“There is so much wrong with what you just said.” I shake my head. “First off, I meant two, as in two thousand. Which would be more than I’d spend on… anything. And second, you’re not in a competition with my dead father.”
“First.” His tone is mocking. “I’ll probably spend two thousand tonight. And second, your dad is still ahead of me with the tuition he paid for. But I’ll even that out soon enough.”
“I don’t even know what to say to you.”
Dom’s hand flexes around mine. “You could just say thank you, husband. How would you like another amazing blow job, husband?”
“Dominic!” I hiss, spotting his mom approaching us.
He laughs. “You’re too damn cute.”
My face scrunches up as I try to decide if I want Dom to think of me as cute.
“My favorite newlyweds.” Bibi greets us with her arms open, awaiting hugs.
Wanting to get the awkwardness out of the way, I step ahead of Dom and take the first hug. “It’s nice to see you again.”
She pulls back and grips my upper arms. “Aww, look how cute you are!”
Dominic snorts, but I ignore him.
I didn’t realize just how vast this market was going to be, but Dominic told me it was outdoors and to dress warm. So I did, with dark-wash stretchy jeans tucked into leather ankle boots, a sweater under my tan peacoat, and a bright white knit hat that matches my mittens.
Bibi moves to hug Dominic, and I melt a little watching him bend down to wrap his mother in a big hug.
He’s in his usual all-black everything, the long black wool coat his only concession to the cold December air. His hand and neck tattoos are the only ones visible, and they play against his pretty blue irises.
I already know every woman here is going to gawk at him. Case in point, a tall stunner is walking past, a man at her side, but her eyes are all over Dominic. And I want to strangle her with her scarf.
Deep breath, Val.
I can’t believe we’re already halfway through December. It seems like my life got flipped upside down just yesterday, but it’s been weeks.
I don’t think I’ve exactly forgiven Dominic, and I’ll probably still have insecurities about him for a while. But I’ve spent enough time with him now to see that the man I met in the airport, the one I texted with for over a month, the one who made me feel good about myself… It’s him. He’s the same man I thought I knew. I just didn’t know everything.
“Come on, let’s go get your wife something to drink. Then we can start shopping,” Bibi says over her shoulder as she starts to stroll down the gravel aisle.
“You heard the lady.” Dom places his hand on my back, and we follow her.
The market takes up a large open space that must be some sort of park, as we’re not far from the lake. But it feels like the size of a city block, and there are so many people here I’d call it packed. Lines at all the food stalls, crowds in front of the merchandise stalls, people standing shoulder to shoulder along the outskirts while they sip steaming drinks.
It feels like too many people.
I tug on Dom’s jacket, making him bend down to hear me.
“Is it safe to be here?” I ask. “With, well, whoever is out there?”
I don’t know the details about who is killing Dominic’s men. And honestly, I don’t really want to know. But every night since that Christmas party, and the amazing sex I had with Dom in the gym, I’ve gone to bed alone because he’s been staying out late, looking for the ones responsible. I usually wake up a little bit when he comes to bed in the middle of the night and drapes himself over me, but when my alarm goes off in the morning, he’s gone again.
I was surprised when he came home earlier this evening and told me we were going out. And now that I’m looking at these crowds, I’m even more surprised.
Dom slides his hand up my back and around my shoulders. “I know there are a lot of people here. But a hundred of them are mine.”
“A hundred?”
He nods. “Half of them are around the perimeter, and half are walking through the crowd.”
I’m tempted to ask him if they know who they’re looking for. But I don’t.
I shake my head. “I cannot eat another bite.”
Bibi laughs. “Okay, fine. We’ll just hop in line and meet you back here.”
She gestures to the pretzel stand a few stalls down before she and one of Dom’s aunties wander that way.
Between the donuts, mulled wine, bratwurst, stollen, and hot chocolate, I don’t know where the tiny woman plans to put another bite.