“It’s fine, Teagan. Yes, I’m still a virgin.” She paused before adding, “I dated while in college but it was usually didn’t go much further than that. When I returned to Dover, there was just not much of a market for dating.” Adaline didn’t let them know that many of her previous failed dating attempts had been a result of her disability.
At her confession, Sasha finally nodded in understanding. “Oh. You know, Dmitri was my first. I don’t think you need to feel like you should rush into anything. I waited and…it turned out for the best.”
Adaline returned the warm smiles they sent her way.
Their girls’ night continued, decorated by continued peals of laughter and jokes as they got to know one another better. Nearing midnight, their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the doorbell. Not knowing who would be arriving this late at night, Adaline looked at the door suspiciously. Teagan and Sasha seemed unfazed however. The short pregnant woman groaned as she lifted herself off the couch with Teagan’s help before they made their way to the front door. Adaline followed to find Dmitri standing on the other side.
He gave her and Teagan a small greeting before his eyes landed on his wife. As Adaline watched them, she noticed how much his eyes just seemed to devour her. There was no denying the strong connection between them. It was a mix of fiery passion and enduring love.
“Ready, baby?” he asked of her.
Despite the fun they had, Adaline could tell from the bright smile that spread across Sasha’s face, she was more than happy to leave with her husband. She grabbed her coat and he helped her place it on her shoulders while Teagan and Adaline waited to the side, watching the pair.
“Don’t hog her so much next time. I rarely get to see my best friend nowadays,” Teagan playfully pouted as they made their way back to the entrance of the apartment.
Dmitri merely smirked. “What can I say? I can’t get enough of her.” He pulled Sasha close to his side and nuzzled her in the neck while she let out bursts of laughter.
Brushing him off, Sasha waved goodbye before Teagan closed the door behind them to the continued sound of Dmitri impishly kissing her.
Teagan let out a groan. “Geez, they’re so sweet together it’s sickening.”
Adaline only nodded silently. But Teagan had already made her way into the living room to clean up the candy, wine, and movie cases. Deep in thought, it took a moment before Adaline followed her to do the same.
~~~~
Dominic felt like an idiot. He was standing outside the gallery once again. It was pathetic honestly. Why did he keep crawling back to this woman? Taking in a deep breath, he opened the door and looked around. In the weeks since his last visit, he could tell Dina had accomplished a lot. She already had several pieces up for viewing in preparation for the first major showing.
He was eyeing a particular piece when he heard a slight patter of feet. He looked around but didn’t see anyone. But then he felt a bump on his leg as something slammed into him. In shock, Dominic looked to find a little girl with wild curly hair in pigtails hiding behind his legs. There was a piece of candy she held tightly in her small closed fists. And she seemed blissfully unaware of his presence. Instead, looking out in anticipation for what Dominic assumed was her mother.
The person that rounded the corner however was Dina. There was a look of frustration on her face as she looked around the open gallery, calling out the name ‘Sofia’ with slight trepidation and thinly laced anger.
“I’m assuming you mean this little person behind me,” Dominic provided.
Dina’s eyes widened at the sound of his voice. She looked toward him and her eyes strayed down his body until they made contact with the little girl peeking from behind his knee.
“Sofia! What did I tell you?”
“I hiding! Look!” She disappeared once more behind Dominic’s legs.
Dina raced over and scooted her up until she was settled comfortably on her hip. She ripped the wrapped lollipop from the little girl’s hands and shushed her immediate whining.
“I told you no more candy until after dinner.”
The little girl’s mouth quivered but there was no further protest that rung from her lips. At her silence, Dina turned to the man that had entered the gallery.
“What are you doing here Dominic?” She braced herself for whatever he might say. She hadn’t told anyone about Sofia, not even Sasha and Teagan. And then the next to last person she would ever want to find out enters and comes face to face with her biggest secret. Fate was definitely cruel. She just hoped he didn’t put two and two together.
“I came to see you…to apologize for my outburst the other day.” He pointed at the little girl now looking at him, eyes wide with curiosity. “Babysitting for someone?”
Dina gulped. It was harder to lie than she had previously thought. “Um…I can’t talk right now. Busy.”
Her evasion of his question raised his curiosity. “Dina…whose child is this?”
Sofia turned to her mother. Their eyes connected and Dina knew she could never deny their relationship, even if it was for her daughter’s protection. “She’s mine, okay? Sofia is my daughter.”
The color quite literally drained from his face at the news. “W-what?” He finally managed to get out after several moments of tense silence. “Since when did-” He paused, trying to determine the age of the little girl just by looking at her. She couldn’t be more than two years old. “Wait! Is she mine?” His mind coursed with every single time they had ever been intimate. But he came up short. He always used protection.
Dina sighed at his question. “No, she isn’t yours.”
Dominic was growing to hate the gallery. It seemed every time he came back, he was met with dramatic news that tore him into pieces. If he didn’t know before, now he knew for certain. The evidence was quite clearly staring him in the face. She had cheated on him.
But he couldn’t say he was surprised by the information. She had said she had fallen in love with someone else. He had just held out hope that it had only been an emotional betrayal of their relationship. Not that that was any better but…it was something. Dominic sighed deeply.
He brought his hands up and ran it down his face with emotional exhaustion. Without an ounce of humor, he laughed, “You know…I just can’t be in this place anymore. Every single godda-” he stopped, noting the underage presence in the room. “Every time I come here, there’s something else I have to find out from you that is just…it’s cruel, Dina! What did I do to you to deserve this? Huh?” Before she could respond, he continued. “Oh, and let me guess…you’re not going to tell me who fathered your child. No, that would just be too kind, right?”
Dina set her daughter down and told her to return to the office in the back of the gallery. Reluctantly, the little girl followed her mother’s directive, looking back once in a while at the strange man who was so angry.
“I came here to apologize…thinking that maybe we could still at least be fucking friends but…no, you have to throw this bomb down on me too!”
Dina glared at him. “Would you stop and listen to yourself? You think I planned this? I didn’t intend to get pregnant.”
“No, but you sure did plan on spreading your legs for someone else while in a relationship with me! You aren’t a victim here so don’t pretend to be.” He turned to the door to leave but came to an abrupt halt at the feel of her hands grasping his forearm.
“Dominic, wait! Please!”
He looked back and saw her face scrunched in desperation. Despite his better judgment, he turned around to hear her out.
“I left for a reason, Dominic. You were right…it wasn’t merely because of the job offer I got in Italy. It was so much more but…I can’t tell you.” At his scoff, she hurriedly continued, “Its not because I don’t want to. Do you not realize how lonely I was after leaving? I was pregnant and alone without any friends or family. I didn’t move willingly. But I had to.”
His interest and concern piqued at
her confession. “What do you mean? Are you in some sort of danger, Dina? If you are, I can help you.”
Dina shook her head at his concern. “No, I was never in any danger. I promise. There were just…I can’t explain just yet but know that I had to leave. Moving out of the country wasn’t my first option at all. I was merely going to leave Boston but then the opportunity in Italy popped up and I grabbed it.”
“Then why did you come back?” He found himself asking.
She paused at his question. “I was tired of running,” she told him honestly. “My daughter deserved better and…I was better than that. I couldn’t run from my problems. It just took a while for me to realize that. But, I haven’t told him yet.”
Dominic frowned at this. “Dina, you can’t keep this a secret forever. You are denying a man the right to know his child. Do you know how fucked up that is?”
“Would you still say that if you knew what he did to me?”
“Unless he is a danger to you or your daughter, yes I would. Because it’s not about you anymore, Dina. Your daughter deserves to know her father. Plain and simple.” Without another word, he walked out of the gallery.
Chapter Six
Dominic was frustrated with himself. Still. Even more than when he had initially entered the gallery. He had no other choice but to move on now. Dina’ daughter was clear evidence of just how much she had moved on. Even while they had still been together. He didn’t know where he was heading but he eventually found himself driving to Dmitri’s place. His brother and Sasha had yet to move from their penthouse at the Ritz but from what he gathered, they were hoping to buy a house soon and start their perfectly ever after.
He caught himself, aware of the hint of jealousy as he thought of their happiness. It was well deserved but in his current state, he was definitely not in the mood to see anyone happy in their relationship. But he needed to rant. And as of late, his brother had become a good sounding board. Especially considering the many times Dominic had played out the same role for him in his efforts at gaining back Sasha’s affections.
Dominic, after giving his car to the valet, walked through the entrance, giving the familiar guard a nod of hello. When he finally knocked on his brother’s door, he was greeted by the humorous image of Dmitri in a colorful apron; his face was decorated with what appeared to be flour and there was a goofy grin across his handsome features.
Inwardly, Dominic groaned. Yup, his brother was still flying high on the marriage train. Hopefully, he could focus enough to disclose some wisdom.
“Hey, man! Come in!” Dmitri stepped aside to allow him to enter.
Since before their marriage, Dominic could tell there had been a dramatic change in the decoration of the penthouse. For one, it looked less like it belonged on the front page of a home décor magazine and more lived in. Sasha, he assumed, had added colorful additions to the former bachelor-pad. Complete with throw pillows and a dining table set with flowers in the middle.
Dominic looked toward the kitchen and found Sasha in a similar disheveled state as his brother. From what he could gather, they were in the middle of baking some dessert. Meeting his gaze, she smiled warmly and waved her hand for him to come over. Dominic followed her directive to find that the kitchen was as much a mess as they were.
“Well, what do we have here?” He asked after giving her a hug and then scraping off the ingredients that had been transferred to his dress shirt.
“Oh,” she laughed. “I’m so sorry.” She grabbed a napkin and helped.
“So, I thought pregnant women would only have the occasional craving for ice cream with olives or some bullshit. No, apparently, they also go through a stage of nesting which for Sasha means learning how to make baked goods.” Dmitri explained dryly. He turned to her and stated simply, “I’m sorry to tell you this, baby…but you may want to stick to decorating the nursery.”
Sasha rolled her eyes at his suggestion. “Don’t listen to him Dominic. He was the one that got so excited for cupcakes and cookies. He just didn’t want to do any of the work.” She shook her head and harrumphed, “He wanted to go to the baker- are you kidding me? Baking it yourself is the best part.”
Dominic and Dmitri shared a glance, both shrugging at Sasha’s disapproval. It was the way they were raised: you don’t make it yourself; you hire someone to do it for you. Sasha groaned at the guilty looks that crossed both of their faces, simultaneously admiring just how similar they both looked in that moment.
“I’m surrounded by spoiled brats,” she complained playfully. Before Dmitri could retort, she turned to Dominic and asked with a raised brow, “What brings you here, Dominic?”
At her question, he had no idea what to say. He knew for certain Sasha probably had no knowledge of the secret Dina had been keeping from them all. And again he wondered how exactly she could have thought that was a wise decision? Wasn’t she close to Sasha and her friend Teagan? He was still full of questions but now he felt somewhat resigned that he would never know the truth. And what did it matter now anyways? It was over.
“No particular reason. Just needed the company,” he provided with a slight tilt of his lips. It was his best attempt at a smile after having had his thoughts overrun with Dina, her child, and the entire cheating debacle.
Dmitri could tell from Dominic’s lack of a smile that something was wrong. He turned to his wife and silently communicated that he would need some time alone with his brother. In acquiescence, Sasha turned back toward the counter to continue her baking while Dmitri led his troubled younger brother to his home office. When the door was closed behind them, his formerly relaxed expression changed almost immediately.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” he demanded.
Dominic, though slightly taken aback by the force in his brother’s voice, did not argue. “I need your help,” he stated simply.
“Are you having money problems?”
Dominic let out a forced laugh at that inquiry. “I wish! It would make life much simpler. At least then I’d know where to turn.” He sat down on the leather couch in the office and let out a deep sigh. “How did you deal when you realized you wanted Sasha back?”
Dmitri raised a brow at his question. Still looking at his brother quizzically, he leaned against the edge of his desk and crossed his arms and legs. “What do you mean? You saw me. I was a royal mess.”
“No, I mean…surely at some point you thought that you needed to just move on. Even with how much you loved her. So, how did you imagine doing it? How did you try to move on from someone you pictured having a future with?”
There was a stunned moment of silence between the two brothers before Dmitri was finally able to find his voice once more. Of all things he had expected Dominic to reveal, this was not on his list in any capacity. He had always pictured his brother as being more attuned to his emotions than him. After all, it was Dmitri not too long ago that had come to Dominic for advice about love. He remembered vividly being completely lost and unnerved by the feelings coursing through his heart at even the slightest memory of Sasha or the numbing fear of potentially losing her permanently.
“Dominic...where do I even begin?” A humorless smile was decorated on his handsome features as he remembered what his life had been like before Sasha had forgiven him. “I was lost. And while in my wildest dreams I imagined being able to go to her, sweep her off her feet, and have her forgive me, there was a very real certainty that would never happen. First, I was just so overcome with anger- at myself- and then…eventually…there was acceptance. I realized more than wanting to be with her, I wanted her to be happy. So, what stage are you at?”
Dmitri watched his brother’s features contort and was taken aback when their eyes finally met.
“Anger,” Dominic said simply. “I’m still angry. She lied to me, cheated on me, and then refused to tell me the truth. I had to basically stalk her to find out she had a kid by another man!”
“Whoa…who?”
Dominic pressed his lips toget
her. “It’s not my secret to tell. I don’t want to hurt her or anyone she knows.”
Dmitri nodded his head. “Okay, okay. I can respect that. But, Dom…just based off of what you’ve told me, this isn’t a woman you’d want to be with. I know you- more than before…and you deserve someone who won’t hold secrets and lies. Who knows…maybe she had a reason to keep these things from you. But whatever the case may be, you shouldn’t be with her. And it’ll just take time for you to not feel…” he searched for words.
“Hurt, betrayed, angry,” Dominic provided carelessly. “I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve never allowed anyone to make me feel this way before.” He snorted in disgust at himself.
Before Dmitri could think of a response, there was a light knock at the door. Both he and his brother turned to find Sasha smiling at them shyly. “Sorry to interrupt,” she whispered with a guilty expression. There was a thickness in the air that revealed to her the seriousness of their conversation. “But Slade is here.”
Dominic’s ears perked up at the sound of the man’s name. They hadn’t crossed paths since Dmitri and Sasha’s wedding. And for good reason.
Dmitri nodded his head. “We’ll be out in a minute,” he supplied.
Sasha gave a small reassuring smile in Dominic’s direction before retreating behind the door once more. After it clicked behind her, Dmitri returned his attention to his younger brother. “If you want to get some more stuff off of your chest…I’m here. Slade can wait.”
He shook his head curtly. “Nah, man. It’s cool.” He stood up with a grunt. “I should get going anyways.” As he began to walk in front of his brother, Dmitri’s hand quickly landed on his shoulder to halt his retreat.
Adaline (The Wallflower Series Book 3) Page 6
