"I know it's about a month away, but are we doing anything for Christmas?" Dominic asks from behind me as I run my hand over the base of a tree. "If you'd like to, I haven't done anything for Christmas since the last Christmas with my dad." I turn to look at him, his eyes are soft and his lips hold a sad smile.

"Would it upset you if we did?" He walks up and wraps an arm around my shoulders and places a kiss to the top of my head. "No," I reply, wrapping my arms around his torso. "Then it's decided, we'll have our first Christmas together this year. Do you want to have Christmas at my house or yours?"

I push him to walk again. "It doesn't matter to me." I say. He kisses my temple in return. "We'll do it at your house. I'll need to work out how to fit all of your presents that I'm going to get you though." I playfully hit him. "You can't get me more than one." He chuckles and shakes his head.

"Watch me, kitten." I shake my head and grin goofily at him. "I love you, baby." I whisper just loud enough for him to hear. "Aw, mini bear gave me a nickname." I shake my head once more.

"Wait. Your birthday is soon, is it not?" I ask, looking up to him. "Yeah, it's December first." He points out. "But I'm not wanting to do anything." I groan, stopping and poking him in the abs. "You're turning twenty five, we're doing something."

~oOo~

"My father misses you." Dominic says out of the blue. I look up to his icy eyes and smile. "I miss him, he's a great man." I grip my coffee cup, trying to warm up my hands. "He says you remind him of my mother." He states, looking down at the table. "Is that bad?"

"I was thinking... Do you want to get a tattoo with me? That could be my birthday present." I reach across the table, resting my hand on his arm, under his jacket sleeve so there's skin to skin contact "What would we even get?"

"Hearts? I don't know. Something cute if they're matching?" I softly chuckle as I feel my heart getting ready to burst. "How about we get our initials?" He smiles and places his hand over mine. "We'll do that." We set a date for the tattoos in a couple of weeks. Then we went out walking again.

"Oh, I need to go grocery shopping." I say, digging through my pockets for my money. "I'll pay, you didn't bring any money with you." Dominic says, linking our arms together. We walk to the closet grocery store. He pushes the cart while I went around picking food.

I grab the essential things first, then I go grab some wine and snacks. "Here you go," Dominic says, handing the cashier woman the money for the food and such. "Is this your sister?' she asks, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"No, she's my girlfriend." He replies, putting his wallet back into his pocket. I go and pick up the bags, grabbing his hand when I'm finished. "I'm sure she won't mind if we 'hang out,' will you?" She turns to me. I look over her face and frown.

"I would mind." Dominic says before I answer. "I don't want to hang out with anyone but my girlfriend." He says coldly to her. "But, daddy, I think-" Before she can finish I cut her off. "Have a nice day." I drag Dominic out of the store and back to his car.

"So, daddy," I say bitterly. "What are we doing now?" He laughs and pins me to the car while taking the bags from me. "Don't get all sore. Who did I make love to earlier?" He asks, pressing his body to mine. His free hand reaches up and caresses my face.

"Me." I whisper, looking down. "You. And who do I love more than anything in the world?" His hand brings my chin up to meet my eyes. "Me." I say quieter this time. "You, babygirl. You're the only girl in the world to me." I stand up on my tip toes to kiss him.

"Now get in that car, woman." He says with a smug grin as he slaps my ass. I jump and hit his arm. "Calm down, we're in public." He just chuckles and opens the door for me. Once I get in he shuts the door and gets in the driver's side.

I laugh to myself and reach over to hold his hand. "What are you wanting to do?' He asks me. I think about it and all i really want to do is be with him. "Can we cuddle and stuff?" He nods and kisses my fingers, one by one.

We first go to pick up more snacks and drinks, then we go to his house so he can grab some comfy clothes to change into at my house. Finally we're pulling up to my house, he carries the bags, o carry his clothes and I open the door for him.

He sets them all down on the counter then begins microwaving the Hot Pockets and things like that while I take the wine and candy to the living room. He soon walks in with a couple plates full of the finger food, setting them down on the table next to the other food and wine.

He picks out the movie 'Pearl Harbor' because he said he's never watched it before, then he goes and changes. After he gets back he opens the wine, pouring us both some, then he lies down on the couch and pulls me on top of him.

"I love you, bear." He whispers, nuzzling his face into my hair. "I love you, Dominic." I whisper back to him, pressing my lips to his. He starts the movie and presses a kiss to my forehead. My eyelids start to get heavy within minutes into the movie. It doesn't help when Dominic moves his hand to play with my hair, sending me into a deep sleep.

~oOo~

I wake up in my bed and Dominic isn't beside me. I push the covers off to see I've been changed into some shorts and a tank top. Getting up, I groan at the pain shooting through my thigh. I open my door and walk to the living room. Dominic's lying on the couch with his arms tucked behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

"Are you okay?" I ask, taking a seat on the floor next to the couch. He reaches over, not saying anything, and pulls my head down onto his chest. I peek up at him, seeing that his eyes still haven't left the ceiling. A single tear runs down his cheek and I can't help but wonder who he's crying for.

Could it be Darry? Or Nick? Possibly the fact that his closet friends betrayed him? Or maybe he just wants a normal life. Maybe that's why he insists on being at my house, so he's not reminded of the fact that he's the Russian mafia leader. It could be the fact that he has scars on his hips from carrying guns around his entire life.

It's funny, because I know he loves this life, but I know he hates it with a passion. I know he wants to love someone the normal way, without having to worry about protecting them from murderers. I know he doesn't want to be a murderer himself.

He wants a normal family, a normal life, normal friends.

"Would you think any less of me if I left this life? Retired from the mafia before I turn twenty five." I shake my head, not wanting to say anything because now I know he doesn't want to leave because of me. "I don't know how my father did it for so many years. I've been doing it for almost five years and I think about killing myself every night.

"I know that if I do, the mafia will fall apart. I'll be letting down generations of my family." He pauses to take a shakey deep breath. "I hate this life, Willamina. I hate that you're always in danger, I hate that one of our children are going to have to take over, I hate that at any moment I could be killed them you'd be left to run the mafia."

He gently cups my cheeks and makes me look at him. "I hate this life, but I don't have the heart to leave it." A tear escapes my eye and I caress his cheek. "You wouldn't hate this life if you surrounded yourself with good people. Call your father and have him help you, Dom. He's the only one who can." I whisper to him.

He gives me a small smile then he playfully pats my head. "Thanks for listening to my stupid, childish problems." I chuckle and kiss his chin. "I don't think mafia problems are stupid or childish, just saying." He laughs sadly and hugs me.

"I love you." He says to me. I lean up and give him a slow, passionate kiss. "I love you, Dominic."

(A/N)
Sorry for the wait, here's a new chapter. I'll probably be updating slowly because of school and I'm moving. So please be patient ❤