by Jen Robyn
“It was Riff’s idea!” the man blurted out. “He just told me to keep you busy while he’s gone, so you wouldn’t enter the dream-state!”
Dominick’s eyes lost their look of mischief, newfound anger lighting them. “Why?” he hissed, earning silence. Slamming the man back against the wall again, he snarled, “Tell me why, dammit!”
“I’m not sure!” he protested. “Something about seeing a Julianna woman!”
His words sank deep.
“Julianna,” breathed Dominick, his face draining of color. By Chavernos, Riff wouldn’t... Memories of former incidents flashed through his mind. Like hell he wouldn’t! his thoughts concluded, turning his gaze sharp again. “Why is he going to see her? Tell me now, or by Chavernos, I swear you’ll regret it!”
“He didn’t tell me!” exclaimed the man, shaking violently now. “I swear he didn’t! Please don’t skin me to bones in my sleep.”
Dominick’s expression remained hardened for a moment, but then he relented, sensing the man’s last protest to be the truth. Pulling open the door, he roughly pushed him outside. “You’re reprieved for now,” he hissed, glaring at the cowering man. “But mark my words, if anything should happen to Julianna because of your trickery, there won’t be anywhere in the dream-state or reality where you’ll be able to hide from my wrath!”
Slamming the door, Dominick strode towards his room, cursing the man, cursing his brother, and cursing himself for falling for the simple dupe. Now it made sense why Riff wasn’t home, obviously so he couldn’t be stopped from sending out to the dream-state. And to make matters worse, Dominick had made the mistake of mentioning to his friends today where Julianna lived. Obviously, Riff had overheard. He could only hope that his brother hadn’t located her yet, shutting his eyes to send out to the dream-state again to go to her.
*****
Long moments passed before Julianna could even find her voice to speak. “Please… let me go find Dominick.”
“He won’t be here,” Riff replied quietly.
“Why?” she demanded, fear giving way to a different, stronger fear. “Is he hurt?”
He paused, but had no chance to reply, as an invisible force suddenly grabbed hold of him, slamming him into the opposite wall. Riff’s head smacked against the bricks that materialized there, sliding down to the floor with pained surprise as Dominick moved forward slowly to stand just before him.
He’d sensed Julianna’s fear even before he entered the room, and when he saw his brother having cornered her, any need for an explanation vanished.
“Get up,” he hissed in a deadly voice. Riff made no move to do so, even as Julianna ran over to stand behind her companion, clasping his arm shakily. Sensing her trembling, he turned to her worriedly, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Are you all right, love?” he asked softly. She nodded quickly, but upon seeing the shock still apparent in her eyes, he hugged her against his side protectively.
“Well, I guess you two don’t need me anymore,” Riff murmured, slowly backing up as he stood.
“Hold it right there!” snapped Dominick, his eyes shooting fire. Releasing Julianna, he stormed over to face his brother. “You know, I was a bit late getting here because I was temporarily detained by one of your buddies. He said you owed him money.”
Riff’s expression showed obvious relief. “Oh, well you know how I am sometimes, Phase. It’s a weakness.”
“Yes, I know how you are all too well,” Dominick retorted, slamming his fist into Riff’s jaw, knocking him backwards into the brick wall again. While he was disoriented, Dominick dragged him to his feet, no longer seeming the younger brother and certainly no less apt in strength. “You bastard,” he hissed in a low voice. “You thought to seduce the woman I love, no doubt as another of your stupid games against me. But Julianna is the one woman I won’t allow you to work your machinations on.”
“Oh, listen to you!” Riff laughed in derision, turning to her. “I hope you realize, dear lady, that your precious lover isn’t as chaste as you may have been originally. He’s had scores of women in the dream-state dating back to his sixteenth birthday, if he didn’t start earlier.”
“I know that,” she whispered.
“You what?” he gasped, shaking his head with unexpected surprise. “And it doesn’t bother you?”
She shook her head. “I’m not happy about it, no. But they were in the past.” Her thoughts turned to Roger momentarily. “Just like anyone I used to know.”
Riff’s eyes widened as he turned to face his brother incredulously. “I don’t believe I just heard her correctly. You told her about your former affairs? Are you insane?”
“Yes, I told her,” hissed Dominick. “And no, I’m not crazy. I happen to love her enough to be honest regarding the past, since it won’t have any effect on our future. She knows I’d simply been searching for love without finding it, but that I do love her.”
Riff turned back to Julianna. “And you believed all this?” he laughed.
Dominick’s hands gripping his throat choked off any further words. “She believes it, because it’s the truth! And you, my dear brother, should know better by now than to try seducing someone I’m involved with, let alone to try starting trouble between us. You’re not going to get away with it this time, Riff!”
“Riff?” gasped Julianna. “You’re Dominick’s brother?” He’d barely gotten out a nod before she lunged forward, her hands clawing at him, even as Dominick reached out to hold her back. “You rotten bastard! You knew I was involved with your brother, yet you put the moves on me anyway! How could you be such an insensitive jerk?”
Slowly, Dominick managed to calm her down, holding her comfortingly while his gaze never strayed from his devious brother. “I’ll take care of this, love,” he said softly, kissing her forehead once. “Why don’t you go back to our castle to wait for me?”
“I’m not going anywhere without you now,” she said, eyeing Riff with open distrust.
Understanding, he nodded once, gesturing her to one side. His silent look afterwards told her that there was still a matter to be settled, and she wasn’t about to interfere.
“You never learn, Riff,” Dominick said quietly, giving a forced laugh. “But fortunately for me, I have. I suspected this, even when you said nothing at Lost Limbo earlier.”
“Look, I was curious, because you wouldn’t tell me anything. I just came here to see what this Julianna of yours was like, that’s all.”
“Really?” sneered Dominick. “Well, let’s just say I don’t like your methods of introduction. And if you weren’t my brother...” Stopping himself, he drew a forced breath. “But seeing as you are, however unfortunate that is, I’m above killing family.”
“Gee, Phase, thanks a lot!” Riff replied sarcastically.
Ignoring him, Dominick continued, “Meaning I’ll just have to settle for this retribution instead.”
Punching his unsuspecting brother again, he knocked him to the floor just before delivering more blows.
Having similar strength, Riff used this to advantage, tripping his brother to fall to his level, before taking the initiative to strike back this time. Julianna gasped with each blow that contacted against Dominick, feeling as if she was being similarly struck, yet helpless to interrupt the struggle between the arguing pair.
“You and your petty women,” sneered Riff, pinning Dominick to the floor. “How long are you going to fool this one into believing you know the meaning of the word love? Another week? Two maybe?”
Rage contorted Dominick’s features as he gave a low growl, punching Riff in the stomach and rolling away from him. As his brother clutched his stomach in pain, Dominick looked to him with loathing. “I’m not letting Julianna go, you idiot! Whether you believe it or not, I do love her, and not for some damned temporary affair!”
“Sure,” scoffed Riff. “And what happens when the passion fades and the bed sheets turn cold?”
Dominick mumbled a low curse before attacking him an
ew, the pair wrestling amidst their punches and jabs. Julianna stood back from the fray, unable to hear everything said, but unwilling to leave Dominick, no matter what the outcome.
After a time, the fighting pair finally broke apart to steal some much-needed breaths. “Geez, Phase, why didn’t you just tell me you were so possessive of this one?”
“You have the gall to ask me that after what you pulled tonight?” sneered Dominick. “You may have tricked some other women I’ve known, Riff, but Julianna’s different. She’s not going to be yours in any way whatsoever. And if I have to beat this knowledge into your thick skull all night, I will!”
Seeing Dominick looking all too anxious to do just that, Riff held up a hand in protest.
“Okay, okay!” he yelled. “You’ve proven your point. You said you were above killing family, remember?” Dominick’s jaw flexed tightly, but he said nothing, while Riff rubbed the back of his head. “You sure are one hell of a headache when you’re angry. And a backache... and a stomachache.”
Eyeing his brother warily, but finally satisfied, Dominick walked over to Julianna. Longing to hold her, yet worried over her seeing his anger so blatantly demonstrated, he ran a hand through his hair instead and sighed.
She merely stared at him, remaining silent.
“I’m sorry you were here to witness this,” he said quietly. “It’s not the first time Riff and I have tangled over something. And when I got here to find him holding you trapped... Julianna, I swear I’d never hurt you. At the most, my anger might surface verbally, but that’s the extent of it, so don’t ever think...”
Her arms encircling his neck interrupted him, hugging him close. “I love you,” she whispered simply. “And I know you’d never hurt me. I’m just glad you showed up when you did, and that you don’t seem too badly hurt.”
Not one to question this, Dominick welcomed her embrace, fully intending to hold her that way forever. For long moments, he savored the feeling that she was safe in his arms again, until he gradually remembered his brother. Still holding Julianna, he turned to Riff warily.
“Are you in one piece?” he asked evenly.
“Not by much, thank you,” Riff replied sardonically, cursing his sore body as he tried to stand with difficulty. Damn dreams can be too real for one’s own good, he mused, surprised when Julianna slowly broke away from her companion to stand before him, giving him her hand in assistance.
He turned a worried look to his brother, but Dominick merely watched him coolly, his gaze speaking both acceptance and warning at the same time. When Riff was fully standing and Julianna tried to move away, he wouldn’t relinquish her hand. Sensing his brother’s eyes darkening upon him, he persisted nonetheless.
“For whatever it’s worth, I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I guess part of me is sorry that my brother found you first. You do seem different from the rest.”
“And you’re certainly… unique yourself, Riff,” she replied, earning an amused laugh from him.
“Tactfully put, lady.”
“But although you may own this company of sorts...” Her gaze turned to meet Dominick’s with a smile. “My heart belongs to the other Mr. Westbrooke.”
“Right,” sighed Riff, recapturing her attention. He flashed her a brief smile. “Friends then?” he asked. She hesitated, but then shook his hand with agreement, even as his smile became a grin. “So, what are we all doing tonight?” he asked cheerfully.
“We are going elsewhere,” Dominick said decisively, stepping forward to place a protective arm about Julianna’s shoulders. “You, my dear brother, are going back home, or at least somewhere far away from us tonight. If there’s anything else, it can wait until tomorrow. Understood?”
“Does my battered body have a choice?” Riff asked, tossing a mischievous look over his shoulder as he turned to leave. “But if I may make a suggestion, skip the frozen lake idea next time. It would have been even worse if you decided to...”
“Good night, Riff!” he replied emphatically.
Riff’s amused laughter echoed as he vanished in a brief flash of light.
Always a comedian! thought Dominick, turning upon hearing Julianna laugh softly.
“A bit too incorrigible for his own good, isn’t he?” she told her curious companion.
“Mildly put,” he agreed, smiling slowly as he reached forward to lift her off the ground. “Now then, my lady, I believe I suggested earlier for us to return to our dream castle.”
“Ready to leave when you are,” she replied, hugging him closer as the scenery about them vanished, soon replaced by the walls of their castle room.
Julianna expected him to place her on the bed, as he often did when they arrived here, but instead, he set her down in one of the chairs by the window. Before she could say a word, he knelt beside her, gently holding her hand.
“Julianna, are you sure you’re all right?” he asked softly. “Riff didn’t... hurt you in any way?” Knowing instantly what he referred to, she shook her head. “Thank Chavernos,” he sighed. “Even so, you must be shaken up.”
“I was afraid,” she admitted. “I didn’t know it was your brother, and even if I had, I would have been frightened by his earlier actions. Even though he did stop trying to seduce me to listen to reason at one point, I’m afraid I wasn’t too sorry when you gave him a few good punches, after the way he treated me initially.”
Dominick smirked slightly. “Well, he asked for it.” Brushing a curl from her cheek, he added, “But I promise I’d never vent my anger on you like that. I’d only do what’s necessary to protect you from any who might hurt you, and especially other men. There are things about you that I refuse to share with them.”
“I’d never want to share what we have with anyone else,” she agreed. “I love you, Dominick, and you’re the only one I can ever see in that way.”
“How fortunate the feeling is mutual, my lady,” he whispered with a smile, leaning forward to kiss her. Shutting her eyes, she welcomed his gentle touch to wipe away the recent events.
Not breaking the kiss, he stood up to draw her from the chair, sweeping her into his arms again, and carrying her to the bed. As he placed her atop the covers before sitting alongside of her, she couldn’t help noticing the interest in his eyes.
“I conjured this dress up earlier, thinking it was you in that room with me,” she explained. “That was before I realized it was a stranger, of course, and then...” Her voice trailed off, as he reached forward to clasp her hands.
“What did happen?” he asked quietly.
Julianna told him all, but stressed that Riff had started to back down just before he’d arrived. His earlier behavior at their initial meeting was still enough to magnify his anger against his brother. Just the thought of Riff trying to put his hands on her made Dominick want to go after his departed sibling. But for now, he knew that any dealings with him would have to wait.
“Come here, love,” he said gently, holding his arms out to her, which she accepted gladly. Clasping her tightly in his protective embrace, Dominick stroked the long hair streaming down her back, kissing her cheek as she held him tightly.
“I know nothing happened,” she stammered, “but at first, it reminded me of that incident with Daffordshire, and I didn’t know who he was. I was afraid you wouldn’t come for me, and that he might...”
“Shhh, it’s all right, love,” he whispered. “You’re safe with me now, and no one can hurt you.”
He kissed her eyes, while smoothing back the curls from her forehead. Slowly, she began to respond, moving her head to welcome his kiss. His lips brushed hers tenderly, as light as the wind. While she understood his extra attentiveness to her earlier fears, another part of her craved more.
“Dominick, I’m not afraid with you,” she whispered against him. His eyes met hers, questioning them as her trembling hand reached up to touch his cheek. “Please... love me like you always do.”
Sensing an unspoken need for comfort within her words, a soft smi
le crossed his expression. “If you’re certain, let it be as my lady wishes,” he replied, pulling her close to kiss her more passionately. The flames of their ever-present desire for each other kindled anew, burning away the bad memories.
Cradling her face gently, Dominick caressed her as his kisses deepened, his mouth teasing hers open. A soft moan escaped her, spurring him to pull her closer, his hands stroking upwards. With the low-cut back of the dress, his hands instantly came in contact with her bared skin, even before they slid within to reach what was still hidden.
Julianna gave a short gasp against his kisses as the dress fell away, feeling his hands cover the softness of her breasts, warming and awakening them as his kisses traveled along her neck to earn a greater response.
“So beautiful,” he murmured, still caressing her as he held her. Raising her chin for a moment, Dominick caught her gaze, allowing her to see the protective gleam in his own eyes. “I promise, my love, I’ll let no other touch you again as my foolish brother did tonight. This which is between us is ours alone... forever.”
Kissing her passionately to emphasize his words, she responded sweetly in kind, feeling that the bond between them had only grown stronger.
As if having read her thoughts, which of course she knew he could, he flashed her a smile, kissing her deeply once more before his kisses traveled lower.
She arched back in pleasure as his mouth warmly fell to her breasts that he’d just inflamed with his touch, her hands clutching his shoulders while he stroked her bare back. All memories of Riff’s actions were erased, replaced by Dominick’s loving caresses, as his mouth gradually sought hers again.
Impishly, she began tugging at his shirt, sliding it off his shoulders, to feel his skin grow heated beneath her touch. As her hands drew along his chest and lower, his breathing became ragged, while his eyes blazed fire.
His kisses held the same fire, consuming her as she entwined her arms about his neck. Easing the dress from her completely, Dominick’s kisses trailed down the length of her, casting the thin fabric aside. Julianna felt rapture from his ardent kisses, feeling an intensity of possession from him that surely stemmed from what happened earlier.