Rose's Point of View
"So are you honestly going to make me ask what's going on with you and that older Dhamphir?"
That's Abe Mazur for you; blunt and straight to the point.
"I honestly think it isn't any of your business Old Man."
"I'm your father Rosemarie, everything you do is my business."
I was trying very hard not to lose my temper with him, but who the hell does he think he is showing up out of the blue and demanding to know all the intimate details of my life. If Eric Dragomir had been asking me these questions I might have felt compelled to answer, but then again Eric practically raised me, he wasn't the show father Abe tended to be.
I think Abe sensed he'd get no more out of me on the matter because with a disgruntled snort he finally let it go.
"Well either way, I only asked because I just came from court and I thought you should know I ran into Adrian."
Oh no.
"What?"
Adrian Ivashkov was the Queen's nephew and another source of tension between Dimitri and me. I'd met him at the Ski Resort near Spokane and from that moment on, he's made it his mission in life to make me fall in love with him. The problem with that is he's nothing more than a womanizing alcoholic with his own set of obvious daddy issues.
Okay, maybe that's not entirely fair. In truth Adrian is a nice enough guy and I know his feelings are genuine. But just being around him is a lot of work, and even if it weren't, I love Dimitri. After Spokane and when Dimitri left, Adrian had been a pretty good friend to me. He was supportive and a good listener, but despite his best efforts my heart just wasn't in it, not that he let that stop him. He was as persistent as ever right up until the plane crash, but I think after the fall out he realized the last thing I needed was a romantic entanglement, and for the first time in over a year he backed off. Somehow I had a feeling that was about to change.
"I ran into Adrian while visiting with Tatianna, and we got to talking about you. He hadn't heard you and Lissa decided on attending Lehigh, but he was very pleased when he found out. Needless to say, Tatianna was more than willing to pull a few strings for her favorite nephew, so I wouldn't be surprised if you were to run into him any day now."
Well isn't that just peachy.
"He's a wonderful young man Rose, and nothing would please the Queen more than to see you two get together." I had spent most of this conversation staring at my plate but something in his tone made me curious. Looking at the mischievous twinkle in his eye, I suddenly felt nervous.
"That's not going to happen Old Man."
"Because you're smitten with that older Dhamphir, yes?" I seriously hated when he acted like this, as if he were all powerful and knowing. The man calls on my birthday and Christmas, what makes him think he knows anything about me?
"No, it's because Adrian isn't my type." I growled, growing more annoyed by the second.
"No of course he's not. Your type is of a more burley, eastern European nature." He smirked, clearly enjoying my reactions.
"Oh for the love of God, would you give it a rest already!" I was aware that I was shouting in the middle of a restaurant, but I couldn't really bring myself to care.
"Fine, I admit it. I don't want Adrian, I want Dimitri. Are you happy now? Are you satisfied?" Judging by the smug look on his face, he was.
"I'd be happier if you set your sights on someone more realistic Flower. You're young and I won't spoil your fun right now, but surely you must understand that your future is with someone like Adrian."
"My future is with whomever I want it to be!" I snapped, drawing even more attention to myself.
Sitting here, having this conversation right now, it was exactly what Dimitri had always been so worried about, and for the first time since he left I truly understood his fears. However the thing Dimitri failed to take into consideration is that being the daughter of Abe Mazur has its advantages, one of which was that I inherited his stubbornness. I was my own person, with my own dreams, and I'd be damned if I let my father or anyone else tell me who I could love.
The look of shock on Abe's face made it clear he hadn't expected such a hostile reaction out of me, which just goes to show how little he actually knows about me.
"You're making a scene Rosemarie, now sit down."
Huh. I hadn't even realized I was standing, but now that I was, I was ready to go.
"No, I will not sit down. Now you listen here Old Man and you listen well. You can go back and tell the Queen and Adrian and anyone else for that matter that what I do and who I end up with is none of your damn business. It's my life and I will live and love the way I see fit, and no amount of social pressure or expectations will ever convince me otherwise."
I didn't stick around long enough to hear what he had to say. He had shown up here, ruining a perfectly good morning, and the only thing I wanted to do now was find the one person who could turn this day around.
Dimitri's Point of View
I had just stepped out of the shower when I heard the rapid sound of a tiny fist hammering away at the door. I immediately knew it was Rose, I'd heard that sound enough time's at the academy.
Ivan was sitting on the bed looking curiously at the door, and when I swung it open Rose hurled herself into my arms. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her shooting Ivan a worried look. Apparently breakfast with her father hadn't gone over so well. I pulled her over to my bed and gently sat her down.
"Roza, what's wrong." I asked her, gently rubbing her back.
"My dad's a dick." She replied, causing Ivan to involuntarily chuckle. Her head shot up at the sound and she gave him a look that would kill. He visibly gulped before standing.
"My bad. Look, I'm just gonna go…be anywhere else." He said before quickly leaving the room. With Ivan gone, I took Rose more intimately in my arms and she gladly curled herself into my body. I waited a few minutes for her to calm down, knowing she'd talk to me when she was ready, and after about five minutes she was.
"Do you remember our cabin at St. Vladimir's?" she asked.
How could I forget, it was the place where we first made love.
*Flashback*
"Dimitri I don't do surprises!" Rose whined as I led her blindfolded up the path to the cabin. I had found the place while on patrol a few weeks ago and thought it would be the perfect escape for Roza and me.
"I can guarantee you; this is the kind of surprise you'll like." I promised, hoping to ease her mind.
"Is it a sexy surprise, because that's my favorite kind…" She purred, causing my pants to tighten in response. Everything Roza did oozed sex appeal and it was getting harder and harder to resist her.
"It could be…if you'd like it to be." I whispered, my voice low and husky.
"Oh I'd like." She murmured in my ear.
Unsurprisingly Rose had much less self-control than me, and she was constantly challenging me to take our relationship to the next level. I'd been putting it off for a while now, but not for lack of my own need. I wanted nothing more than to ravish her body, but I also knew she was a virgin and the last thing I wanted was for her to do something she might regret.
When we reached the front door, I gently pulled her to a stop. She was bouncing up and down in eager anticipation so I opened the door and carefully removed the blindfold. The moment she regained sight she gasped.
"Dimitri…it's beautiful!"
I wanted the first time she saw this place to be special so I'd taking extra care to cover every flat surface in candles. I'd arranged several bouquets of Lilies around the table tops and since it was November, there was a warm glow radiating from the fireplace.
"Do you like it?" I asked hesitantly. I hadn't realized until just now how important her answer was for me. I wanted her to love this place as much as I did.
"I love it." She whispered, turning her body into my arms. She reached up and snaked both arms around my neck, pulling me down to her height for a passionate kiss. I hadn't meant to let myself get so carried away, but the enthusiasm with which she kissed me was overwhelming. All at once my senses were over taken and the only thing that existed in this world was Roza.
Somehow we had managed to find ourselves on the small cabin bed and Rose deftly removed my shirt. As our lips broke apart to pull the shirt over my head, I was reminded of the gravity of our situation and I pulled back slightly to look at her. Sensing what I was about to say she pouted adorably before cutting me off.
"Look, I know what you're about to say, and I'm warning you right now not to." She growled.
"I love you Dimitri, more than anyone or anything in this world. I love the way you worry about me, the way you treat me, the way you see me, and the way you listen. When I'm in your arms, it's the only time I feel like I'm where I truly belong, and I know that I could search the rest of my life and never feel again the way I feel about you. So please, for the love of God, put me out of my misery already! I want you to make love to me Dimitri, this much I am sure of."
I looked into her eyes and saw she was telling the truth. I knew she loved me and I knew she wouldn't regret it. Her eyes lit up as she saw my own fears dissolve and I fiercely grabbed her face in a kiss.
No more words were needed between us, and holding her in my arms after we made love, I knew there was no going back.
*End Flashback*
"Of course I remember the cabin Milaya, why?" She looked at me with such a pain in her eyes, I wanted to hunt Abe Mazur down and strangle him for upsetting her.
"I just wish we could have stayed in that place forever. It was safe there, like our own little world. No one could touch us there, or judge us, or tell us how we feel is wrong. "
Ahh, so that's what's bothering her. Her father doesn't approve.
"Roza, the cabin was wonderful but I much prefer the real world. I don't want to hide my love away anymore. I don't want to pretend that what we have isn't worth fighting for. I made that mistake once and I won't do it again." I made sure to look her squarely in the eye, willing her to believe in me with all that I have. Judging by the subtle tears in her eyes, I think she did. Pushing her lips fiercely against mine, she sealed my declaration with a kiss that set my whole body on fire.
I didn't know what Abe Mazur said to her, or what our future held, but that kiss told me all that I needed to know. Whatever the future held we were in this thing together.