I looked at him. I waited for him to continue, which he did.
“We need to discuss the legalities of marriage.”He was so serious. I,on the other hand, had to keep from laughing.
With all that we had been through. He wanted to discuss legalities. I couldn’t wait to hear this. I think he was waiting for a response from me.
“Ok, go on?”I prompted him.
“That’s it? Go on? Rain, this is serious.”He seemed annoyed.
“Dominick, I understand that us getting married is serious, but to discuss legalities, as you put it, is sort of………..well, a waste of our morning together.”
“Rain, why are you being so causal about this?”
“Because it is. You already kidnapped me. That was illegal and look how that turned out. Now I’m pregnant and we’re getting married. I don’t see your point in ruining our perfect morning to discuss things that are very boring to me.”
“We need to discuss the financial legality of our marriage, Rain. Do you understand now?”
“I understand it and I understood it two minutes ago. Boring.”I smiled.
He growled and shook his head.
“C’mon, Dominick. Stop! You’re making a much bigger deal of this than it actually is.”Now I was the one that was annoyed.
“It is a big deal.”
“No. It’s very simple. If we were to divorce, which I highly doubt will ever happen, but if it did; I don’t need anything from you to live, I have my own business and I have money from my dad’s firm. You have your own business. Which will go back to normal once we figure out who tried to hurt my dad. That belongs to you. As far as our children are concerned we are both financially stable to take care of them. Whether we are together or apart they’ll be fine. Now if I die prematurely……………”
“Don’t talk about that!”He snapped.
“This is‘the important’that we need to talk about. You brought it up. Now you're going to listen. If I should die, then all of my assets go to our children and you will have full custody of them. If you should die then all of your assets should go to our children and of course I get custody. You see simple.”I sat there naked and satisfied. In more ways than one.
He gave me a blank look, but then his face soften and relaxed.
“You make everything so easy. You look at things so differently than most people.”
“I don’t know about that, but I do know one thing. Well, two things.”
“What’s that, baby?”He smiled.
“I know I love you. And that I’m starving.”I giggled and Dominick laughed as well.
“Okay, I get it. I need to feed you.”He kissed my temple as he spoke.
I smiled.“Yes, Mr. Kane you need to feed me and after this conversation, I assuming you probably need some coffee.
“You’ve got that right, baby.”Dominick put his sweats on over his sexy naked body. He left the room to head downstairs to get our breakfast.
He came back upstairs with a tray and placed it on the bed. I grabbed a warm croissant and started to pick at it. Dominick knew that I wanted to discuss something with him. He was right. I wanted to discuss the situation in the boardroom that was not mentioned since it happened. I wanted the truth or I would definitely make him wait to marry me. I wasn’t trying to be difficult or trying to give him mixed signals, but it needed to be discussed and out of the way before we said‘I do’.
“Rain, what’s on your mind?”He opened up the conversation.
“I want to know why you had your arms around that bitch in the boardroom the other day. And I want the truth or let’s just say I will have to postpone the wedding until you tell me.”I looked at him and he knew there was no getting around this conversation or the explanation I was looking for.
He sighed deeply.“It was nothing. I told you that.”
“Nothing, is running into her on the street and you going in the opposite direction to avoid her. That little embrace was not nothing. So do you want to tell me the truth or should I call Darian for her version?”
He dropped his head, shook it from left to right in defeat and then threw his napkin down on the tray. He got up to address me.
“Can’t you just leave it alone for now?”
“No. Well, unless you’re changing your mind about that very long engagement, Kane?”
He grinned and he knew I would win.
“Okay. You win. Darian told me some things that she knew I wouldn’t like and I blew up at her. She said she was so sorry for the trouble that she had caused. She appeared inconsolable, so I gave her a tissue and she grabbed on to me. I tried to calm her down and that’s when you walked in.”
“So tell me, what was her sad sob story that you obviously fell for, Dominick?”I was cold and unfeeling.
“Rain, she said that she started to see someone at the firm. I’m not sure of the attorney’s name, but she had met him for drinks and they began to date casually. She then said one evening that she had to be in the city, she stopped by the firm and he was on his way out with one of the secretaries in the building. She said she was shocked. She thought that even though they were starting out slow, they had started to build on the casual part of their relationship and we going to have something more.”He explained.
“Then what happened?”
“Well, apparently she followed them and they ended up at a hotel together. Darian was beside herself. So she went into the bar at the hotel to wait to see what would happen next.”
“How pathetic? Was she stupid? They went to a hotel. What did she think was going to happen next?”
Dominick seemed frustrated.“Will you let me continue?”
“Go on.”
“Anyway, she was at the bar in the hotel, visibly upset, when Michael walked in.”
“Raven’s Michael?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And they started talking to one another and found out that they were both in a bad place in their lives at the moment and……”
“Don’t tell me they slept together?”
“Are you going to let me finish, Rain?
“Sorry, go ahead, finish.”
“No, they didn’t sleep together at first, but apparently after several weeks of meeting one another and talking with each other, they moved further into a relationship. He comforted her and she comforted him.”
“Well, as much as I don't like it, it does make sense. She was having man issues with someone at the firm and Mike was having issues with Raven.”
“Yes, but there’s more, baby?”
“What could be worse than those two fucking each other behind Raven’s back?”
He gave me a blank stare, because of my blatant statement.
“What? It’s the ugly truth?”
“Still, did you have to be so crude?”
“Yeah, sorry, but when it comes to Darian, she brings out the worst in me. Now, go on.”
He continued.
“She said that although she had no expectations with Michael, because he was marrying Raven and because they got together in a rebound situation, she found herself falling for him.”
“Not good.”
“Anyway, he told her that he and Raven broke up and they were living apart, so she thought that meant he would further his relationship with her.”
“Did he?”
“Not exactly.”
“What do you mean not exactly?”Now I was worried.
“Apparently, she was not the only woman Michael was finding comfort with.”
“Holy shit? Who else was he fu….., having an affair with?”
“Darian said she didn’t know, but she said the woman had red hair?”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.”
“That bitch really knows how to lie and turn on the waterworks.”
“Come again?”Dominick seemed perplexed.
“She has you believing that she isn't the one who hurt my dad. She came to you
with her bullshit story and you bought all of it. I’m surprised at you, Dominick.”It was very clear to me what Darian was doing in the boardroom that day.
“What are you talking about, Rain?”
“Darian is a very sly woman. I’ll give her that, she sucks in the romance game. She lost some attorney at the firm to someone else. Then she tried to dig her claws into Mike and when that didn't work, she created a nonexistent redhead to deflect the evidence of what she did away from herself.”
“So you don’t think Mike cheated on Darian?”
“No, Mike cheated on Raven, not on Darian. She’s not even significant in this situation. She decided to go after a man that was spoken for and when it didn't work out she snapped and she wanted to hurt my sister by injuring or worse killing our dad. She probably thought that if my dad was out of commission she would have more time with Michael and Raven would be too busy to notice, because she would be at the office working extra hard with my dad in a hospital bed. What she didn’t count on was that I owned the big chunk of the company and that my dad would join forces with you to catch the criminal. Interestingly enough, she came to you with her story after my announcement at the art show. She had no choice, but to make you think she was the victim in all of this, but in reality she was the one who caused the accident in the first place.”
“Rain, I’m not sure about that. Darian was clearly upset that day she came to me.”
“Dominick, wake up. She was upset because she lost again. She was scared of being caught, so she decided to create this elaborate story to place suspicion on an unknown redhead, when in fact she is the piece of shit that tried to harm my dad.”I was upset and didn't want to discuss her any further. I wasn't buying her excuses and I hoped that Dominick would side with me, as well.
“I guess that could be another possibility, Rain. I hadn’t really thought of that.”
“Well, I don’t trust her in the slightest and I wouldn't put anything past her. I wish I were wrong, but I truly believe she will be caught for what she did and I want to be there when they arrest her.”
There was a long awkward silence in the room. Then Dominick got up the courage to speak to me.
“Rain, are we good, now?”He looked at me for reassurance.
“Yeah, were good.”I smiled at him briefly.
“So,does this mean you're going to marry me as planned?”He had playful smile on his face.
“Yes, it means that I’m marrying you as planned, but on one condition.”
“Anything for you, Rain.”
“No more talk of Darian Mann, no more consoling her and no more lies. Tell me everything, even if you think it will hurt me. I’m not breakable, Dominick. I can handle it and whatever I can’t handle, I have you to help me get through it. Deal?”I waited for his answer.
“That was more than one condition, baby.”He teased.
“I’m waiting.”
“Deal.”He walked over to me and kissed me hard.“You drive a hard bargain, Miss Medici.”
“I learned from the best.”I smiled and took his mouth again.
The rest of the day we discussed the wedding and when to get married. We decided we would have the ceremony on the beach near Dominick’s shore house. We also agreed to do it on Memorial Day weekend. This would allow us plenty of time to make our arrangements, get my dad healed and home, fly Mema and Antonio out from Capri, plus Daniel would be done with classes at the center for this semester.
It would also give us a little time to work on the three people in my life that weren’t getting along; Tommy, Mike and Raven. Although after what Dominick revealed to me about Darian and Mike. I believed things were going to get more complicated before they had gotten any better.
We planned to have the ceremony in the morning and as long as the weather held up, we would have a brunch on Dominick’s patio at the shore house. Dominick agreed everyone should come down and stay with us. Then we would begin our honeymoon once they left.
It couldn't be more perfect. Let’s just hope the rest of our family and friends cooperated.
****
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW………..
The next couple of weeks went by fast. I purchased my wedding dress. It was a simple decision, but being six months pregnant with twins also made my decision very limited. I chose a white floor length dress that had a silk shell overlaid with Italian lace. The top of the dress was strapless. It was fitted over the chest. It flowed down over my baby bump loosely, but had a straight bottom, not A-lined.
I also chose simple white roses for my bouquets and for the flowers that would be on the tables at the brunch. Speaking of the brunch, I called Dominick’s favorite diner on the island and had everything catered by them. We made special arrangements for Daniel to be able to be wheeled out onto the sand and be part of the ceremony. Dominick asked him to be his Best Man and I asked Raven to be my Maid of Honor. Of course, they both happily accepted, except Raven was very much distracted by her personal life. I tried to discuss it with her, but she was in shutdown mode and that wasn’t the time to push her.
I resigned myself to let the people in my life handle their own problems. I wanted to remember everything about my wedding day, including all of the preparation leading up to our special moment. I even took photos of each step and decided to create an album that I would give to Dominick as part of my wedding gift to him. The other part of the gift was perfect, I just hoped he would accept it once I gave it to him.
The weekend of our nuptials finally arrived. Dominick and I drove down on Monday and the rest of our family and friends arrived separately on all different days. The shore house was quite large. We put Raven in one of the second floor bedrooms. Michael and Tommy who were barely talking decided to stay at separate hotels on the island. Daniel stayed on the main level. Everyone else was scattered among the other guest rooms. Dominick and I slept together. We didn’t buy into all of that superstitious bullshit. Seeing me before the wedding wouldn’t make or break us. Who we were, how we felt about one another and the way we treated each other is what mattered most.
Everything was ready. I did give in to not have Dominick see me in my dress until I walked out onto the beach. Mainly because Mema, Anna and Raven wore me down. We were up very early Sunday morning, May 30th.
Tommy agreed to take the pictures. I wouldn’t want anyone else to do it. I knew he would get it right. I wanted casual and carefree; nothing stuffy.
We decided to get married as the sun came up on the island. A make shift boardwalk with huge hurricane lanterns lined it’s way. The boards started at Dominick’s patio and were woven through the sand toward the water.
Daniel managed very easily with it and was seated at his brother’s side. My sister was also standing at the front of the makeshift alter. My dad was with me in the house as we waited for our cue.
“Rain, are you ready for this, sweetie.”My dad turned to me and examined my emotions.
“Yeah, daddy. I’m ready.”I whispered.
“Did you give Dominick the papers?”He asked.
“I decided to make it my wedding gift to him.”
“I see. I hope he is okay with your decision. I proud of you, Rain. I love you very much. You know that, right?”He looked into my eyes intensely.
“Of course, I know. I love you, too. I hope he agrees with my decision, once her finds out. But there’s nothing much he can do about it. I mean how angry can he get? It’s not like he’ll divorce me once he finds out what I did.”I smiled.
“He’d be crazy if he did.”He smiled and kissed my cheek.
The music started. I smiled and my tears began to build. It was Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years. Perfect choice, Dominick.
“Ready to do this?”I asked my dad.
“Ready as I’ll ever be, to give you away to Dominick Kane.”
I giggled as my dad and I started to walk out on the candlelit boards.
Dominick looked amazing and impatien
t. He had on tuxedo pants. He was barefoot, as I requested. He wore a tuxedo shirt, sleeves flipped up, untucked and no tie. I wanted casual and that’s just what I got. The alter was simple and beautifully elegant. A circle of seashells and hundreds of small votive candles and tea lights glimmered where we would say our vows. It was as if I was walking towards a dream. It was magically.
Once I reached Dominick, the traditional part of the ceremony began. Well, there was some traditional and some not so traditional, all of us being barefoot and our personal vows that were not to be revealed to each other until now, made for the not so conventional part of our wedding day. I couldn't be happier.
Identity: …………..People aren’t always who you believe them to be (Miss Taken Identity Series Book 2) Page 40