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Salina stirred the food she currently had on the stove, her eyes distant as she tightened her grip on the wooden spoon. Her mind replayed the conversations from earlier;

"I don't see why I'd tell you," Dominik rolled his eyes rather casually.

"Maybe because it's a big fucking deal," Dima scowled with a snarl on his face.

Salina sunk into Dominik's warmth, eyeing the two men suspiciously.

Feeling her, Dominik wrapped his arms around her. His hand slid up her sternum and Salina held her breath, his hand came to grip her throat strongly. His fingers collaring her boldly, dipping into her supple skin softly.

"Can you blame me for wanting to keep her to myself," Dominik chuckled haughtily in her ear while staring down his cousins.

"Isn't she so fucking pretty?" he growled and it shot shivers up her spine. His grip shifted up to her jaw and moved her face down so they could get a good look at her truly.

The men could see why their cousin was so infatuated from the looks of it. Her beauty was undeniable and her skin a flawless, chestnut brown with sparse freckles scattered around. Her shiny, dark brown hair fell over her shoulders and Dominik's as well due to their proximity.

Neither of them could ignore her curvaceous figure, her wide hips pressed tight against her little skirt and her tiny waist was hugged delicately by her shirt.

"That's enough," Dominik barked as they continued checking her out for a moment too long.

Salina's eyes had slid closed as Dominik inhaled her scent deeply, smoothing his palm over her throat before bracing his forearm over her chest.

She could feel him straighten in his chair, adjusting his hips below her as she squirmed on top of his thighs. She was painfully aware of him flush beneath her ass at the moment.

"Besides that, I needed the marriage to be low key. Making everyone aware at the same time left room for vulnerabilities."

Aleksei shook his head, "You're a paranoid fuck you know that? Do your parents know? Everyone in our circle is getting wind of it after your run in with the Irish and your date at the Alinea restaurant."

Dominik grunted, "I made them aware."

This was news to Salina, but she could only stow the information away for now.

"You've signed all the paperwork? This is legit?" Dima leaned back and looked pointedly skeptical of Salina.

Her eyes narrowed a bit, her hand resting on Dominik's thigh.

"You think I'm an idiot, кузен? Of course I have the correct shit filled out. She's Mrs. Ivanov, my Donna. Now she's above the both of you," he snickered at his cousins.

cousin

Aleksei now spared her a polite grin and Dima offered a grunt and zero direct eye contact.

"Sorry about that... less than savory first impression," Aleksei scratched his head.

Salina made a noise of acknowledgement, nodding at the more talkative one of the two. "It's alright I guess," she shrugged.

"So now that you're married, what next? Do you even have a plan?" Dima leaned forward and only looked at Dominik.

"The plan is as it always was. Keep the people under us in control and dominate the competition."

"And you do that with a woman by your side that you'll have to protect?"

Salina brought her gaze up to the ceiling, wondering if she should be offended. She supposed Dima had a right to ask but his tone was not necessary.

Dominik could see her contemplating as he gazed at her profile. "I don't see how it's your fucking problem if you won't be the one keeping her safe. Salina is mine, my responsibility. Good thing you don't make any big decisions around here?" He taunted his younger cousin.

Dima scowled, "I can't think of one fucking benefit from this arrangement, Domo."

Salina now actively rolled her eyes. She definitely shouldn't be here for this conversation.

"Dima-" Aleksei tried to get him to stop.

"Now you've got dead weight holding you back and I bet your parents didn't even approve-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Dominik snapped.

Salina flinched away at the volume and both men straightened. Dima inhaled deeply after his rant, swallowing hard.

"I needed a wife at some point, she's who I chose. Get the fuck out of my house if that bothers you so much. Cousin or not you're walking a fine line Dima. Заставьте ее расстроиться, смею вас заверить. Посмотрим, что будет."

Make her upset, I dare you. See what happens.

Dominik wasn't completely dense, he's completely aware that he's uprooted Salina from everything she knows. Like he's said before, keeping her happy is imperative to them working together like a unit. And maybe-just maybe he simply wants her to be happy. But obviously with every guest they have it's proven annoyingly difficult.

Dima leaned forward, clasping his hands together as he finally looked at the woman. She leaned her cheek against her fist, staring at him with a raised brow.

"It... wasn't my intention to make anyone upset," he forced out. Aleksei stared at the stand off anxiously.

"But Dominik, marrying someone not properly trained for the position you've put them in is risky."

Salina was tired hearing about training and not being prepared for anything apparently. When she's actively trying to find out from Dominik he only spoon feeds her small bits of information. It's not like she isn't trying to do a good job.

Sighing, she went to stand but Dominik held her hips.

Glancing back, she gave him a look. Dominik could see she was not amused, he grunted and cupped her face.

"How about I make dinner and your cousins can stay," she tried to placate even if everything in her wanted to act out. "You guys can catch up."

She shifted once again to get up, murmuring under her breath, "You can pick out my type of training like I'm a damn dog."

The brothers both sucked in a breath as Dominik immediately glared at Dima. Salina winced.

"I didn't mean that- I'm not upset I swear," she squeezed Dominik's shoulder after finally getting out of his lap. Her husband leaned against his chair begrudgingly. Nodding at her when she motioned to leave.

But she had lied-Salina was upset. Pissed even. But she steeled her emotions long enough to work on dinner. She could hear them wrapping up now and filing into the kitchen. Glancing behind her, she saw Dima and Aleksei idling in the doorway of the kitchen and speaking quietly to themselves. Her husband however had managed to sneak up behind her and snake a hand around her waist. Growling quietly, she whipped her head around so their faces were mere inches away from each other since he'd leaned down over her.

Her palm slapped at his hand annoyedly. Dominik didn't let her go as he dragged his brown eyes over her features.

"I know," he cooed in a whisper.

"You do not. And don't touch me," she hissed while bumping him back with her hip except had no luck in creating space.

Dominik simply wrapped his arms tighter around her, hugging her fully from behind. Salina's face scrunched up as he'd never been so... intimately close with her. Sure, she'd kissed him, sat on his lap, been pressed against a wall or two- but a hug- it felt different. Pulling her hair over to one shoulder, he kissed her neck. A shiver shot up her spine as she tingled all the way down to her toes.

"You've been so good for me today, солнышко," he rasped in her ear. They both knew Salina was cautious to defend herself around anyone that Dominik considered company. It was smart, it was self preservation at it's finest and she'd learned it at a young age. "They know better than to upset you. Don't be afraid to chime in if you feel like it, yeah baby?"

little sun

"I'm not afraid," Salina didn't hesitate to retort as she turned off the stove. Dominik smirked and kissed her cheek. Now, his cousins had sat awkwardly by the table and her husband promptly ordered them to sit at the smaller table in the kitchen.

The Don himself ushered her to sit as he helped her move the food over to the table she'd already set. "Sit," he practically pushed her into a seat when she tried to move again.

He promptly found his place besides her and clamped a hand on Salina's thigh to hold her in place.

As dinner kicked off, Salina found it easy to talk to Aleksei. Or rather, he did most of the talking but it was appreciated.

"Settling down isn't for everyone," Salina shrugged as Aleksei emphasized his bachelor lifestyle and how it was the only way.

"I'm not a one woman man like your husband there," the youngest man of the three grinned at the boss.

"If he knows what's good for him he'll keep it that way," Salina muttered more to herself as she took a sip of her wine but was caught off guard when Aleksei began laughing loudly. It was funny hearing Salina threaten the mafia Don, like a true wife would. Dominik himself smirked down at his plate next to her.

Both of his cousins were surprised to see Dominik allowing her to talk about him so carelessly. Dima tightened his grip around his fork, "I'd love to know what you think is good for him, Salina."

"Watch it," Dominik grunted over his chewing while pointing his knife at Dima.

Salina hummed and pushed her food around, "I know what I think is good for him, do you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Seeing your cousin happy should be a good thing, Dima. I'm just trying to figure out if your acting like this for his best interest or jealousy."

Dima scoffed, dropping the cutlery with a clang. "What would you know about any of this? You and your family were low ranks with no idea the kind of work our family has put in to be at the top. Don't think I don't know all about the Beaumonts."

"Dima..." Dominik leaned forward.

"How is everybody going to feel when their Donna is still stuck dealing with her daddy issues instead of doing her fucking job- FUCK!"

Dominik twisted the steak knife he'd driven through Dima's hand. Salina screamed at the bang, she couldn't ignore the grotesque sounds from the blade moving inside Dima's hand either. The now injured man bit his lip to hold in his sounds of pain, gritting his teeth and staring Dominik in the eyes.

Daringly, he slapped the other down on the table. "Do the other while you're at it, Domo-" he spat insanely- like a true Ivanov.

Slowly raising his brow, Dominik shrugged and ripped the knife out only to plunge it into Dima's left one. That had been enough for Salina to stand up abruptly from the table. Aleksei was rubbing his face exhaustedly. A muffled scream of pain could be heard from poor Dima.

"Dominik let him go," Salina all but demanded.

"No," her husband snarled dismissively. Her small hands balled up into fists before turning and grabbing the cloth towels she'd just bought to decorate the kitchen. When she came between the men in a pissing contest, she shoved Dominik away.

Hissing, Salina slowly took the knife out of Dima's other hand. He cursed loudly and cradled both hands closer to his chest, but Salina intercepted them and put pressure with the towel onto them.

"Aleksei will you get him to a doctor?" Salina asked as she tied the cloth around the wounds tight to stop the bleeding. When he nodded, Dominik watched as she exhaled a shaky breath and stormed off towards upstairs.

~

Dominik followed after Salina when his cousins left out the door. Dima would get over the injuries soon, it wasn't the first or last time something like this had happened, besides Dima knew he was pushing too far.

When he finally reached their bedroom, he found his wife pacing with brushing out her straightened hair.

"I don't know why you're so worked up. I took care of the problem," Dominik began shrugging off his button up shirt. Salina turned around to face him, looking at him like he was crazy.

"I'm worked up because your cousin wasn't entirely wrong. How does it look when you've pulled me into this entire mess and still refuse to tell me what exactly you expect from me. I know it isn't to just be your trophy wife, you could have picked anyone to be that. I need to know, Dominik," her voice cracked under her stress. "You said- You said a wife doesn't benefit you. You wanted someone to fill a position but this entire time you haven't let me." What if he sent her away? What if he discarded her if she didn't make herself useful to him in some way? It'd tear Salina apart to be thrown away once again. But she'd never let anyone know that.

Sucking in a deep breath, they both stared at each other in the silence. Nibbling the inside of her cheek, Salina shook her head.

"Forget it. I'll figure it out myself," she reached to take off her shoes. Dominik narrowed his eyes as he sat on their bed, he watched her for a moment.

"I don't understand. I haven't asked you to do anything you don't want to. I thought that would keep you happy," he shook his head frustratedly. He didn't understand why she'd be upset with him, now she had those pretty tears at the corner of her eyes and it irked him.

Her manicured finger nails scratched at her scalp as her teeth gritted, Salina was never one to express her emotions much less explain them. "Dominik you are the one that told me that I needed to do a job. I'm assuming that's why you're keeping me around right? I know this whole marriage thing is just a means to an end- to keep up appearances and all? Let me keep my end of the deal, Ivanov."

Her husbands eyes narrowed, his lips turning down in a tense frown. For the first time, Salina froze. Her shoulders tensed at the way his demeanor changed."A means to an end?" Dominik repeated slowly as he stood up from their bed. "Жена, there is no end. Ever. Those vows in the silly little ceremony they made us do? They said 'till death. do. us. part," he growled as he cornered her.

wife

"We didn't even say the vows!-"

"Quiet!" his voice raised for just a moment. Immediately, Salina's mouth clamped shut.

"I don't want to hear anymore of us every fucking ending. Don't even think of it," he barked with an anger she hasn't ever seen on him that was directed towards her specifically.

Boiling underneath her skin, Salina pushed her finger into his chest. "Don't fucking talk to me like that," she hissed vehemently. Dominik only sneered and mumbled to himself in Russian.

"Бросить меня? Через мой труп. Она еще более сумасшедшая, чем я думал, если она вообще пыталась это сделать."

Leaving me? Over my dead body. She's crazier than I thought if she ever tried it.

Salina watched with wide eyes as he gripped a pair of sweatpants and stormed out of their room.

When he didn't return that night by the usual time they fell asleep, Salina was frowning atop their mattress. In her usual pajamas, she looked at his side of the bed as anxiety gnawed at her insides. Her eyes stung with unshed tears like they had been all night. Her mind swirled with possible outcomes the morning would bring. Her thumbs massaged her brow, Salina just didn't want to be a bother to Dominik at the end of the day. She may not be some glorified soldier, she definitely isn't some genius strategizer, and she definitely isn't ready to sleep with him. Her uses as a wife/Donna were null and void. So, what was the angle Dominik was working? Sure he could enjoy her company but she'd never believe he picked her just because of that.

This constant stream of worries was killing her, gripping her pillow she stood up quickly. Quietly, she peaked her head out of the door and walked into her own room. With her craft tables and books, she curled up in a ball on one of the cushioned chairs. Dulce, who stayed in this room to sleep, immediately jumped up on the arm of the chair and cuddled besides her distraught friend. This drew a smile to Salina's face, tasting the tears she refused to acknowledge had fell.

•••

i'd like to make it clear that dominik is actually insane LOL  also dima is on my shit list for now

but woo surprise update!!

and we have our first real fight and we'll find out wednesday what domo will do 😌😌