Page 146 of Ruined

She scowled. “If you’ve got something to say,say it.”

I crimped the edges of another pelmeni. “You sure you weren’t adopted? No Russian I know makes dumplings that ugly.”

She hit my shoulder with a dish towel. “Don’t be mean.”

“Just saying,” I muttered, holding up my dumpling. “This is a masterpiece. Yours look like?—”

“Don’t.”

I chuckled, and the front door opened.

Dominic’s voice carried down the hall. “It smells like a bakery in here.”

“Take off your shoes!” Delilah yelled.

Dominic walked into the kitchen, shoeless and his tie loosened, a handful of small, shiny-wrapped gifts under his arm. His hazel eyes zeroed in on me.

“What’s that?”

I shrugged, rolling out the next piece of dough. “I promised you I’d make you pelmeni.”

Dominic grinned, strolling to me. He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “You spoil me, sweetheart.”

I grunted.

Dominic set the gifts down on the counter, his grin turning sly as he glanced between me and the neat rows of pelmeni. “So thoughtful. You’re always looking out for me, huh?”

I gave him a look.

He hummed, plucking a finished dumpling off the tray. “I got some tragic news about an employee this morning. One of my floor managers. Frank. You remember Frank?”

I stilled. “Yep.”

Dominic’s lips twitched. “Yeah. Well, he had a bad night. Broke his neck. His body was found outside the city.”

I met his gaze, unblinking.

Frank had it coming. The son of a bitch ran his mouth to Alexei. He could’ve killed Dominic. I’d dragged a confession out of him before I put him down like the rat he was. I didn’t lose a wink of sleep over it.

He placed the dumpling back on the tray. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

I shrugged. “Must’ve fallen into the wrong company.”

“Guess so,” he said.

“He’ll be missed.”Not by me.

Dominic’s hand stroked my back, and he straightened. “Yeah, but you know me. I’m all about moving forward, and dinner smells fantastic, so let’s not waste it.”

“Plates are in the cabinet,” Delilah muttered.

I glanced up at Dominic, who pulled out dishes. Santino appeared in the doorway, jerking his head toward Dominic. “Let’s talk in the office.”

As soon as they left the kitchen, Delilah turned to me. “Who is Frank?”

I dropped another finished dumpling onto the tray. “Don’t worry about it.”

Her brow furrowed. “Are you doing okay?”

---