Dominik watched Salina move around the room. She wanted his help again in her room where she was trying to use the pottery wheel.

"Do you even know how to do any of this?" he grunted as he fixed the pedal. Salina sat atop the coffee table besides where his body laid on the ground. She kelt and peered down at him. "Of course I know how to do it. I just haven't made anything in a while."

Dominik grunted and peaked his head out to get a look at her. She'd been normal since she talked with her father last week, but hadn't gone into detail about any of the conversation. But judging by the radio silence from Laurent, he supposes she handled it her own way rather than Dominik's way.

Salina rest her chin on her hand, thinking back to when her father practically begged for her to get in Dominik's ear or even threaten to leave back to Laurent's house to further convince him. When Salina didn't give him the response he desired, Drake tried to persuade her that she was obligated to help the family. Needless to say, it didn't go how they planned when Salina instructed Gabriel to walk them out.

"It's not like you have anything more exciting to do anyway," Salina taunted.

Finishing up what he was doing, dragging himself out from under the contraption to look at her with a raised brow. He stayed on his back, only pushing himself up on his elbows. "Is that so?"

Salina nodded, "I mean really, I thought a mafia Don would do a lot more than paperwork."

Scoffing quietly, Dominik rolled his neck slowly. Salina swallowed hard as she watched, he'd taken off his button up and now was just in a white tank so his body was hers to look at. Similarly to before they'd go to bed, Salina couldn't take her eyes off his arms and shoulders. The dark ink on his skin didn't hinder her view of his muscular figure. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she felt the silence go on a second too long and glanced up to see Dominik smirking at her before standing up.

He wasted no time idling in front of her, running his calloused hands up her calves and drawing them down so he could step between them. Salina's breath hitched, pressing her palms down against the desk to steady herself as he tugged her butt to the edge.

"Would you like to be the boss, is that it?" Dominik asked quietly, his low voice rasping temptingly.

Grazing her tongue over her teeth, Dominik watched the movement with the upmost focus. "I would but you never tell me about anything going on."

Dominik rolled his eyes, "It's been two weeks since we've been married, солнышко. Is it so hard for you to believe that maybe I want you to relax?" Without a second of hesitation she waved three fingers in his face.

little sun

"Three weeks, Ivanov. And yes it is hard to believe considering when you first 'proposed' you presented this as a business deal essentially. It was really romantic," Salina rolled her eyes as she used her fingers as air quotes. Dominik grunted with a sneer, patting her exposed thigh in annoyance. His wife yelped at the minor spank and looked at him like he was insane.

"As much as I find your attitude amusing, have you ever wondered if I've only shown you the boring parts of being in charge on purpose? For the most part at least."

Salina huffed but quickly held her breath as he held her thigh, Dominik had been odd these last few days. His stares were lasting longer, which were long to begin with, and his hands had a mind of their own. Salina was reluctant to admit that she was bathing in the attention, she hasn't even admitted it to herself yet. Under normal circumstances where someone married her because they loved her, this is what she imagined them to act like.

"The boring parts were never part of the deal, mon cochon," she tilted her head and her voice almost sounded sweet but he knew better from the look in her eyes.

my pig

"The deal was never established to begin with, neither was it written down, woman. You should refine your negotiating skills, baby."

With her lip twitching at the realization that he was right, she grunted in annoyance. Shoving at his chest, she hopped off the desk and he followed her. "You just hate when I don't tell you what you want to hear. Честно говоря, я восхищен этим. Я всегда так близок к тому, чтобы уступить тебе."

Honestly, I admire it. I'm always so close to giving into you.

"I don't understand when you speak in Russian and it just makes me angrier, Dominik. But you already know that," she scoffed as she stomped through the house. All of the guards watched as their boss followed right on her heel. Salina had taken to caring for the garden in their backyard, nursing entirely new patches of flowers. Dominik knew it was her way of getting some time away from him.

Finally having had enough, he gripped her wide hips and spun her around. Walking her backwards, Salina gripped his wrists as she was flush against the shed wall.

"Qu'est-ce qui vous arrive aujourd'hui ? Bon Dieu."

What is up with you today? Good lord

Dominik chuckled to himself, "I just want to make my pretty wife happy. You know you're different than I thought you'd be-"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she immediately cut him off.

Getting a hold of her face, he squeezed her cheeks and made her lips purse.

"Let me finish. Tomorrow why don't you stay in the office with me? We'll do some work together and maybe that will show you it isn't as interesting as you seem to think it is."

Slowly, Salina nodded in agreement. "But seriously," her words came out funny due to his hold on her face. "What do you mean I'm different?"

Her husband grazed his thumb along her jaw and then lower lip before finally shrugging. "Nothing, let it go you've gotten what you wanted. Now, what do I get in return?" His dark gaze zeroed in on her mouth as he towered over her against the wall. His hips pushed flush against her abdomen, his mouth parted as his thumb slid between her plush pout just barely. He couldn't help himself.

Salina's eyes rolled up to the sky, ignoring the rush of adrenaline swarming her stomach as her thighs squished together instinctively. She was stubborn enough to ignore her own arousal just to throw him off.

Humming, she gripped his wrist to keep him still as she pursed her lips. Kissing his thumb gently, Dominik inhaled sharply when her tongue just barely grazed his skin. Lifting her chin up so his digit dragged down her bottom lip, Salina met his gaze.

"You're reward is making your wife happy. Now, I have to water the plants unless you want to help me do that?"

Dominik's brain stalled for a second as she stepped out from where he caged her in to gather her gardening supplies. Gritting his teeth before running a rough hand through his hair, he watched her walk away. With a growl, he dragged his tongue across his thumb before turning towards his office.

~

Hiding her smile, Salina gripped a file that Dominik handed her to read. He beckoned her over to his office chair while patting his thigh, his eyes narrowed at whatever was being said to him.

"I don't have fucking time for either of you, mind your own god damn business."

Salina jumped a bit at his sharp tone before coming to do what he'd asked. Dominik was pleasantly surprised when Salina sat on his thigh without any complaint. He grunted and tugged her closer by her outer thigh, brushing his nose over her bicep before barking something in Russian into the microphone. Salina looked at him funny but didn't say anything as he hung up.

"You're in charge of all these families?" Salina leaned back against his chest. This pushed whatever he was looking at on his phone away, he sighed and put it down to look at the paper.

It was a list of the families from largest to smallest that he had control of. Italian, Mexican, French, and Irish- anyone involved with organized crime seemed to be simple puppets to the man she currently sat atop of.

Dominik hummed in confirmation, he pointed to each family name in bold letters. "These are the main families in that area. The Moretti's and I have a close relationship, we work well together. For each family I have an assigned general of sorts, they work closely with them, and the main families work with the smaller ones. Everyone reports back to me."

Salina nodded slowly as she thought, looking at the notes and information in front of her. "It's a wonder none of them rebel or something like that."

Dominik slid his hand over her stomach, her blush button up was tucked into a little skirt she wore. He peered over her shoulder, down her shirt then to her smooth thighs that crossed and squished on top of him. His tongue trailed over his lips as he was distracted for a moment, until her head turned to peer up at him curiously.

Clearing his throat, "They have- rebelled and all. They just fucking suck at it. That's why I'm keeping an eye on the Irish right now. The rest are in line."

Salina nodded, she'd learned a lot about his work today. They'd eaten breakfast together in his office as he showed her different locations that were important to his operations. He listed names of his top guys, the ones he trusted most to get what needs to be done done, and most importantly he told her how he kept them all in line. Being paranoid as fuck apparently. Her mind momentarily spun at the lists upon lists of people he'd just randomly killed to instill fear. And he said it so casually, he hadn't even realized he told her how he kept them all in line. In killing who needs to be killed, he leaves the rest vulnerable and clinging to him. Too many people were dependent on him to actually overthrow him and the ones that try he's three steps ahead of them anyways.

Salina was enamored with the idea of it all.

"Aren't you tired of this yet?" Dominik leaned back against his chair. He was tired of all of this, he found he didn't want his wife worrying her pretty head about this shit. What had started at the beginning as a 'keep her happy to avoid the consequences' is starting to turn into a 'keep her happy for his own sanity'.

Salina pursed her lips and gingerly spun around in his lap, dragging her hands over his shoulders before gripping them tight for balance as she promptly straddled him. "Are you trying to kick me out?"

"No," he grumbled almost too quickly while gripping her sides to keep her from falling. "All of this paperwork is just beneath you. Nothing you have to worry about."

Salina's brows shot up, looking at him like he was crazy. Then her eyes narrowed, this was just his way of getting her disinterested in his work.

"You know, you could have just said you wanted me to leave Ivanov," Salina rolled her eyes. She went to stand but his large hands clasped over her exposed thighs, holding her in place easily. Her struggling under him quickly reminded her of his overwhelming strength.

"I think if you sat in here everyday with me it would be too difficult for me to focus," he purred lowly as his accent thickened. Salina gasped as he tugged her closer just enough so their faces were only inches apart.

Her cheeks felt warm, Salina sucked on her bottom lip as her eyes darted over his face. Inhaling deeply, the woman atop of him somehow kept her composure. Daringly, she leaned in even closer. "I think easily distracted men are weak minded, Dominik."

Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper as if telling him a secret.

Salina watched a slow smirk crawl across his face, his eyes practically wild. She momentarily second guessed challenging him. Dominik tilted his chin up, his nose nudging against her own as he clicked his tongue.

"Salina Ivanov, I hope you know better men have been killed for less."

"Good thing there's nothing better than me." Check mate. They both thought, how was he supposed to come up with a retort to that? Especially while he is so occupied with how fucking beautiful she looks sitting on top of him.

Dominik opened his mouth again but nothing came out, a phone ringing interrupted both of their trains of thought. Salina's brow ticked up before he patted the side of her thigh, with a roll of her eyes she stood up.

"I'm going next door for a few, since I'm so distracting," she brushed her hair over her shoulder and without even giving him a chance to respond she pushed through the swinging door.

Dominik cursed under his breath, ignoring the questions from the one who'd called him. Salina was resolute in her stubbornness when she sat down at her window seat, she could hear Dominik in what seemed to be a long phone call.

When she heard him getting frustrated on the phone- calling someone an incompetent piece of trash that happened to grow a pair of legs one day but never seemed to find a brain- she felt a mixture of relief and guilt. On one hand, she felt bad he was dealing with whatever it was that was causing him stress. On the other, she wasn't equipped to really help him, not yet at least until he taught her how.

While she was muttering to herself, she faltered when she heard the doorhandle that led into the hallway jiggle. The door that was always locked so Dominik was the only one who had access to her through the side door. The door that all the guards working knew better than to mess with.

When it moved again as if someone was trying to open it, Salina stood up slowly. Her dark eyes momentarily looked around awkwardly as if wondering what to do before a key was slid into the lock. Her mouth dropped in shock as in walked a man around her own age, grinning to himself proudly.

When the man glanced up, his own face showed genuine shock as well.

Salina, being about a yard away from the door into Dominik's office, she shuffled a tad closer when neither of them said anything.

"Woah- wait who the fuck are you?" Abruptly, the man lifted his handgun up and pointed it at her.

Salina dragged her eyes down his body, he had dark hair and light eyes. In his face, she could see some familiarity that she didn't get to think about what the man got impatient.

"I asked who the fuck are you?" The stranger hissed, the movement made his shirt shift and she saw the handle of that familiar family emblem peaking out. Ah, well at least he worked for Dominik and he wasn't an intruder. The only negative was that he'd now lurched forward to press the barrel of his gun under her chin.

Sucking on the inside of her cheek, Salina looked up at the taller man from under her lashes.

"Don't do something you'd regret," is all she said. This had the man faltering, Salina slowly lifted her chin off the gun and shifted her hair back. His eyes fell to the necklace she never took off, the Ivanov symbol collaring her.

Raising her hands up in the air to signal she wasn't a threat, the man kept his weapon aimed at her as she slowly leaned against the swinging door and pushed it open gradually. Dominik had still been on the call, seeing his wife finally come back he exhaled for a moment. Until of course he saw her hands raised up did he immediately tense and reach for his weapon.

Now, Salina had two guns pointed in her direction as she walked all the way in. Except, now Dominik aimed at the man behind her. Who, mind you, still didn't put his gun down.

"Hi honey," she tilted her head as her voice came out sickly sweet.

Her husband was currently seething, "What in the fuck do you think you're doing Aleksei? Come here, малыш-" he held out his free hand for Salina to grab. When she did, he yanked her behind him as this Aleksei finally put his weapon down mostly due to shock.

baby

"You come into my home and point your gun at my fucking wife? I should put you down like a god damn dog. Did he put his hands on you?" Dominik's loud volume and baritone voice actually made Salina jump, slowly she shook her head no to his question.

Aleksei inhaled sharply, now he was the one lifting his hands up. "Hey now, cousin, that would make those family dinners very awkward. It was an honest mistake. You never have anyone lingering in your home. Not to mention you haven't told anyone about your marriage! How was I supposed to know?"

Salina pursed her lips, taking in the information. In Aleksei's defense he was trying to protect Dominik.

Just then, another man that looked even more similar to Aleksei walked in. He paused at the situation in front of him. "I told you not to try and sneak up on him," the taller out of the two strangers shook his head.

"Dima, I told you both not to come," Dominik barked.

"We're family, Don. Unfortunately for you, when you go low contact for a month we have reason for concern. It's not my fault my brother is stupid enough to try his luck."

Aleksei huffed, finally moving after Dominik lowered his gun just a tad and sitting in the chair across from the desk.

"C'mon Domo, you've got to loosen up."

"Domo?" Salina's eyes lit up with amusement as she repeated the nickname with a soft voice. Now, all three men's attention were back on her. Dominik was reminded of the Salina from that first day they'd officially met. Where her eyes were hard to read as she looked back and forth between his cousins. Her gaze was lowlidded as if she was assessing them and them her.

Then, her focus was back on him. Staring up at him through her lashes before glancing over to the guests quickly as if to say go on...

Growling under his breath, he sat back down in his large chair. Yanking her down with him, only a small shriek of protests erupting from her, Dominik gestured to his woman.

"My wife."

The rest of the room deadpanned at him.

••••

i loved this chapter idk they're getting cuter and cuter

how do u think Aleksei and Dima will play out in the next chapter hmmm?

and this most recent chapter that u wrote (i'm up to chapter 22) LITERALLY FROTHING AT THE MOUTH FOR LOLL