Dominick

by Eve Langlais

  “You tell him, sister!” was Maeve’s proclamation as she emerged from the pantry with her hands full.

  “What are you doing?” he asked as his sister set a bunch of strange shit on the counter. Vegan vanilla-flavored protein powder. Walnuts. Some weird green powdery crap. All dumped into a blender, along with ice and almond milk to make vomit.

  Seriously. Bilious green vomit was what she poured into a glass.

  “Want some?” Maeve offered, to which Anika shook her head and Dominick uttered an, “Ew.”

  As for Mom, she made the sign of the cross despite not being religious.

  They all watched with horrified fascination as Maeve held it to her lips and chugged. Then waited to see if it would come back up.

  Maeve burped and grinned. “So healthy.”

  “So gross.” Stefan wandered into the kitchen and snared a cookie without losing a hand.

  Dominick could only stare hopefully, but he was still in trouble.

  “You’re all related?” Anika asked.

  Dominick could understand her confusion, seeing as not one of them looked anything like the other.

  “Yes.”

  “No.”

  At the opposing answers from Stefan and Maeve, Mom explained. “All my children are orphans.”

  “How many do you have?” Anika asked, eating a brownie next, her groan of rapture not unnoticed by him.

  He felt himself getting lightheaded as his blood headed south.

  “Nine. Dommy is the oldest.”

  “And still living at home,” Anika muttered.

  “Temporarily.” He felt a need to bluster.

  His mom failed to help with her addition of, “Only until my precious boy finds a good woman to settle down with and pops out some babies.”

  Anika choked—not because of the brownie he’d wager.

  He glared at his mom. She smiled over Anika’s bent and coughing form.

  Dominick pressed his lips tight and shook his head.

  Mother smiled. “Here. Have some hot cocoa, dear.” She pressed a hot mug with floating marshmallows and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top into Anika’s hands.

  The foam on Anika’s upper lip after a sip almost saw her ravished on the kitchen floor.

  What the fuck was wrong with him?

  He shoved out of his seat and headed for the fridge. Would anyone think it weird if he stuck his head into the freezer for a few minutes?

  “Do you have any grandkids?” Anika asked as Dominick pretended to look for something. He found the Popsicles he’d bought earlier.

  “No grandbabies yet. Everyone’s too busy with their careers,” his mom huffed. “Although I’m hoping Dom will settle down now that he’s not busy running off and playing war games.”

  “Playing?” He snorted, coming out of the freezer with a Popsicle in each hand. “Peace missions are not fun and games.”

  “But they do keep you away from home.”

  “Not anymore.” He was still bitter about it. Forced to retire because they thought him medically unfit.

  “So, what are you doing now that you’re retired?” If anyone but Anika had asked, he might have snapped.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “He needs to get a job,” was his mother’s advice.

  “Know anyone looking for a soldier?” he asked, half joking.

  “The only thing our store is looking for is a shelf stocker.” Anika rolled her shoulders as she ate the last dessert, a chocolate rum ball rolled in coconut.

  He grimaced, mostly because he hated that she licked her own lips. “Shelf stocking sounds boring.” He almost said demeaning but caught himself at the last second before she could slap him again.

  “Boring pays the bills,” was Anika’s pert reply as she stood. “Thank you for the meal. It was nice meeting you.”

  As Anika moved for the front door, Mom’s death glare hit him, and he didn’t need words to know that he should see her out. Dominick followed her up the hall and stood awkwardly to the side as Anika slipped on her shoes.

  “Thanks for the ride.”

  The corner of her mouth lifted. “Considering I got fed, it’s me who should say thanks. Your mom can cook.”

  “She sure can.” The dumbest thing to reply. And given his added discomfort, he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

  “Bye, Dominick.” She headed down the steps to her car, and he followed.

  “I don’t suppose you might have changed your mind about getting a coffee now that you’ve met my family.”

  She paused before getting into the vehicle. He expected her to say no. But, to his surprise, she said, “Okay.”

  Wait, she said yes? Before he could say anything—likely a good thing since it would have probably involved his foot in his mouth—she was gone. He stayed, staring after her long enough that his brother noticed.

  Stefan, with his smart mouth, emerged to say, “Damn, she is a fine piece of ass.”

  Wham.

  The pussy went whining to Mom. “Dommy broke my nose!”

  And he’d break it again if Stefan ever talked about Anika like that in front of him.

  6

  The moment she agreed to coffee, Anika regretted it. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Dominick probably took it to mean that she was interested.

  To her disgust, she was. Kind of. But mostly, it was a means to get out of her rut. She’d barely dated since the divorce years ago. Guy-shy. Busy. Scared. Not interested.

  Most men barely registered on her radar. But Dominick? He annoyed her. Even as he exuded some kind of vibe that made her want to climb him like a tree.

  Maybe she should have said yes to the thousand bucks. She could have used the money. Especially since she never seemed to get ahead. Just like she barely lived. Work, clean, sleep. That was her life.

  Boring.

  So fucking boring.

  When was the last time she’d done something fun? Bingeing a show on Netflix didn’t count.

  Why did everything have to suck so bad?

  Entering her shitty apartment, she couldn’t help but grit her teeth and ball her fists. It was unfair how Thomas had taken everything from her. How had a guy who’d always had an excuse for why he had to quit his job conned a judge into giving him everything he asked for? Including alimony.

  Since she’d been fired as a dental hygienist, though—because Thomas had filed a false report of sexual misconduct—she’d had the alimony revoked. Because in an ironic twist, she no longer made enough to pay it.

  Which pissed Thomas off. Enough that he’d been coming around lately to harass her. Apparently, the restraining order wasn’t worth the paper it was written on.

  Asshole. She sure seemed to attract them, even as she couldn’t figure out what Dominick saw in her.

  She lacked the petite or willowy figures most guys preferred. She didn’t wear makeup often. Her hair was long and simple, usually pulled back from her face.

  As she stared at her reflection, she couldn’t help but think that she’d given up.

  No. That wasn’t true.

  She just didn’t give a shit anymore. Not about how she looked anyhow.

  And despite that, Dominick kept flirting with her, if you could call his crude attempts flirting. His saving grace?

  His family. He must have some redeeming features, given they still seemed to like him. His mom came across as nice. His sister, too. Anika had not known him well in high school. The first time they met after she’d moved into the area, he’d been crude at that party, and she’d hit him. Then, she’d avoided him out of embarrassment.

  Almost twenty years later, he was still crude. But apologetic.

  Why was she still thinking about him?

  Fatigued, she should have been collapsing into bed. Instead, restless, she flung back the covers, dropped her panties, and pulled her knees up and to the sides.

  Licking a finger to moisten it, she slid it between her legs.

  A quick stroke over he
r clit, and she trembled.

  Most definitely overdue.

  Her slick finger worked her clit, slipping back and forth. Knowing the right kind of pressure. The right type of touch.

  She had her eyes closed, but for the first time, she saw a face.

  Dominick’s.

  Her breath hitched as she imagined him touching her.

  Would he be a rough lover? Or the kind that seemed gruff and tough but was tender in bed?

  Arousal moistened her sex, giving her all the lube she needed to keep playing. But tonight, fingers wouldn’t be enough.

  Rolling to her side, she found her broken vibrator in the drawer. It didn’t shake or roll, but it had the length and width to fill.

  She ran the head of it over her clit before slipping it into her sex.

  She seesawed it back and forth, shoving it deep. Letting it fill her.

  Pushing it against the spot that brought a hiccup of pleasure.

  In and out she shoved, panting as she thrust. Imagining him above her. Covering her. Fucking her.

  Tension coiled within until it burst. She came with a gasp, rippling with pleasure. Breathing hard.

  Then, she lay there unsatisfied. Because it just wasn’t the same as the real thing.

  A sex toy couldn’t hug.

  7

  Anika had said yes to coffee, and Dominick couldn’t have said why it excited him. But his mom noticed.

  “You’re jumpier than a cat on a metal roof,” she proclaimed the next morning as she whipped out various breakfasts and packed some lunches—the two younger kids had school.

  “Would you believe I’m nervous?” He didn’t mention the real reason and went with, “I haven’t had to apply for a job in years.” And rather than print out a resume and hand it out to businesses, Raymond had submitted applications for him online. Apparently, paper was a thing of the past.

  Fucking technology.

  “You got a package,” his mom announced as she stuffed a lunch bag with a sandwich, an apple, some cookies, yogurt, beef jerky, and nuts. He remembered his owned packed meals fondly and missed them when he’d had to scrounge for protein in the desert.

  “A package for me?” Odd since he’d not ordered anything.

  “I left it on the front hall table.”

  He moved to the space and noticed the bubble envelope. The neatly printed label addressed to him. No return address.

  Odd.

  Suspicious.

  Could it be dangerous?

  He headed outside with it before he started palpating it. He’d seen how small bombs could be and knew there were deadly threats out there that were no bigger than a few grains of dust.

  But who would want to kill him?

  A shake and a grope didn’t tell him shit, other than it was flexible. He tossed it to the ground and covered his face.

  It didn’t explode. He crouched in the yard and pulled out a pocketknife to slice along an edge.

  He pried open the envelope to see a baggie with something green inside.

  Weed?

  Who the fuck would mail him weed?

  His lips pressed tight.

  Tyson.

  The little bugger must have used his ID to order some online. After all, it was legal now in Canada.

  He tucked it back into the bubble envelope. He’d be having a talk with the boy after school. Time to get all big brother on Tyson’s ass. Only dopes did drugs.

  Dominick didn’t tell his mom because she didn’t need the stress. Restless, he mowed the lawn around the farmhouse. Chopped some wood for the stove. Winter was coming. He fed the chickens, despite how they squawked and freaked every time he got near. The goats bleated. And their one horse lay down on the ground. Only the barn cats seemed to like him.

  He kept himself busy because, despite all his applications, he didn’t get a call to go in for an interview. By mid-afternoon, his pacing feet had him going for a jog, which, no surprise, led him to the grocery store.

  He saw Anika right away, standing at a register, wearing her bright smock. It eased something within him to see her.

  He caught her eye as he walked in. She arched a brow, and he took it as an invitation to saunter over and say hello since no one was waiting to be checked out.

  “Hey.”

  “Back already for more junk food?”

  Dominick almost told Anika the truth, that he’d come just so he could see her. But that sounded lame, so he had a choice: either buy more food they didn’t need or—

  “Came to apply for that job you were telling me about.”

  Her brows rose. “You, a stock boy?”

  “Are you saying I can’t do it?” He bristled.

  “I would have expected, with your military background, you’d go after something a little more security-oriented with better pay.”

  He shrugged. “I’ve applied to a few places, but until they get back to me, a man’s gotta work.” Or he ended up in a grocery store lying his ass off to a woman he couldn’t stop thinking about. And he’d tried. A few times in the shower, but his hand couldn’t compare.

  “Darryl is the manager on duty if you want to talk to him.” She pointed and then ignored Dominick as she greeted a person pushing a cart. Dismissed.

  He took it less as an insult and more as the fact that she wanted to do her job.

  Dominick headed in the direction she’d pointed to find the same twerp as the day before. The guy didn’t look happy at his approach.

  “You Darryl, the manager?”

  “Yeah. Can I help you?” The kid’s gaze narrowed suspiciously.

  “I need a job.”

  Incredulity raised the pitch of the queried, “You want to work here?”

  “Is that a problem?” Dominick asked.

  “After what I saw yesterday, you don’t seem like you’d be the right fit.”

  Don’t hit the kid. Don’t hit the kid. “Why is that, Darryl? Because I’m a veteran? You got a problem with the folks who protect this country? I’m sorry if my uncouth behavior annoys you. I learned it when I was serving in the military.” He dropped his voice. “Saving you, Darryl.”

  “Thank you?” Squeaked out.

  “Yes, you can thank me by doing one simple thing, Darryl. I hear you have a job opening to stock shelves, correct?”

  A nod.

  “Good. I’ll start now, but I am not wearing a smock.” Dominick did have a shred of dignity left.

  “Stock boys wear T-shirts with the store logo.”

  “Fine.”

  Of course the store didn’t have any in stock for someone Dominick’s size. The large shirt hugged his upper body in a way that had some of the shoppers ogling and whispering. He heard giggles, too.

  He ignored them. The one woman he wanted interested in him continued to ignore him. And it wasn’t for lack of trying to grab her attention. He chose to stock the shelves closest to the registers, baring his teeth at the boys in the back who thought to protest. They didn’t argue long when he slung heavy boxes onto their carts and sent them to the more obscure aisles.

  Dominick was a man on a mission.

  One of seduction. Though he might need help. Only he couldn’t bear to ask Stefan. Pompous prick. Surely, he could figure out how not to be an asshole when he talked to Anika.

  Don’t treat her like a sex object, even if he wanted to bury his face between her thighs.

  No saying things that would make her hit him.

  Compliment her on something other than the way her full hips made him want to grind against her.

  The manager left around eight p.m., leaving only a few employees in the store and a handful of browsing customers.

  Mission clock? Less than an hour to set his plot in motion.

  At nine, the store would close, and that was when he’d suggest they go for a coffee at the Tim Horton’s in the plaza. He’d show Anika that he could talk without making her angry, and she’d agree to a second date. And then a third.

  Never mind why he wanted
to date her. He had to do something. She’d been on his mind non-stop since their first encounter.

  What if the coffee went poorly and she made an excuse to ditch him and she never agreed to see him again?

  Maybe he wasn’t ready. Should he wait?

  Ding.

  Every time the door slid open to the store, it chimed, letting the cashiers know that someone had entered.

  Given it was close to closing time, he wondered what asshole decided they needed groceries last-minute.

  As Dominick put the last case of tomato cans on the shelf, he heard it—faint arguing. He ambled up the aisle to the front of the store.

  “—go away, Thomas.”

  “You can’t tell me to leave. I’ve got a right to shop wherever I like.”

  “Not according to the restraining order. You’re supposed to keep away.”

  “You going to call the cops? Go ahead. I’ll tell them I didn’t know you worked here. Honest mistake.”

  “We both know that’s a lie.”

  “Is it? What you gonna do? Hit me. You know you want to.”

  “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Because then you could run to the cops and file another false report.”

  “You want it to stop? Then you know what to do.”

  “You are such an asshole.” Her tone was low and angry, much more controlled than Dominick, who felt rage flaring within.

  He strode from the aisle and growled, “Is there a problem?”

  “Mind your fucking business.” The guy, tall but reed-thin, didn’t even turn around.

  “It is my business, twatwaffle, when you’re being a dickhead to someone I work with.” He noticed relief in Anika’s eyes as he neared.

  The guy whirled, showing a thin face, a mean curve to his lips, and the kind of attitude that would have gotten his teeth knocked out if he were in the military. Dominick would be more than happy to show him how they did things in the ranks.

  “I said fuck off. Anika and I go way back. Used to be married until the ungrateful cunt kicked me to the curb.”

  Married to this douchebag? “Sounds more like she finally got smart and threw out the trash,” Dominick mocked.

  The twerp didn’t like it and drew himself up to his full height, a hint taller than Dominick, but he’d wager not as mean. “I’m having a private conversation, so butt the fuck out.”