Part of the Family

by Cristina Grenier

  She had heard it snowed like that in New York all winter, and, despite her one time mishap, she wanted to see it.

  “Do you know if Dominic will be home soon?” She did her best not to blush when she asked - one would think that after a few weeks of the man’s hands all over her, she wouldn’t be so flustered over asking about him - but that was the thing about Dominic. He constantly flustered her, no matter how used to him she thought she was.

  Sophia graced her with a knowing smile over the steam rising from her stew. “I’d ask Brett. He’d know better than I would.”

  At the suggestion, Kayla nodded, sliding off the stool she sat on and grabbing her cocoa to venture through the penthouse in search of the butler. She found him in the guest room, folding and putting her laundry away methodically as he hummed nonsensically to himself. The young woman noticed with no small amount of embarrassment that he folded even her lacy, frilly underwear as if it were nothing. She supposed that was one of the reasons Dominic liked him - there was very little that ruffled the man.

  “Brett?”

  She didn’t even surprise him, though she doubted he heard her coming.

  “Yes, Miss Price?” He glanced over his shoulder at her with a small smile.

  “Do you know when Dominic is coming home?”

  Brett smiled. “Around nine, I believe. You can busy yourself until then, right?” She certainly could, but somehow, two hours seemed like an eternity. Reluctantly, Kayla left the guest room to settle in the master suite, where everything spoke of the man constantly on her mind. Makayla collapsed on the bed, inhaling his scent deeply, before she turned over and snuggled into the place where he usually slept.

  Though she was intent on waiting until he returned home, she must not have realized how tired she was. The next thing she knew, she was being shaken awake as the familiar scent of him filled her nostrils. “Makayla.” He murmured her name lowly, and her eyes opened to slits to see him standing over her, still clad impeccably in his tailored suit. “Have you eaten?”

  The mere sight of him was enough to send shivers of anticipation and awareness through her. He had shaved today, and his jaw was a sharp, clean line. He always slicked his hair back from his brow for work, but by this time, it was falling free around his face, softening his devastatingly handsome visage.

  All at once, the last thing on her mind was dinner.

  Lazily, she stretched her arms out to him. “Come lie with me.”

  Dominic’s mouth twitched into his signature smirk. “No. I know what you want, and you’re not getting it until you eat.”

  She pouted. “I just want you to hold me. Come here and hold me.”

  With a long-suffering sigh that was completely feigned, Dominic slipped from his shoes and shed his jacket before climbing into bed with her. The moment his arms encircled her, Makayla raised her hands to cup his face and draw him down into a lingering, heated kiss. Dominic let her, nibbling and sucking at her mouth until she was breathless with it. When he pulled away, a low whine of protest left her. “Dom…” he arched a brow, feigning detachment - even when his erection pressing against her spoke volumes for him. “Make love to me.”

  It wasn’t the first time she’d made the request. By now, it was a game between them - she would ask him, knowing full well that he wouldn’t comply, and he would refuse her, directing her attentions elsewhere. “No.” He answered lowly, his gaze never leaving hers.

  Even though he refused her every time she asked, Kayla liked to see the way his eyes dilated when she asked - as though it took everything he had not to give in to her. “Please.” She whispered breathlessly, reaching up to loosen his tie, and then the first few buttons of his shirt, as she searched his deep green eyes for any sign of weakness she could exploit. Before she could undress him any further, however, his hands caught hers and he growled lowly in warning.

  “Kayla…”

  “Just once.” She felt like testing him - pushing the very limits of what he could endure. More than that, she wanted him - needed him so acutely that it was all she could think about in her drowsy state. “I want to feel you inside me. I’m not afraid, I promise-”

  “Hush.” He silenced her with a long, heated kiss that effectively scrambled her brain. “You need dinner.” How on earth could he think straight when she could barely do anything at all with him this close to her? “How much have you eaten today?”

  She couldn’t remember. Breakfast, maybe. She had taken her entire lunch studying and had gone back to the books the moment she arrived home from campus. When she didn’t answer, Dominic frowned, straightening to sit on the edge of the bed and look down at her accusatorily. “Dinner.”

  Makayla groaned, knowing she wouldn’t be able to sway him. Yawning, she sat up, reflexively pulling her mess of curls into a bun atop her head before she crawled out of bed. When Dominic’s hand came out to palm the curve of her behind, she yelped, standing quickly.

  The immense man stood next to her, chuckling as he crossed the room to the closet, shedding his clothes along the way. First came his shirt, then his t-shirt and belt, and then, finally, he stepped out of his pants, revealing every tantalizing inch of his muscular form, clad in only the briefest pair of spandex underwear. He didn’t bother closing the door behind him, and Kayla watched him change into a pair of soft flannel pajama bottoms and a dark thermal shirt before he emerged once more, to find her all but salivating. “If you don’t stop looking at me like that,” his low tenor snaked through her, igniting every desire she had and then some, “I’ll put you over my knee.”

  Makayla thought such a threat might startle her. She had, after all, been abused in similar positions as a child. However, the prospect of allowing Dominic such a boon only aroused her more.

  But she knew he would do nothing about it now - not when she hadn’t eaten since morning and he himself was probably starving. Somehow, she managed to rein herself in, falling into step behind him as he headed towards the kitchen.

  “Dominic?” When she said his name, he made a low sound of acknowledgement, and Kayla found a question rising, unbidden to her lips. Something she had been wondering about since she spoke with Melody earlier. “Do you think...Will your Mom like me?”

  He stopped so suddenly that she barely managed to keep herself from running into him, and, for a moment, Makayla was worried that she had upset him. She knew it didn’t matter whether the woman liked her or not - all that mattered was that she was convinced that she and Dominic were really a couple. If they accomplished that, then there was nothing left to do.

  If she were honest with herself, however, the young woman had to admit that it mattered to her. For reasons unknown, she didn’t just want to be believable. She wanted to actually be the woman Elaine West wanted for her son. She wanted to impress the older woman and reassure her that Dominic had chosen well.

  Even if he hadn’t really chosen anything.

  When he turned around to face her, his expression was warm and amused. Makayla inhaled sharply as he backed her against the nearest wall, hemming her in with long arms. “Do you like me?” The words were murmured for her ears only, and she shivered before nodding. Like was, perhaps, the understatement of the century. “Then, I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t like you.” Reaching down, Dominic tipped her chin up to peck her lips with a small smile. “Just be who you are, Makayla, and I can’t imagine you’ll fail to impress her.”

  His words sent a rush of warmth and confidence through her - and all doubt fled her mind. He wanted her to be herself - she didn’t have to put on airs and pretend she was born into a life in the lap of luxury. All she had to do was want him.

  Love him.

  Reaching up, she cupped his face, running her fingers over his smoothly shaven jaw. Dear sweet God, now she’d gone and done it. She wouldn’t have to pretend to be anything for his mother because she was actually, genuinely in love with Dominic. With the way he spoke for her and cared for her - his teasing and indulgence - even his infuriating
demands and cocky smiles.

  She adored him - and now, she knew her hardest trial would be pretending to pretend. When she kissed him, it was slow and lingering - and Makayla forgot that they were supposed to be on their way to dinner. She forgot everything but him and the way he made her feel.

  And everything else just fell away.

  **

  When shit hit the fan, it seemed like it all did at the same time.

  As the end of December drew nearer and nearer, Dominic found himself drawn in all different directions all at once. He had to finish a grueling quarter of reports for the firm, as well as present a new line of products to sell for the Christmas season. There were a number of holiday season charity events that he’d been invited to, half of which he couldn’t attend with his crazy schedule.

  Atop that, Makayla was suddenly being run ragged in the last weeks before her finals, withdrawing to study like mad and all but fall into bed at one or two every morning. While Dominic admired her drive, he didn’t like to see her exhausting herself - but there was hardly anything he could do when he was being run ragged himself.

  With his mother’s visit fast approaching, Dominic felt like a candle burning at both ends. Every time Stephen contacted him and tried to encourage him to take it easy, he all but barked at the younger man. He had chosen not to take a passive position at his company, and, during crunch times, he paid for it.

  He was certainly paying for it now.

  One morning, Dominic awoke to the realization that Makayla hadn’t come to bed. He had only gotten a few hours of sleep himself, but before he started his morning routine, he sought Brett out to ask where she had gotten to. Brett told him that the young woman had headed up to Columbia campus early and would be there all day for testing.

  The day had finally come.

  Dominic got the impression that, even if she didn’t study, Makayla would be a phenomenal student. She had incredible attention to detail, took entire writing pads full of notes, and was completely and totally dedicated to her courses. Even so, she was nervous - so nervous that Dominic found himself wishing she would allow herself a breather - maybe let him ease an orgasm or two from her to ease her tension. But, in the past week, by virtue of both their busy schedules, he hadn’t touched her.

  He only hoped she was alright.

  When he went to his home gym to work out, Dominic found that, oddly, he couldn’t concentrate. His mind was with Makayla uptown, hoping she hadn’t burned herself out before she could sit for her exams. He found himself hoping that she would call or text - anything to reassure him that she was OK.

  But she didn’t.

  It was enough to unsettle him.

  Dominic went into work irate and only lasted about half a day before returning home again, whereupon he became frustrated all over again to find that Makayla still hadn’t returned. He forced himself into the study and worked on a few product designs without really paying attention to them. When Sophia brought him a bowl of soup, he waved her off and immediately regretted his rudeness, wondering what the hell was wrong with him. Surely he couldn’t be nervous on Makayla’s behalf? He couldn’t imagine any scenario where she didn’t pass her exams with flying colors!

  So why the hell was he so on edge?

  It was close to eight that evening before the young woman finally returned to the apartment. The moment he heard the door open, Dominic moved from the study into the living room with determination. He arrived just in time to watch Brett take Makayla's calfskin coat from her weary shoulders before she collapsed onto the sofa, unmoving.

  Frowning deeply, he moved over to the couch to scoop her into his arms. Kayla groaned, squirming slightly before she settled against his chest with a fatigued whisper. “Tired.”

  Dominic found himself growling lowly. “You’ve overworked yourself.”

  But she didn’t reply. Amazingly, Makayla was already fast asleep.

  With a glance at Brett, who took the cue to make himself scarce, Dominic whisked her back to the master suite before laying her beneath the covers. When he attempted to straighten, Makayla merely clung to him, and he found that he didn’t want to leave her. A small smile gracing his lips, Dominic slid into bed with the young woman, gratified when she immediately snuggled against him.

  Just like that, all the day’s worries were wiped away. She had obviously overworked herself, but she was alright now. She could sleep for the next forty eight hours, if need be, and after that, she’d have a whole month off from school.

  A month she could spend with him.

  Dominic had already contemplated taking her to Switzerland or Germany - if only to see that same wonder he had witnessed in Paris. He loved surprising her - pampering her even when she refused to be pampered. Despite his best intentions to distance himself from her, Makayla had become something he looked forward to returning to at the end of the day - someone he couldn’t sleep without.

  And every time she begged him to make love to her, he found himself more and more hard pressed to refuse her - damn any agreement they had.

  She had asked him the other day whether or not he believed his mother would like her - in truth, Dominic couldn’t see the woman disliking her. Like his mother, Makayla was hard-working and determined. She was dedicated to her cause. She was honest and humble...everything he had once wondered if he would ever find in a woman.

  Right here in his arms, fast asleep.

  Gazing down over her lovely features, Dominic smiled.

  He would take the day off tomorrow. Despite all the chaos at work, he would take the day off to be with her. And when she inevitably asked him to make love to her, he didn’t think he would refuse. He would finally assuage his own desires and hers as well - make her his in every possible way.

  And then he would tear up that damned contract. Dominic realized now that they didn’t need it anymore. Makayla wasn’t going to exploit him - she wouldn't betray him. She only wanted him for who he was...and that was the greatest gift she could ever give him.

  Despite not having had a decent meal since that morning, Dominic had almost drifted off himself when his phone rang. He reached out to silence it, and made a low, frustrated sound when he realized it was his mother - no doubt itching to ask him some final detail about her trip to New York.

  He answered as quietly as he could. “Hey, Mom. It’s late.”

  He expected her to immediately chide him about how she could call her son any hour of the day or night she pleased, but instead, when she replied, her voice was surprisingly grave. “I’m sorry, Dominic. I know this is a busy time of year for you, but it’s urgent. I need to speak with you right now.”

  He was immediately on high alert, carefully inching his way from Makayla’s sleeping form. His mother only spoke so formally when something was wrong - and he drove himself slightly crazy in the next minute or so wondering what could possibly be bothering her.

  “What is it?” He finally inquired, once he was standing outside of the master suite. “Is there an issue with your itinerary? Do you need me to change the dates?”

  “No, that’s not it. But, Dom...I think it might be better if you came to see me for Christmas.”

  He arched a brow in surprise. “Mom, you know I’d like to, but it’s a bit hard for me to relocate just now. I promise you you’ll be more than comfortable here-”

  “I won’t.” Elaine returned with surprising sharpness. “I can’t imagine I would be comfortable anywhere she is.”

  She spoke the words with such venom that they startled her son. Dominic rarely ever heard his mother speak with such intensity.

  “She? Mom, what are you talking about?”

  There was a slight pause before Elaine spoke in a stony tone. “Dominic, tell me truthfully: Did you look into Makayla Price before you two became so close?”

  Look into her? What was there to look into? Makayla had revealed about as much as she was comfortable about herself - that she had grown up in a poor neighborhood and that her parents had abu
sed her. Dominic could hardly imagine his mother being so affronted by those circumstances. She herself came from poverty.

  “I didn’t know there was that much to investigate.” He returned carefully, wondering where this was all going - and above all, why his mother sounded so chillingly angry.

  “Well, I found plenty.”

  Dominic stared at his phone as if it had come alive in his hand. “You found...mother, what have you done?”

  His stomach suddenly curdled at her unyielding tone. “You can’t imagine that I wouldn’t look into any woman that won you over so easily, Dominic. You’re my son - and I only want what’s best for you. Believe me when I tell you that Makayla Price is the opposite, though it pains me to tell you.”

  What?

  Dominic found himself chuckling in slight disbelief. “I’m afraid that I don’t follow.”

  His mother expelled a long sigh. “Dom, I had a private investigator look into her history - and I’m sorry to say I found some very disturbing information.”

  Dominic’s heart all but stopped. Disturbing information. What kind of disturbing information? “Mom...she’s already told me about her past.” He ventured, feeling oddly ill at this line of conversation. “I know-”

  “Her criminal background?” Elaine interjected coldly. “That her mother’s a drug addict and her father’s in a California State prison for murder?”

  Dominic’s breath caught. “She...what?”

  “I’m not surprised she didn’t tell you,” His mother continued caustically. “The girl has a history of extortion - of cozying up to moneyed people, taking them for all they’re worth, and then disappearing.”

  She had to be joking. That sounded nothing like his Makayla. Where on earth had his mother gotten all of this information? “Mother, Makayla’s a medical student. She wants to be a doctor.”

  “How convenient that she’s managed to turn her life around just in time for meeting you,” Elaine replied off-handedly. “How much has she really told you, Dominic? Only what she wanted you to hear, I’d wager. I’ll say it again - I think it might be better if you came here for Christmas and gave yourself some time to figure everything out. In the meantime, you can have a look at the documents I overnighted you. It’s everything the private investigator gathered on her - quite the file.”