on his skin as she scratched it lightly. He hummed in pleasure, before he felt her soft lips against his own.

Salina's red lipstain stayed intact but her lipgloss did smear against his own as she kissed him softly. She gasped at the feeling of him on her, the jumbled tingles in her stomach zapped all the way from her toes to her finger tips.

Dominik groaned lowly, sliding his hands onto her hips and immediately went to deepen the kiss. His tongue brushed her plump bottom lip to taste the cherry flavor still on her mouth, his hands tightened on her almost to where it hurt. His tattooed fingers dug into the expensive fabric of her dress. "Fuck," he rasped as he tilted his head to deepen it with a certain franticness that made Salina's body tingle.

Just as her own lips parted, Salina pulled away breathlessly. He tried to chase her mouth with his own and Salina nipped his bottom lip sternly.

Still catching her breath, she pulled away with a pat to his cheek. "I'm going to sit down, mon cochon." Salina walked back to the table while drinking the rest of her cosmo.

Dominik blinked in a daze, feeling her gloss still on him. Taking his thumb, he blindly wiped at it rather lazily. He wasn't in any particular rush to get it off.

Clearing his throat, he flagged the same woman down. "Get me a beer. Thanks," he tossed a few bills down for his and his wife's drink before quickly following after her.

Now, after her stunt, there were considerably less eyes on them.

"I did not disrespect you," he declared immediately while he sat down.

"I disagree."

"And why is that?"

"You call me your partner but you keep me locked inside like some secret until tonight and when you do take me out tonight- it's just to get ahead of someone else. I don't need you to take me on dates, I never asked for that Ivanov but I want freedom around the house. My fathers and I relationship is something... well it's something and you haven't asked about it once since we got married and you just disregard that bringing him to your home."

Dominik grumbled, leaning back in his chair. They sat in silence for a few moments as Salina traced the rim of her glass, wondering if she pushed it too far.

"I'll... loosen up on while we're at home. If I'm not with you I'll have Gabriel and Fern back on your detail. That's all I'm willing to budge. If you're leaving the house you'll do that only by my side. With your father... do you want me to tell him not to come?"

Salina frowned, "No, I just want you to ask."

"I'll remember for next time," he conceded.

"And I want your help setting up my room across from our bedroom," she slipped in while peaking at him from under her lashes.

That made him smirk, "Will I get a reward, hm жена? I think I know what I'd like it to be after tonight." He dragged his tongue over his lip to taste the lingering flavor of her.

Salina's face was warm, not that he could really tell with her brown complexion but it still made her flustered. "Shut up. The last thing we needed was everyone thinking we don't like each other. Now, take me home I'm done for the night," she crossed her arms.

"How could I ever not like you, dear," his patronizing tone was finished with a light kiss placed on her knuckles. Right above her ring. Salina frowned with her eyes closed, completely turning her head away from him as he still held her hand.

"Shut up."

~

Dominik did not get a reward for helping her set up that extra bedroom now dedicated to whatever she'd like. The room is large and Salina had definitely maximized on the space. Like the library she was set up in, there was a window seat the was dedicated as a reading nook for her and the cat. Her words- not his. One area has a pottery wheel oddly enough, Salina didn't strike him as the type to get messy but he will stand corrected whenever she decides to use it. She had mats in the room for pilates and whatever else he'd been instructed to build.

He'd spent an entire morning that he could have been working in that damn room but if it kept her from saying he is 'disrespecting' her ever again he would do it without complaint.

"Disrespecting," he scoffed to himself in their kitchen that she had also transformed. Lifting a water bottle up to his mouth, he took large gulps as he looked at the knick knacks, pink pots and pans, decorative towels, and magnets on their fridge.

Salina never failed to surprise him.

Stretching his arm across his chest as the woman on his mind walked in, he felt her eyes on him. He stood in a black compression shirt he usually wore to the gym, Salina looked at the sweatpants he wore that'd been taunting her all day.

He's dressed like a slut, she thought to herself. And she was only half joking because how was she supposed to concentrate on interior designing when he was walking around like that.

Yet, Dominik was none the wiser. He was distracted by the tiny jean shorts she wore and his very own dress shirt she'd styled with them. Part of the shirt was tucked in as she braided her hair in two halves. They were both torturing each other, she hadn't kissed him since their date and he wasn't happy about it. He still thinks she owes him a reward for building five different pieces of furniture in a matter of hours.

But he didn't get to voice his displeasure when Gabriel entered the kitchen. He'd promoted both Gabriel and Fern since Salina was more comfortable with them after knowing them for some months now.

"Don, Donna," he interrupted their blatant eye fucking with a clearing of his throat. "Mr. Beaumont is here. He brought a Drake Beaumont as well, his nephew. Fern is with them in your office."

Both Salina and Dominik looked at one another for a different reason this time.

"I want to come," she crossed her arms tightly while looking up at his massive frame.

Dominik rolled his lips in thought, "Let me talk with him for twenty minutes, if he's here to cause trouble there's no reason for you to sit through it."

Salina pressed her tongue into her cheek with irritation visible on her face. Gabriel swallowed nervously at the sight.

Grunting, she nodded up at him.

Grinning triumphantly, Dominik bent down to kiss besides her mouth gently. Salina's dark eyes widened significantly as he pulled away, "Good girl."

"Go away," she swatted at his face near her own sheepishly. Dominik growled at her dismissal and gripped her jaw, tilting her gaze up to him again and deliberately kissing the other side of her mouth.

"Watch it, жена. Keep being good for me, yeah?" he rumbled while dragging his thumb over her pouty bottom lip slowly. He did it again, his eyes entranced by the sight.

"Dominik," she murmured over his thumb.

"Don," Gabriel cleared his throat at the same time embarrassedly.

Sneering in annoyance, he pulled his thumb down just to see her lips part temptingly before reluctantly letting her go. Ever since her kiss he's been tormented by his thoughts of her. If he thought it was bad before, he had no idea.

"Fine," he grunted while patting her hip as he strode away to the office. Both Gabriel and Salina shared a look after his odd behavior until Gabriel followed his boss. When Dominik pushed his way into his office, now annoyed by his time cut short with his wife, the sight of Laurent did not make him feel better.

Scowling at his guests, Dominik sat in his chair slowly. Laurent shifted in his seat at the silence they received. Honestly, they were surprised to see the Don out of his usual attire.

"You're interrupting my precious time, Beaumont." Dominik droned as he leaned back in his chair. Finally, he glanced at his father in law.

Laurent chuckled as if Dominik was joking with him. "Don- can I call you Dominik?-"

"No."

"Okay-" Laurent paused for a moment before gesturing to his nephew. "I'm not sure if you've met my nephew, Drake. Him and my daughter grew up together." Dominik did not care one bit about the two pricks in front of him.

"Your daughter hm?" Dominik hummed. "You mean my wife?"

Laurent sucked on his teeth, swallowing hard to keep himself in check. "Your wife, yes. My Selly and you are getting along I imagine? I'm sure you would have sent her back if not."

Drake ran his hands over his face at his uncles poor joke. Obviously, the man already didn't like them.

Dominik chuckled as if it was funny, "Yeah, you'd have to pry her from my dead fucking hands. It's interesting you were asking about her on the phone and yet you don't seem so eager to have a reunion."

The three men sat in stifling silence, Dominik looking expectant as he spun a pen on his finger.

"Salina likes her space, I figured we'd meet first and then I could see her."

"You think I should allow that?" With the hostility he was receiving, Laurent had to rework the current angle he was playing at.

"Don Ivanov... I think we got off on the wrong foot. I was reluctant to let me daughter go, we should come together as family."

Dominik leaned back, his dark eyes narrowed and the two other men almost squirmed in their seats. The Don was a large, intimidating man even if he was just sitting across from them. The Russian man had to hand it to him, Laurent had balls to try to play on his humanity. Dominik almost cracked a grin of amusement.

"I have no familial ties to the Beaumonts."

"Well I would beg to differ-"

"You should try," Dominik cut him off once again. "My wife is an Ivanov. In all senses of the word, one of the most important being legally. Now, if you'd just cut the shit and tell me what you're actually here for that'd be great."

His father in law slumped back, "I want you to acknowledge that we could thrive in a more equal partnership. If my position was moved up in rank I could be a valuable asset to you."

Toying with his wedding ring for a moment, he then ran his tattooed fingers through his dark hair. Slowly, he began to laugh. "You're funny. Entitled, but funny. Laurent you spend more time with your head up your ass than you do actually working. You have the men below you doing work out of their realm and take credit for a shitty fucking job. You're a joke and it's pathetic you would even show your face here."

Dominik stood up after finishing up, sighing tiredly. Both of the Beaumont men were gobsmacked, "You're only redeeming quality was Salina. And look who's bed she sleeps in every night now." Smirking crudely, Dominik went on. "That reminds me, only because she's asked I'm allowing you to see her. Look at me," the Russian suddenly snarled with a snap of his fingers as he walked around his desk.

"If she walks out with so much as an inkling to shed a tear, I'll take my knife and gut you myself. I'll hang your fucking entrails around the house for decoration if I so please. I own you." The Don then stormed out of the office, leaving the two guests pale with fear.

Salina was pacing in the kitchen when he stormed inside, her dark eyes shot up to his large frame.

Her mouth parted in surprise, "That was quick-"

He walked towards her with no hint of stopping until she was backed up against the counter. Salina squeaked in shock as he threaded his fingers into her dark hair at the nape of her neck.

"Dominik!" She gasped as he craned her head back so her only focus was on him. "What is wrong with you?"

"Listen to me- I'm already impatient as it is dealing with your prick father."

"You were there for like ten minutes-!"

Dominik gripped her jaw, sliding his thumb over her pulse point to feel it flutter under his touch. "Listen to me, baby. You're father is going to ask you to convince me on giving him a higher rank and more money. He's not going to ask how you are and he's not going to ask if you're happy. He's fucking pissing me off but it's up to you if you still want to see him."

Salina's eyes softened, "I know that's all he wants, Ivanov. Be careful, someone might think you're worried about me there."

"I'm serious."

"So am I. Don't worry, I'm not looking to sell you out or anything like that. Now, I'm gonna head over to them if that's alright with you." Patting his cheek as if that would reassure him, she gave him a parting smile as she head over to his office.

••••

oop👀👀

buckle up bc this books chapters are LONG af part of the reason why i'm only doing one update a week🫡