Something was odd on the fly over to New York, I mean, who wouldn't be feeling out of normal when Judge Cole unexpectedly joined us and sat disturbingly too close to me that Dominic suggested to switch seats once we were allowed to. Oh, and speaking of my fiancé, he's been too overprotective and clingy of me that it's actually fine to say that he's also too close for comfort.
"I mean it, boo," I whispered and gossiped with Erika as soon as we reached land. She and four soon-to-be senior associates joined us on this business trip, but my best friend - obviously - was the only comfort and normal I'd rather stick with.
"Well, you can't expect me to save you all the time. Since you get the royal treatment with your fiancé, I'm staying with a new senior associate in a two single bed hotel room, so just imagine the pain in the ass awkwardness I'd have to deal with." She groaned near the end and cussed under her breath.
"Do you know who?"
"Karen something. She's from the Chicago office, but she worked a couple of months in LA before she was moved."
"How come?"
"She slept with Judge fat-shit over there," Erika beckoned to Judge Cole, who walked way ahead of us talking to the very same woman. My best friend was particularly moody today, I suspect the late night booty call from her secret lover probably made her sleeping pattern a bit whacked. "I know nothing about her, boo, and you know how I am when I'm sleepy!" She whined.
"Naw, I know. You know I'd switch rooms with you any day," I calmed her as I rubbed at the arm I was clinging onto. "We could gossip all night and watch sappy movies-"
"-The amount of tissue boxes we'd go through!" She smiled and turned to me, her other hand gripped on mine. "Oh, boo, please ask your fiancé if you can-"
"-No chance."
And on cue, Dominic made his presence known. He swooped me away from my best friend, we were separated just like that. His arm wrapped around me and he boasted through the way he stood, eying Erika down, despite the fact they were going to be officially equal as partners and heads of the New York office.
"Oh, yes, of course, the douchebag obviously gets the girl," I heard her sarcastically remark, her eyes squinted and aimed invisible daggers to the man beside me, who could not care less and shunned her. He pulled me closer to him, the sides of our bodies pressed against each other as he replied, "Hence why I'm the fiancé."
"Because you're a douchebag?"
"Only the jealous ones make snarky remarks."
Erika rolled her eyes and stormed ahead, I followed her with my gaze before I turned to Dominic and slap him on the chest. "Why would you do that?" I asked.
"I don't want to share you." He grunted.
I sighed, that line has been repeated so many times lately, I don't know if it was true or not. If I think back to those days in the office, I'm assuming that those times he spent with his Uncle caused him to be this way, since Nathaniel most probably fed him with a handful of lies and used his words to manipulate his nephew. If I were in his shoes, I'd do that. If I knew something was up, I wouldn't hesitate the best skill I have.
But thankfully, I wasn't him.
Dominic was slowly becoming him, although he's been acting like he's conflicted with something. One moment he's the old him, the next he's back to the new. And it wasn't a great ride either, because every time he went to his old self, his new self would come back aggressive and we'd end up fighting because of his sudden mood swing. I actually want Dominic to go get himself checked, I mean, what if he's developed some kind of mental problem or has multiple personalities because of his Uncle? What if he's actually in pain right now and I wouldn't be able to get it out of him because he might be hypnotized? What if there was magic involved?
Okay, the last one was being too over the top. I can't help but worry, you know?
By the time we got to the hotel, we were headed up to the suite before everyone else, Dominic and Judge Cole were given the special treatment courtesy of one of Nathaniel and my Father's New York connections. Everyone else, as Erika told me, stayed a few floors down at the normal hotel rooms with two single beds. When I saw her downstairs at the lobby, she looked exhausted but kept plastic while the woman she shared a room with chewed her ears out. I felt bad, I managed to experience the perks of being a partner while not being a partner, thanks to being linked to the man beside me.
Throughout the time, I carefully walked beside Dominic, I stayed beside him each time Judge Cole was nearby, and I kept a tight grip of his hand and the other with my luggage so no one could find a reason to touch me. As much as I tried to avoid Judge Cole - after what I saw him do - he managed to squeeze into the same elevator, wide smile and all, and struck a conversation with me as soon as the gold doors closed. I made sure we were one or two people apart and my gaze barely stayed on him, I didn't want to look at him for too long or else I'd end up snapping at him for playing me for a fool and for being a sleaze. I also tried not to say anything but yes, no and uh-huh, even just nod for the heck of telling him that I wasn't interested, but he didn't pick up and asked me questions I had to answer or I'd seem rude.
Dominic didn't even say anything. Not a peep or a sound as he stood there and pretended to be on his phone. I took peeks each time to mentally send him a message to stop Judge Cole from talking to me, but he went on and reread his schedules over and over.
Purposely ignoring both of us.
"Oh, before I forget, Dominic, is it okay if I borrow your fiancée a bit later? I've been asked to talk to her about a possible case she could take, since she's experienced the criminal courts as much as I did, so I need her insight on the latest one." Judge Cole blurted out with his focus aimed at my fiancé, the awkward and strong tension in the elevator made me feel more uncomfortable as Dominic's head turned to the judge and aggressively asked, "Why?"
Typical.
"Since you didn't want it-"
Dominic's eyes narrowed and he glared at the judge, his brows lines to show disinterest in the reason itself. He scrunched his nose as he asked, "And why would I approve on Marianne to do it?"
"She's her own person. And perfect timing that she's in New York, because the client is flying here in a couple of days. I just need one of you younglings to help, considering that Nathaniel said I'm too rusty-"
"My Uncle put you up to this?"
I patted Dominic on the chest to ease his growing anger, he wasn't interested in the case since the beginning, but why did Nathaniel insist that either one of us did it? I know I shouldn't have, but I needed to get into Nathaniel's circle of goons to find out more about Janina Miller and their connection. So, I turned around and fully faced Judge Cole, my face surely showed my discomfort as I forced words out of my mouth.
"What's it about?" I asked.
"Are you serious, Marianne?" Dominic grunted.
"Yes," I nodded.
"Oh, delightful!" Judge Cole clapped his hands together.
"I won't let you do this alone," I heard my fiancé hiss and pulled me back to face him again. His hands gripped at my shoulders and shook me a bit, maybe to knock some sense into me, as he tried to convince me; "Are you sure about this? You know that taking a case from my Uncle is-"
I put my hand on his lips, shutting him up. "Dominic, if you want to keep an eye on me, then join me." At least I could keep an eye on him, and it'd be the first we'd be working together as corporate lawyers, but still, I want to know why he's so against taking the case though.
He looked defeated. He sighed and let go of me, his eyes rolled as he turned his attention to the judge, brushing me to the side. "I'll back up Marianne," He warned the man with a raise of one finger. "One strike, Judge Cole, and we'll drop the case without question."
"Oh so delightful. Mr Walsh and Ms Lawler in action," The man winked, coming off as a mocking tone as the elevator doors opened. "Now, I'll freshen up, let's meet down at the hotel restaurant in a couple of hours?"
"Sure, Judge Cole," I quickly added my two cents and we watched the man waddle out before us. I waited for the silence to linger another minute then grabbed my fiancé's hand and let him out, dragging him a bit as he seemed lacking of enthusiasm to move anymore. "Come on, Dom!"
"Why? I did not want to take that case from that fat lard, and yet there you were, showing him that you're much more of a suck up than me." He grumbled under his breath, which I then released him and stomped ahead with a frown and my blood boiling inside me, fumes flares out of my nose as I burst through the doors of our suite. I only heard a muttering between him and the bell boy, then a faint chuckle followed that grew louder at each step. I glared at him as he leaned against the door frame in his smart casual fashion he loved to dress up in; from the unbuttoned grey cardigan with the sleeves carefully rolled to his elbows and the white shirt underneath to the black pants and one of his expensive 'casual' shoes, he dressed up pretty well.
Sometimes better than me.
And to add that charming smile and alluring hazel eyes that stared at me ever so lovingly, and well, that made any woman weak. After seven years, that still made me weak.
"What's gotten into you? Why are you looking at me like that?" I crossed my arms and pouted like a child.
Dominic reached an open palm to me. "You have to come see something," He said as he curled his fingers to gesture me to take his hand. "Hurry."
"What if I don't want to?"
"Hurry-" He snapped and I stood up instantly
"-Okay!" I yelped at his stern tone, taking his hand and he dragged me towards the bedroom, but as he touched the gold knob, he stopped and led me to touch it instead before he covered my sight with the instructions to open the bedroom. I felt his breath against the back of my neck, his body firmly pressed against mine and his lips teached at my right ear lobe. I twisted the door knobs and pushed the doors forward, I flinched at the bang of the door with the walls, and the only way I knew where to go was from the light tap of his foot at my heel - left, right, left, right - about three times before his voice cooed into my ear and whispered in a sultry tone, "Are you ready?"
"For what?"
I was a headless chicken, my hands just waved about in front of me, afraid I might be led to a piece of furniture or something suspicious.
"Yes or no, babe."
"Yes!"
His chuckled oozed into my ear and the darkness was replaced by the light, it took two or three blinks for my vision to clear up. It took a few seconds for me to fully scan and soak up the room. And it was... Wow.
My jaws dropped.
The red rose petals laid out on the bed and the floor that trailed to just at the tip of my heels, there was a bottle of expensive foreign wine right in the middle with a box of chocolate and a card that had my name beautifully written on with black ink, and the bedroom smelled like vanilla from the candles at the side. I know, cliché much, but for my fiancé to act so spontaneous and romantic like this certainly wasn't what I expected after nearly two years since he became, well, a douche - as Erika described him.
"What the- D-Dom, why- I-"
"Come here," He whispered and whisked me around, he gave me a kiss that I never expected and cuddled me in his arms. I couldn't comprehend anything at all.
Nothing made sense right now.
His lips left mine, his forehead against mine and I was out of breath. I focused into his eyes, seeking the answers to my confusion. He lightly panted as he explained, "I need to apologize for all those times I fucked up. I know I ignored you, argued over useless things, being a complete asshole that you didn't sign up for. And yet, here you are. You took the job, stuck by me and we're here. New York, baby. I'm not going to pretend to be someone else anymore, from now on, I'll be me."
"Please don't confuse me right now," I replied, blurting out my inner worries. "So tell me what you're talking about?"
A chuckle. "You heard me, baby, I'm going to be the same guy you fell in love with. I shouldn't take you for granted."
My thumb grazed along his lower lip, wiping the smudge of my red lipstick off him, but I didn't break focus. "Dom, I don't want lies anymore. We have to be more open with each other, we're in it together."
"I don't... I won't be like my Uncle. No way."
"Then let's get married before we move out here."
"I wouldn't want it any other way."
"Good," I grinned, my inner teenager squealed at the top of lungs inside me since my crush accepted me, and for him to agree that we'd finally be getting married, then that was the greatest news so far.
"I have to marry you, or some other fuckwit is going to nab you. You are mine."
"I am yours." I repeated and combed my fingers through his hair and kissed him again. I couldn't keep my lips off of him for a while, his old self made a rare appearance, and even during our romp in the bedroom, the old Dominic Walsh stayed longer than usual. Such a sweet, sensual, loving and passionate lover.
My fiancé.
As agreed, we went to meet with Judge Cole at the hotel restaurant, the fancy one where only the important guests - more like the ones in the expensive suites - were allowed to dine without lining up. The high class, rich, and possibly, famous were there, and I gawked like an idiot. I should've been used to it, but honestly, that place was chandelier this and gold décor that. It's hard not to drop your jaws when places like that were regularly visited. Then again, this was New York, I rarely travelled to this end of the country unless I was invited by the corporate lawyers in my life, and even then I still gawked like an idiot.
"Close your mouth," Dominic scolded me as his fingers dug slightly into my sides, a giggle escaped me and I reacted by slapping his arm. "Then stop looking like that."
"I'm not like you, my social crowd doesn't consist of top lawyers and businessmen, the closest to a socialite would be Erika, but she's a nobody here." I explained, sounding a bit sad about myself having hardly any friends. The thought made me mumble to myself about it, which made the man beside me chuckle and say, "They may be the crowd I spend time with, but I prefer spending time with only one."
"Oh, shut up."
"Is that not what you want to hear?"
"Are you teasing me?"
"Only a little," He winked.
I reached over and placed a palm on his forehead, then to his cheek and his neck. "Are you sick? Intoxicated? What's gotten into you?" I asked curiously while he grabbed my hand and pecked the top of it, his eyes hungrily stared right into my soul - I could feel it, and I slightly gushed at the moment. My embarrassment reacted by snatching my hand from his grasp. "Stop it!"
"You have not changed."
Ah, the old Dominic, the same guy on that sunny afternoon in front of the skyscraper - the one who kept teasing me with his public display of affection, joking about the little things and making me gush like my inner teen, the one I fell in love with, the one who stood in front of me right now. I missed this man so much. Whatever's happening to get him to act like this, I wanted it to stay that way.
I think.
We spotted the judge at a corner booth, he fiddled about with the locks of his white hair while flashing a cheesy grin, his stubby hands patted atop a much younger blond woman's shoulder, they were giggling and having a lovely chat amongst themselves. Maybe that was the client he desperately wanted either Dominic and I to help out, and by the looks of it, they were properly acquainted. The woman didn't look too familiar, but then the image of Judge Cole and that other blonde at the park came to mind, I started feeling sick. Then what made me wonder more about the situation was the reaction from my fiancé, he froze and became stiff, his hold on me became stern and he nearly tripped as we got closer and closer.
He looked just as pale and sick as I was.
"Just in time," Judge Cole announced as he stood from his seat. "Mr Walsh, you've probably been acquainted with a dear friend of mine here, but Ms Lawler-" He, again, patted the woman's shoulder and introduced her; "Meet your client, Miss Rebecca James."
"R-Rebecca..." Dominic uttered her name in shock.
"Long time no see, Dommy." She flashed her pearly whites, winked and nipped her bottom lip seductively.
"Dommy?" I repeated.
I stepped aside from Dommy and slipped out of his hold, my arms crossed over my breast and couldn't gather up enough to even say another word. I knew that this wasn't going to be a good meeting, and the moment I saw Dominic react that way, then I suspected something happened between Mr Walsh and Miss James. Judge Cole and Dominic both mentioned this was done due to Nathaniel's persistence, so clearly the older Walsh had a plan at the back of his head since our uncomfortable encounter in the apartment.
That old man is desperate to break me to get me.
Not if I can get to him first.
My time in New York isn't going to be a fun ride.