Dominic

Preparations for the actual wedding were going well. I treated the event like any other business gathering and couldn’t understand why people made such a big deal about how ‘hard’ planning a wedding was. 

That’s not to say that my life was smooth sailing. I glanced at my watch and felt my stomach tighten. Soon I’d be face-to-face with my grandparents, aunts, and uncles. I’d done my best to avoid having to interact with the family ever since I started Voss Enterprises against their advice, but my upcoming marriage was best brought to them before it happened. 

Damned outdated traditions. 

I picked moodily at a frayed corner of the chair fabric. Grandma Josephine’s parlor could use some major renovations. The paint had been white at one point, but now faded to a dingy grey. The windows were so scratched that they provided no view of the outdoors. And don’t get me started on the carpet with dark trails leading to each door. I made a mental note to bring it up another day and stared at the door in front of me, distracting myself by looking for images in the wood grain.

Viv didn’t look any happier sitting in the chair next to me. Maybe springing this dinner on her and running away like a coward hadn’t been the brightest way to do things, but at least it worked. 

I turned to apologize, but before I could, the door swung open and we were beckoned inside. The dining room wasn’t any nicer than the waiting area; in fact, it was even darker and dingier. Two small windows struggled to let in any natural light, and the bulbs in the overhead lights were so covered with dust they were more of a fire hazard than a light source. 

What had happened here since my parents died? When I was a kid, the family estate had glistened. Now it looked like the building died and decayed with them, despite the rest of my family still living there. It was part of the reason I’d escaped as soon as I could.

Twelve solemn pairs of eyes watched as I strode into the room with a straight spine and an air of confidence. I stopped at Viv’s place and made a show of pulling out her chair. Once she was settled, I stood at the foot of the table and made eye contact with each of my aunts and uncles. 

At the head sat my grandparents. I could feel the disapproval already thick in the air and their gaze set on me like laser sights. No sooner did the door close than the two of them rose, grizzled and greyed, but still as intimidating as they’d been when I was a child. 

“Dominic Voss! You have caused the family no end of trouble, galavanting around the city and sewing your wild oats. And now you come before us asking permission to marry a woman we’ve never met?” The eyes of Grandma Josephine seemed to burn holes through my skull in an effort to see what I was thinking. 

It was a good thing she couldn’t, because I would have been out on my ass faster than you could say ‘liar.’

“Yes, Grandmother. I’ve finally found a woman who completes my soul. She is strong, intelligent, and will serve our family well.” I stared right back, turning my own inherited fire back on her. The other family members watched the war of wills silently, their judging faces making my palms sweat. 

I saw Viv squirm uncomfortably from the corner of my eye, and moved to stand behind her. I leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Don’t be offended. They’re like this every time one of us brings someone home. It’s nothing to do with you.” 

My grandfather, Baron, sneered at me. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that you would choose to dilute the traditions of our family even further.” 

Instantly my temper flared. My hands curled into fists and my jaw set. “This has nothing to do with my mother. I’ve done just as well for myself as any of you, and so will my son when I have one. Don’t take your shame about my father’s choices out on me.” The words hissed through my teeth and the room erupted into whispers. 

“If nothing else, you inherited your father’s insolence.” Grandpa Baron slammed his fist down on the table. Grandma Josephine placed her hand over his fist and he took a deep breath. His muscles relaxed slightly. “Your grandmother and I cannot make an unbiased judgement in this matter. We leave it to the rest of the family.” 

I counted that as one victory for me. Just my aunts and uncles to go. 

I dug my heels into the dingy carpet and crossed my arms over my chest. “Vivanne and I will happily answer any questions you may have to assure you of our decision, but the wedding is already in place.” 

Honestly, I expected that to get more anger out of everyone. But I guess they were used to my antics, because six aunts and uncles sat back in their chairs and shook their heads. 

“Why did you bother coming to the family if you plan to marry this woman with or without our approval? You know the consequences should we say no.” Uncle Rock leaned over the table, his massive hands gripping the edge of the wood.

“Because I respect the family enough to give them a verdict. If that means I end up kicked out with the woman I love at my side, so be it.” 

It was a calculated risk. I maintained eye contact with Uncle Rock in silence. The air was tense, but I reminded myself that this was nothing more than a business negotiation. Each side was calling the other side’s bluff. All I had to do was keep my composure and dominate the room. 

Finally, he nodded and sat back. “Fine. You seem firm in your decision. I like a man who is willing to fight for his choices.” 

With that, I was on to the final boss. Despite being only a handful of years older than me, Uncle Morris and his beautiful wife, Aarohi, wouldn’t be easy to crack. Morris had always been the apple of my grandparents’ eye. Getting him to agree against their will would be a challenge.

I turned to face Uncle Morris and softened my stance slightly. We’d known each other since we were young boys, but I didn’t see any of our old friendship in his face. “You know I wouldn’t marry if I wasn’t serious. And if she ends up being any trouble, I’ll put the family first. No offense, sweetheart.” 

A lie and a truth. They balanced each other out. Well…half a truth. I would be turning Vivianne loose, but her behavior didn’t matter. 

My appeal to loyalty seemed to work. Uncle Morris squinted at me, but relaxed after a few moments. “Fine. But if she causes trouble, I’m holding you to that.” 

Uncle Baron looked around the table, giving one more chance for the family to grill me. Still silence dominated the room. Finally, he stood with Grandma Josephine at his side. “It seems you’ve made your case, Nicky. But let’s eat before the food gets cold.” 

As much as I wanted to pump my fist in the air and declare my victory, I only allowed a small smile to cross my lips. I bowed my head and pressed my fist to my heart. “Thank you. I’m sure you’ll all come to love Vivianne as much as I do.”

Only then did I take my seat beside Viv, hoping that she wouldn’t fill me full of lead the minute we left the estate. Her hands were trembling as she lifted a forkful of scalloped potatoes to her thin lips, and she wouldn’t look me in the eye.

Yup. I was dead.

None of my family acknowledged Viv the entire meal, and hardly anyone even spoke. I wanted nothing more than to shovel my food into my mouth and get out of there as fast as possible. But I deliberately maintained the same pace as Viv so we’d finish at the same time.

As soon as she put the last bite in her mouth and set down her fork, I looked to the head of the table. “Thank you for the meal. If you’ll excuse us, Vivianne and I need to get back to planning our wedding. We only have a few days left before the ceremony.”

My grandfather flipped his hand toward the door, and Viv and I hurried back into the depressing parlor. However, with that stumbling block out of the way, everything seemed just a little bit lighter. 

It didn’t hit me until I was halfway back to the office that I could easily have been cut out of the family if they called my bluff . I never thought I’d be the kind of man that would put money over my family, but here I was. 

Viv sat silently in the passenger seat, staring out the window at the city around us. I felt guilty for the way my family had treated her, but didn’t really know what to say. Would she even appreciate an apology from me?

I decided it couldn’t make things worse. “Sorry about my family. They’re assholes.” 

“Yes, they are. I see where you get it from.” 

Okay, I probably deserved that one. Before I could think of a reply, my phone rang. I glanced down at the screen and saw Enzo’s name staring back at me. I pressed the ‘answer’ button on my steering wheel. “Hey, what’s up?” 

“How’d it go? Did you get all those greybeards to let you marry Viv? Or am I going to have to smuggle you out of the country?” 

I rolled my eyes. I knew Enzo was just trying to keep the discussion lighthearted in case things hadn’t gone my way when I told my extended family about my upcoming wedding. Not that he needed to. “Sure did. You better get that suit fitting scheduled, because you can’t be my best man in the same suit you wore to my parents’ funeral five years ago.” 

“I know, I know. But I also didn’t want to spend the money on a suit I’ll probably not pull out of my closet again until they bury me in it, until I was positive I’d need it.” He began to laugh, and I heard the jingling of keys from the other end. 

“You still going to meet me at D’Italia tomorrow? I only have an hour and a half before my meeting with Entertainment Upgraded to discuss upgrades to the Miami property’s sound system. I can’t stay late if you aren’t there on time to eat.” 

The sound of a car engine roaring to life took over the line, followed by Enzo’s voice again. “You know it! I’ll be there fifteen minutes early, even! You can tell me how it went down with the council while we eat!”

“If we get the private room, then yes. But I’m not risking talking wedding business in the middle of a busy restaurant. I’m already on thin ice with Viv as it is.” I glanced over to her and, surprise surprise, she was glaring at me. “The last thing I need is the paparazzi hearing anything I don’t want them to.” The thought gave me a headache.