Hopelessly Flawed

Chapter 33 - Family Affair

"She's the one?"

"I'd love to believe she is." He bragged, "you know, we rarely fight..we really just get along. She really matches me and how I am, I find." Dean tried his best not to smile at the thought of his woman.

He had been in Toronto for almost two weeks now and he could not lie and say that he did not miss her.

"I love that she brings out that light in you. It's so cute seeing you so happy big bro." Iris genuinely admitted as they walked up the steps of Valentina's home. They had just returned from visiting her university's campus and the dorms.

Now, they were awaiting their aunt so that they could make it in time for their dinner reservations since his little sister had begged him for a dinner with the most important people in her life.

She paused while he unlocked the front door with his key. "You seem happy."

"I do don't I?" he half smiled, "She's like a drug. When she's here I can't get enough and when she isn't, I want her around. She's always on my mind which is crazy. She's my worst and best distraction. I just can't possibly describe it."

"I think you just did.." Iris smiled as her eyes lit up, nothing could compare to seeing her brother in a stable place in his life.

She had an idea.

They made it passed the foyer and motioned straight for the basement, to reach her bedroom.

"Where's Valentina?" he asked as he took a seat on her mini couch. In the two weeks he had been in his home town, he could count on both hands how many times they have addressed each other.

Iris proceeded to take out her computer from underneath her bed and set it up on her lap once she sat down.

"I don't know..think she went out with some friends," she shrugged lazily.

"She has twenty minutes to get here before she finds her own way there." He spoke coldly.

"DJ, stop it."

He winced slightly at the use of the nickname his father used to call him when he was much younger. "D" stood for Dean, his first name, and "J" stood for Jackson, his father's name. He hated it and she knew that. It was her way of capturing his attention.

"She's your aunt, our aunt, our blood whether you like it or not. You're gonna have to get over this feud you guys have had going on sooner or later," she scolded defensively, "you're both too grown for this and I'm tired of being caught in the crossfire."

He licked his lips, not wanting to agree with her. "Only time can tell. I won't force a relationship with her simply because she's blood. That's not how I work." He responded in all honesty because one thing he was not, was a hypocrite. "My respect is earned, not given."

"I forgot how coldhearted you could be.." she mumbled while staring at his face, a face that sometimes she did not recognize but loved no less. "You can stop using that tone with me, I'm not one of Oaks friends or yours for that matter."

"I'm sorry..I didn't realize."

"Mhm," she hummed, wanting to change the subject and quick at that. "Hey is it too late for her to come?"