“Not now, I read recently to stretch after about fifteen minutes into the workout to avoid injury. I’ll stretch once we reach the first Jetty.” He stated.
“Works for me.” And off we went.
Dominick promised not to tell Rain that I jogged a little. It was only for a short time, so I knew I would be okay. Actually, I felt much better breathing in the sea air. Dominick suggested we rest when came across the first Jetty on the ocean. He stopped and began his stretching routine. Because I hadn’t worked out like this before and the sand was giving me quite the challenge, even though I wasn’t running, I followed Dominick and stretched as well. Just to be on the safe side. It couldn’t hurt.
“Raven, can I ask you something?” Oh no, I wished he had stretched beforehand like me, so we could just continue our walk in silence and I wouldn't have to make small talk with him.
“Sure, what’s on your mind?”
“Are you doing okay? I mean, how are you doing now that you and Michael aren’t together?”
“Wow! Rain wasn’t kidding when she talked about you. You are straight to the point, aren’t you?”
“Listen, I just want to know that the melodrama that goes along with you and your life isn't going to affect Rain in a negative way.”
I laughed aloud, sarcastically. “Don’t worry Dominick, I wouldn’t dream of letting my love life affect your love life in any way. If that’s what you mean?”
“No, that’s not what I meant at all. I just need to know that you can handle what you are putting yourself through. Especially since it just landed you in the emergency room and now on our doorstep. You know Rain will always take care of you and I’m more than happy to help in any way that I can, but Rain has been through way too much in the past year, mainly because of me, so I don’t want anything else to cause her distress. That’s all I am talking about here. Are we clear now?” His request demanded an answer.
I stopped stretching and sat down on the black slate-like rocks near the water’s edge. I didn’t know what to say. I really didn’t have an answer for him. My intention was to go back to the city tomorrow with Dominick to rearrange my schedule, but instead of coming back here in the evening, as promised, I decided to go and find Michael and see if we could salvage anything from our years together. If we could, I would let him know what I wanted and that I wanted to try again. As I continued to replay what I was about to do in my head, a sick feeling crept inside of me. I knew it was telling me that I was making a big mistake and instead of going with Dominick tomorrow, I needed to stay with Rain here and wait a couple of weeks in case I had a change of heart or change of mind. I was so lost, so confused. I just didn’t know what to do anymore. I hated not being in control of my own emotions. It was affecting my judgment and this did not sit well with me at all.
Dominick turned to speak with me, but stopped when he heard the sound of ice cream bells in the distance. I looked up to see the Ice Cream man on the beach with his small cart. I smiled, as I saw the droves of children run to him. Something so simple and unexpected took my mind off my issues for a brief moment.
“What’s your favorite flavor?” Dominick asked.
“Huh?”
“Ice cream, Italian Ice, whatever? What’s your favorite flavor?” He asked again.
“I’d love a Lemon Ice, thank you.”
“No problem, just wait right here.” Dominick left me by the jetty to retrieve some sweet treats.
A short time later he returned with a cup of Lemon Italian Ice for me and coconut for him. He gestured for me to sit back down and join him, which I did.
“So, you didn’t answer my question.” He stated.
“Which was?”
“How are you really doing, Raven?”
“Oh, we’re back to that again.”
“Yeah, we’re back to that. So, do you want to tell me how you're really feeling?” He pried.
I became defensive. “Why would I want to tell you anything? You’d probably take the information and use it against me at some future date.”
He looked annoyed. “That’s not what this is about.”
“Enlighten me, Dominick, what is this sudden concern for my welfare all about then?”
“You and I are very much alike. We need structure. We like to know how things are going to play out before they do. We like to control everything. Relationships don’t always fair well for people like us. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, that’s all.”
I lightly grazed my wooden spoon through my Lemon Ice, as I stared at the frozen yellow mass. Then I looked at Dominick, who patiently waited for my response.
“Rain must have told you that I like everything in its place. I don’t like surprises; you’re right. When I watched the change in Michael and his possible infidelities, I was beside myself. I didn’t know what to do with all of the hurt and anger I was feeling. I mean it’s not like I could store it away in a file cabinet under bad relationships. Then, as if things couldn’t get any worse, I took it to a whole new level and slept with Tommy. More than once, I might add. So the answer to your question is that I feel useless, helpless. For me these are not just terrible feelings. They’re foreign emotions that I’m not sure I can handle. I made decisions in the heat of anger before, but not as harsh as these.”
“You feel like your life is playing out in a bad way before your eyes and there’s nothing you can do to change it. Am I right?”
“Yes, Dominick, you're right. I see my life disintegrating before my eyes, and the worst part is that I didn’t even see it coming before it had become too late. I was too busy being self-indulgent, I suppose. I was so concerned about what everything looked like to everyone else that I was blind to what was really happening. I was losing Michael.” My tears trickled down my face without warning. I seemed to be crying a great deal lately, which was so unlike me.
“If I can give you a bit of unsolicited advice. Raven, you are a strong and beautiful woman, but being self-indulgent on its own doesn’t lead a man to cheat. It takes two people to wreck a relationship, not just one. If he was unhappy with the way you were acting, then he should have spoken up. You were both together for many years. It’s not like he couldn't have talked to you. He probably knew you better than anyone else. He couldn't have just gotten up one day and decided that he didn’t like your personality, so he would sleep with someone else. It just doesn’t make sense. I think you need to realize that the fault falls on both of you, but hanging onto the blame, no matter who is at fault, will never help you heal.”
“Why do I have the feeling that we are not just talking about me?”
Dominick stood up and faced the water. He ran his fingers through his hair, his jaw became tight and then he turned back to explain what made him who he was and why he reacted the way he did where Rain was concerned.
“Because we’re not, I’m talking about me too. I held onto so much anger in my life. Some of it still likes to show its ugly side now and then, but I can tell you from experience that it’s not healthy. The rage I was feeling inside could have on several occasions ruined my relationship with your sister. Yet she wouldn’t let it. The worst thing for me in life would be to lose her and our twins. Even though I shouldn't behave the way I do, I do it because I feel like Rain’s love for me is too good to be true. Perhaps I know I don’t deserve her or that she would be better off with someone other than me. This could be my way of pushing her limits to see if she will finally leave. Other times I feel like I need to hold on so tight, because if I don’t I fear that she will slip right through my fingers. Frankly, I never thought I could feel so loved by any woman. I never thought I deserved Rain’s kind of love. I fully believed the love that Rain gives never really existed, but she has shown me it does. She still has a hard time every now and then convincing me of it, but the truth of that matter is that we all deserve to be loved. To know great love. The kind of love that steals your heart and takes your breath away.”
Dominick showed me in that moment h
ow much he loved my sister.
I was so happy for that. She suffered so much and now she was truly cared for. Rain found that great love of her life. A love that she definitely deserved. I’m glad he shared his feelings with me today. I saw a whole new side of Dominick Kane. Hopefully, I’ll be seeing that side of him more often.
“Thank you, Dominick. I appreciate everything you said. I know it’s not easy for a man like you to talk about your feelings with someone other than Rain, but I’m glad you did.”
“I sincerely hope it helped, Raven. You are Rain’s sister and she loves you very much. I can tell Rain is hurting, because you are hurting. I want to see the hurt stop, for both your sakes.”
“This time out here and your advice did help more than you know. It has given me a great deal to think about. I appreciate your honesty.” I was sincere in what I said to him. I did have a great deal to think about.
“Not a problem, now you can say no to my request, but I do have a favor to ask of you, Raven. I’m very glad Rain suggested this walk, otherwise, I’m not sure when I would have gotten the chance to talk to you back at the house.” His smile was weak.
I felt what he was going to ask of me had to definitely be about Rain and that he was unsure of what my response would be. I decided to keep an open mind.
“Go on, what would you like from me?” I was braced for the worst, but was willing to hear what he wanted.
“I want to know if you will keep an eye on Rain while you're staying with us?”
“Keep an eye on Rain? Why? What’s wrong?” I was confused and completely surprised. You could hear it in my questions back to him.
“Rain has expressed an interest in finding out who ran down your dad.” He stated.
“I see, but to be honest with you I wouldn't mind knowing who that was myself. The whole situation has us all on edge.” I confessed.
“Raven, we all want those answers, but Rain seems to be planning to take it to a whole new level.” Dominick was concerned.
With his statement, now he had me concerned as well. “What do you mean she is taking this to a whole new level? Aren’t the police still involved?”
“Of course, Officer Stack or should I say Detective Stack is handling the case. He has some leads, but then the trail goes dead.”
“Okay, but what does any of this have to do with Rain?” I was inpatient for his explanation.
“Rain told your dad and me that she feels the person of interest could be Darian. I don’t believe it’s Darian, but I’m certainly not ruling anyone out.”
“Yes, but Dominick that doesn’t explain why you are worried about Rain.”
“She wants to work on the investigation herself. Detective Stack phoned me and said Rain called him for an update, but he also said her questions were more than just a mere inquiry. He believes she was fishing for information as if she wanted to find the person of interest on her own.”
“He has to be wrong. I know my sister and I know that she is happy with her new life and her focus in on you and the twins. I highly doubt she would put herself in any sort of danger.”
“Raven, that’s just it; she feels she has a score to settle. Whoever ran down your dad is also who Rain believes assaulted her at the house while she was pregnant. I must admit that I do agree with her, but I just don’t believe it could be Darian.”
“Okay so if you agree with her, then I’m not sure what the problem is or why you are asking me to keep an eye on her?” I prompted.
“I want you to tell me if you notice Rain going too far. Obviously, I want to be able to stop her before she gets herself in any real danger.” He was extremely concerned.
“Dominick, you truly believe Rain would put herself in harm’s way? Especially now that she has you and the twins?” I was beginning to worry as well.
“I don’t believe Rain is thinking clearly on the matter at hand. I think she wants answers and she doesn’t care how she gets them. You have to understand, Rain lost out on being fully present for our babies’ birth. It’s not sitting well with her. As you know full well, Rain wasn’t supposed to be able to become pregnant. Let alone carry to full term. So to lose such an important moment in her life makes her anger quite apparent and valid, I might add. Yet, it’s what might get her hurt. She wants the person who did this to pay. Much in the way I wanted your dad to pay for what happened to Vincent’s shares of Kane and Medici. I get where Rain is coming from, but I can’t lose her in the process. We don’t know who did this or who we are dealing with. I don’t want Rain hurt in any way.” Dominick’s voice grew fierce.
Thank goodness the wind was whipping up and no one around us could hear what we were talking about.
“I understand completely. So what would you like me to do?”
“I just want you to let me know if you hear anything at all while you are with Rain. I hated to come to you with this, but I don’t know where to turn at this point. Rain said that she will leave it to the police, but I know she is just saying that so I won’t worry, but I love her and of course I’m going to worry. I’m also going to do everything in my power to keep her safe.”
“Okay, I’ll do my best to see what she is up to and I’ll keep you posted.”
“Thank you, Raven.” He said with full sincerity.
“No thanks needed. She may be your wife, but she’s my twin. I want to help you in any way I can.” I smiled.
Dominick smiled with a small glimpse of relief in his expression. We then finished our treats and headed back towards the house to meet up with Rain and Tommy. It made me feel good to have talked with him. Dominick didn’t have any expectations, like Tommy or Rain, so I felt we came to a new understanding. One that I really believed would help me think long and hard before I made any more decisions concerning Michael and myself as I moved. Secondly, I gave Dominick some reassurance that Rain was safe while he was away from her. My only concern about the situation was what if Rain found out? I resigned myself to make sure that did not happen for both my sake and Dominick’s.
Chapter Twelve
Summer’s End
Dominick
I woke up this morning with a beautiful woman kissing me gently on my lips. I might also add that the beautiful woman happened to be my wife. I had to admit this was a great way to begin my day and the perfect way to start my birthday weekend. I should say my second birthday weekend. This first celebration was on Labor Day weekend.
That celebration was slightly cut short because Conte needed to bring Raven down to stay with us. She hadn’t been feeling well, so the private time that Rain and I planned for ended abruptly.
All in all, I couldn’t complain. I made Rain my wife and we had two beautiful and healthy babies. Yeah, I’d have to say it was the best birthday a man could have asked for.
I had to be honest, though, that I wasn’t at all thrilled with the surprise company that arrived on our doorstep, yet there was some good that came from one of our expected guests.
After a long walk and some in-depth conversation, Raven allowed me to enlist her help to keep an eye on Rain while I was away from home. Rain hated when I kept tabs on her, but this time it was necessary.
Her dad and I both feared that Rain would go too far in her attempts to try to find the person who ran Victor down and who assaulted her in our home while she was still pregnant with our twins.
Raven was the perfect solution. She could look after Rain for me without Rain’s knowledge of it. Rain would think that she was looking after Raven when in actuality Raven would be watching Rain.
Rain knew that her sister was dealing with a great deal of personal turmoil in her own life and she would never suspect that I would ever ask Raven for help. If my plan worked out, Rain would be none the wiser. Well, at least I hoped she wouldn’t find out.
Regardless, I convinced myself that it was worth the risk. My mind would be a bit more at ease with Raven around keeping an eye on things for me while I was away.
I was pulled from my thoughts
by my wife's soft voice and sexy body.
“Good morning, Mr. Kane… Happy Birthday” Rain’s sexy voice teased my senses, as she proceeded to rub her perfect body up and down my morning erection.
“You mean Happy Birthday, again. Don’t you, Angel?” I happily played along.
“Yes,…Mr. Kane” She grinned, as she pressed her body harder against mine. “Happy Birthday, again.”
I immediately, yet gently held her face and guided her lips to mine. I needed to kiss my wife. I needed to have her delicious mouth and her warm breath on me.
I slowly released my hands from her face and took hold of the shirt Rain was wearing. As usual, it was one of mine. I proceeded to slowly unbutton it. She continued her assault on my mouth with hers. It took all of my restraint not to turn her on her back and fuck her hard right now, but I wanted this moment to last.
The Ties That Bind (Miss Taken Identity #3) Page 11
