Salina rest her head back against their headboard, sighing quietly. She was sat up and Dominik was as close to her as possible. His head laid against her stomach as he slept on his back.

His entire lower torso was wrapped as well as his shoulder. Salina reached under his arms gently, pulling him up on an incline so his head lulled against her chest. Humming softly, Salina rubbed his muscular chest as she pressed her nose to his temple.

She wasn't surprised he hadn't woken up, Dominik was on so many drugs right now after last night but Salina couldn't sleep.

Not after she'd almost lost her husband. Sleep seemed unachievable.

She rubbed his chest lightly over his heartbeat, with her other she scratched his scalp. Kissing up his neck, Salina inhaled his scent.

After he'd fallen asleep Salina wiped him down in their bed and changed his boxers while minding his injuries. She was only in one of his t-shirts after cleaning herself up and quickly wrapping herself around him.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Salina murmured against his collar. It wasn't just that Dominik was the only person she truly trusted. She has no family beyond what he's given her.

Lev, Aleksei, and Dima- they were all attached to Dominik before they were attached to her. He'd given them to her indirectly after she lost her own blood family.

But without Dominik- she'd be lost. Before him, Salina was simply pushed around in whatever direction she ended up in. Dominik made her feel important, she felt needed.

And of course she needed Dominik, how could she get through the day without his unwanted two-cents on everything? Without his kisses and affection that made her stomach jumble with nerves still after everything they'd been through.

They were terribly co-dependant.

It was just their reality, even just going dress shopping yesterday was tough. She wanted Dominik's thoughts on everything.

Nuzzling into his shoulder, she lifted her head up and pressed her lips to his temple and let her eyes close. When Salina was finally relaxing with her cheek smushed against his when she felt him shift.

Dominik murmured, his dry lips pressed against her bicep briefly before he kissed it. "Baby," he croaked.

"Hurting?" Salina whispered while kissing his cheek.

"Not too bad," Dominik rasped while turning his head. Their mouths brushed one another's, he wasted no time deepening the kiss.

"Feelin' much better," he growled as his tongue brushed greedily against her own.

"Stop," she whimpered as she pulled away to check his face out for the millionth time as if she was checking he was still there.

"You have to rest," Salina nudged her nose against his own. She brushed her thumb over the dark circles under his eyes.

Dominik cracked his eyes open, flickering them over her face. "Talk to me, my love."

Salina's unmoving face cracked for a moment, her brows falling and her eyes shining in the dim light of their room.

"Tonight was just a hard reminder that there's a chance you might not come home to me."

"Hey," his gaze suddenly hardened with seriousness. Dominik tilted his head back to get a good look at her.

"I'll always find you. Nothing could keep you from me... not even the depths of hell. I'd crawl my way back to you, baby."

Salina sniffled, her lips quivering as she nodded shakily. She frowned tightly to hold back her cries but he cooed softly, pressing his forehead against her own. He murmured sweet words, nuzzling into her warmth.

"I couldn't lose you," she sobbed breathily. "I can't- I can't," Salina shook her head.

Dominik surged his lips against her own, frantic to soothe her anxiety. They were sweet kisses, smushing against her pouty lips over and over again.

"Never- you'll never have to." He assured her quietly. "Как я мог оставить самое лучшее, что когда-либо случалось со мной?"

How could I leave the best thing to ever happen to me?

Salina's shoulders shook with her cries, holding him close. All of the emotions of the day and night were finally rolling off of her. Dominik felt his throat tighten as he rubbed her back softly.

"I'm sorry," he repeated over and over again. Salina shuddered as she turned on her side, keeping Dominik on his back to avoid any strain as she cuddled into his side.

"D-Don't apologize," Salina pressed kisses to his shoulder. "This isn't your fault. I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm crying so much," she wiped at her face.

He hummed and brushed his thumb under her eyes. "My poor baby, I won't let it happen again."

She peeked up to give him a little glare, he could hear her words 'you can't promise that'- but it was too late because he already has.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you," Dominik rasped as he cupped her throat and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "My world revolves around you. The only thing that could stop my breathing is a life without you. A bullet doesn't compare."

Salina nodded sheepishly against his warmth. "Good," she pouted. "Nothing else is allowed to do you in but me."

"With pleasure," he smirked tiredly as she caressed his stubbly jaw.

"Let's sleep, I'll wake you up for your meds. You're on bed rest for now."

Dominik groaned low in his throat while burying his face in her chest.

~

It's been just over a week since Dominik had been banished to the bedroom, Salina threatening him everyday to follow doctors orders. Those threats of 'no sex for the next week', 'no sex for a month', 'no sex ever', were working but he was growing restless considering she wouldn't do anything with him anyway since he was injured.

Today before she left for a long day of errands she told him that he'd never see her naked again if he moved from the bed without a valid reason. Between her working on the wedding and covering for Dominik, he's been desperate for attention lately.

She swore she saw tears prickling his eyes at the thought but she has to do what she has to do.

And now, Salina had ran around with her wedding planner getting everything in line. Her wedding planner was an older woman named Helena and the two of them were productive today.

It was fairly easy getting a wedding together when you had Ivanov money. Both her and Dominik wanted this wedding done quickly, they'd waited long enough for it.

A few days ago she'd chosen her dress officially, her and Dominik knew what kind of cake they wanted, Salina picked the flowers for the tables, they planned the seating arrangement, and today they looked over and picked a date for the venue.

Everything was set in place and going smoothly- everyone had already RSVP thanks to Dominik's.... impatience.

And in a few days her husband would get his suit, she had her fingers crossed he behaved. The date of their wedding was approaching rapidly now, they only had a month left.

When she finally got home, her shoulders sagged with exhaustion. Her feet ached from her heels and as she shucked them off, she didn't catch the guards looking at each other nervously.

Instead, she trudged towards their bedroom where she looked forward to cuddling Dominik. Spending the entire day away from him never gets easier the longer they are together.

He only had two days left of his bed rest and she planned on making it worth his while. She'd even agreed with him to go tux shopping for the wedding so long as she didn't see the final product.

Honestly, she was afraid to leave the man alone for longer than a few hours lest someone tries to kill him in the small window of time.

So, when she opens up their bedroom door- her mouth open to greet the love of her life- she immediately halts when she sees an empty bed.

She's going to kill him.

Her eye twitched momentarily before she threw her shoes in the bedroom before slamming the door shut impossibly loud before her as she left the bedroom.

Hearing the door slam upstairs from his office, Dominik winced loudly. Before he had any time to react, she had gotten to the office in record time while shoving the door open with a scowl on her face.

"Baby-" Dominik immediately started as he stood up. His body was still sore but in terms of healing he was making a rapid recovery like he usually did when these things happened.

"Don't baby me!" Salina snarled at him. Her manicured finger was quickly pointed at him, "You're never seeing me naked again-!"

"Woah, woah," Dominik waved his hands around as he practically chased her around the office. "Don't make any rash decisions- you look so pretty today," he tried.

Salina glared at him sharply as she stood on one side of the desk and he on the other. She watched him carefully, waiting for him to move after her.

"Shut up," she rolled her eyes. And he took the opportunity, moving faster than she ever could and snatching her up by her waist. She squealed as he lifted her effortlessly, winding her legs around his hips.

"I am not broken, my love," he suddenly cooed while smothering kisses all over her neck and chest. He walked them both over to the couch as his hands wandered over her figure. Setting her down gently, he grunted while getting to his knees. His hands clutched her plush thighs and parted them to fit his broad shoulders between them.

"Doesn't matter even if you were broken. You are supposed to be in bed, you don't listen." She fisted his hair when he tried to press his face against her cunt after he shoved her dress up to her hips.

Both of them were practically growling at one another, Salina with her jaw crooked at his audacity and Dominik with narrowed eyes on his prize.

"Can't let you overwork yourself doing so many jobs at once, Salina," Dominik husked as he gripped her hand in his hair. He kissed her wrist lightly.

Salina huffed angrily, squirming under his hold. "You don't get to be down there! Go lay down!"

Dominik narrowed his eyes up at her, leaning down and taking a particularly hard bite at her thigh. Salina mewled and shoved at him even more but because of how she moved, Dominik was able to push his face right into the apex of her thighs.

"I don't get to be down here, huh?" He growled but it was muffled as he inhaled deeply. Salina balked as her face felt hot with embarrassment.

"N-No! No you do not," Salina gripped his ear and tugged on it. Dominik sneered as she did so, glaring even while complying.

"You were supposed to be in bed and you didn't listen," she tried to sound stern but it came out as a whine. Quickly, she scrambled up so he couldn't pin her thighs down to have his way.

She tugged on his ear and watched him follow her warmth, clutching at her thighs needily. "I know you like being on your knees for me but this is getting out of hand, mon cochon." She practically walked him like a dog at the moment while looking at him exasperatedly.

my pig

"I need you, жена. And you don't want me, fuckin' brat," he yanked her forward by the backs of her thighs as he stayed on his knees. He peered up at her, half tempted to wedge his head back up her dress.

"I'm the brat? Well if I'm the brat then I guess I shouldn't offer to shower with you." She threatened but didn't make any move to go shower by herself.

This caught her husbands attention, he slid his hands up to her hips. "Swear?"

"Would I lie to you? You're the one breaking promises leaving the bed."

Dominik shot up from his knees to usher her up towards their bedroom, "I'm sorry baby. My eсолнышко. It won't happen again." He peppered kisses all over her neck as they got to the bathroom, he wasted no time stripping her.

Salina rolled her eyes but couldn't stop her small grin. "There she is," he practically purred as she was naked in front of him. The steam from the shower filled the bathroom, his hands groped her all over. Too quickly for her to slap his hands away as she stripped him herself.

"Behave," she pointed up at him teasingly.

"Always," he smirked eagerly as he lifted her up and stepped into the stall.

"And watch your wounds!"

Dominik's groan of exasperation could be heard from outside of their bedroom.

••

next few chapters we will be getting into the wedding and then things are slowing down

i'm sad to see the book ending but i'm so excited for the next things im working on!!