“Thanks,” Domi said, smiling with a smile that wasn’t really a smile. “Apparently, this is how I get a boyfriend.”
“Yes! Mommy is dressed up.” Ana did a little happy dance that killed some of Domi’s ire, though it brought up a whole host of other emotions.
Marcus’ brows drew together, but Julia lifted the hand that wasn’t holding Ana’s and covered her lips, sudden mirth filling her eyes.
“Oh, dear,” Julia said, clearly trying not to laugh. The expression on her face was friendlier than it had ever been, though, which was something. “I think something might have gotten a little lost in translation. One of the characters on a show we were watching got all dressed up to go on a date, and Ana had some questions.”
The anger Domi had been fighting drained away when she saw the pair’s reactions. Ana hadn’t been very clear on exactly how the topic of Domi getting a boyfriend came up. Obviously, it hadn’t. Her daughter had gotten the idea of a boyfriend in her head and decided Domi needed one.
Great. Was this a good segue to talk about Mitch?
No. Not tonight. Later. When she’d had some time to prepare what she was going to say and how to explain to Ana, she shouldn’t get too attached. Just in case. As if that was optional.
Sighing, Domi looked down at her daughter with loving exasperation.
“Yes, well. Let’s go inside and get dinner. Who knows? Maybe I’ll pick up a boyfriend while we’re here,” she joked.
Famous last words.
The moment they walked into the dining room, something—she didn’t know what—drew her eyes to the left of the room, even though the hostess was walking to the right, and she met Mitch’s blue gaze. Something about his expression was very off. Shocked, Domi ground to a halt as the man sitting across from Mitch turned to see what he was looking at. At the same time, Ana grabbed onto Domi’s waist, looking around her mother to see what she was looking at.
“Murse Mitch!” Ana squealed gleefully and was off and running before Domi could react.
“Ah, the famous Murse Mitch,” Marcus joked, sliding around Domi.
He didn’t seem to realize anything was wrong, though Domi could hear Rae muttering behind her, her words reflecting Domi’s thoughts exactly.
“Oh, shit.”
With Ana already at Mitch’s table and Marcus and Julia following right behind, there was no choice but to join them. A helpless glance at Rae didn’t provide any answers. Her bestie looked as nonplussed as Domi felt. She shrugged at Domi, dark eyes filled with sympathy, but it wasn’t as if there was anything she could do.
Groaning internally, Domi followed the train to Mitch’s table, where Ana was holding introductions.
“This is my Daddy and my Mama Julia. She has a baby in her belly that’s going to be my little sister or brother!”
Mitch smiled at Ana, but it wasn’t his usual smile. It didn’t light up his face. Was he worried about seeing her now when he knew Domi wasn’t ready to introduce him to Ana as her boyfriend yet? Or had something been going wrong before she’d even walked into the restaurant? The way he’d looked had been weird, but that might have just been surprise at seeing her.
The man across from Mitch was beaming down at Ana. He was a total silver fox, complete with a grey beard.
“Well, aren’t ye a cute wee one?”
Holy crap, that Scottish accent was killer. Domi blinked and gave herself a little shake, and she could see Julia doing the same. The man was twice Mitch’s age but lethal with that accent and those looks and seemed to have a lot of the same charm as Mitch. Actually… she blinked again. The beard had thrown her for a moment, but the man looked a lot like Mitch.
“I’m Ana. Who are you?”
“Murse Mitch’s father,” the man said, confirming Domi’s suspicion. He held out his hand to Ana. “Gavin Craig, missy. Pleased to meet you.” The fact his last name was different from Mitch’s threw Domi for another loop, but that was hardly the thing to focus on right now.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Craig.” Ana beamed as he shook her hand like a real adult, then turned her head toward Domi and reached out her hand. “This is my mommy. She and Murse Mitch are friends.”
“Are they now?” Mr. Craig gave her a curious look as he released Ana’s hand and held it out to Domi. “And what’s your name, lass?”
“Domi, Sir,” she said automatically, reacting to the authority in his blue eyes. Shit. She wondered if he was a Dom. Was that genetic or something? Mitch’s father had the same commanding aura Mitch did when he was in Dom mode.
He also had no visible reaction to Domi’s name. A sick feeling started to churn in her stomach as Mitch sat there silently while she met his father, who clearly had no idea who she was to his son.
Chapter Twenty
Mitch
He was going to be sick.
Everything was happening too fast, right after his dad had hit him with a serious blow. He needed time to process everything but didn’t know how to get it. Not with Ana, adorably dressed as Elsa, right there with Domi, and her co-parents, who seemed only vaguely interested in him. Which was surprising, unless Domi hadn’t told them she was seeing him. Or maybe she’d only told them a vague ‘someone.’
Whatever. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that his parents were kinky. Kinky. Hell, his dad owned a BDSM club. Was meeting with Stronghold and Marquis’ owners to talk about their clubs and expanding his own club.
All this time, Mitch had thought…
Fuck.
BDSM, kink, it wasn’t the saving grace he’d thought.
He didn’t doubt for one second
