He ground his teeth, picked up his service weapon from the table, and headed upstairs. Ranger was already in his dog bed by the back door and half-heartedly wagged his tail when Dominic walked by.
He went through to his bedroom on the ground floor, placed the Glock on the bedside table. If Ava wanted to sleep on the couch that was her problem.
She’d be fine.
He’d slept there plenty of times, but it still felt weird to have anyone, let alone a woman he found attractive, sleeping so close by. On the couch. “Protecting” him.
He pressed redial on his cell.
“Dominic, how are you, son?” It probably wasn’t his father’s fault that he perpetually sounded like he was on the campaign trail.
“Pretty good, considering.” Dominic forced himself to smile because people could hear smiles even on the phone. “Been a hell of a week.”
“I called you after the shooting on Tuesday.”
“Sorry, Pop, I meant to call back but I got tied up at work.”
“Joshua was asking after you…”
Dominic had been ecstatic when his godfather had won the election, it was only afterward it had become awkward. “Please give him my regards.”
“You could pick up the phone yourself you know. Better yet, pay the man a visit.”
Tension pulled at the muscles across Dominic’s chest. “I’ll try to do that the next time I’m in DC.” And he probably did owe the man a visit. It just felt so incredibly freaking awkward visiting his godfather at the White House.
“I was calling for another reason.” His dad cleared his throat. “I asked Tracy to marry me, and she said yes.”
Dominic blew out an audible breath and dragged off his sling, tossing it on the bed. “That’s great, Dad.” Maybe fifth time was the charm.
“We’re having an engagement party next week. Would love for you to come up and meet her and her family. Your brother and sister will both be there. Bring a date.”
A date? Was he serious? Last time Dominic had taken a date home his brother had seduced her. Dominic unbuttoned his shirt and eased out of the sleeves. The bruises on his ribs were darkening beneath the surface of his skin. Dominic shucked his pants and tossed them on a chair. He had pajamas around here somewhere. He went to the walk-in closet and fished out some loose plaid pants. Ava Kanas probably wouldn’t appreciate what he usually slept in.
“Tracy wants a big, white wedding as this is her first time…”
Dear Jesus.
“I was hoping you’d be my best man.”
“You told Franklin about that?” His older brother would be pissed.
His dad laughed. “Not yet but he did the last three. Figured I might have better luck if I asked you this time.”
His brother wouldn’t like being usurped. For some unknown reason, Franklin had been in competition with Dominic for as long as he could remember. Sports. Grades. Women. His father’s attention. Franklin hadn’t liked it when Dominic had rejected the idea of joining the family law firm where he’d already made partner. He didn’t like the fact Dominic had signed up for the FBI. He didn’t even like the fact it was Dominic’s godfather and not his who occupied the Oval Office.
Their father was always trying to force them to get along, but Dominic was the only one making concessions, and he was done with the pretense and the bullshit.
“I’m hoping this is the last time. I think you’ll like Tracy.”
His father might have better luck if he didn’t marry women half his age who wanted his money and position more than they wanted the man himself. Not that Dominic was an expert in relationships. His dad definitely had him beat there.
His father cleared his throat. Their interactions always seemed to stumble on the unresolved damage from Dominic’s childhood. “Anyway, hopefully you’ll come.” His dad rattled off a date and time. “Your sister misses you.”
He knew that was the only way his father could even come close to admitting he missed him too. At least the governor was no longer living in the mansion where Dominic had found his mother overdosed in bed when he’d been a kid.
He remembered every detail from that day. From the quietness of the house, to the stuffiness of his mother’s bedroom. He’d known he wasn’t supposed to bother her when she was sick—he had a new baby sister and waking his mom up when she was sleeping was punishable by a sharp smack across the back of the legs. But he’d skinned his knee falling off his bike and had wanted his mother’s comfort.
Yeah, well that hadn’t happened. He pushed the memories away.
“I’m not sure I can get away to Vermont right now, Dad. There’s some stuff going on at work.”
“Well, that’s okay because we’re holding the party in DC so that everyone can attend.”
By everyone, he meant the president. Dominic couldn’t help being cynical. “Well, that’s great. I can’t guarantee I’ll be in Virginia though. If a situation arises—”
“Surely the FBI can spare you for one lousy night especially after you were in a car accident?”
Guilt twisted his insides. Last time he’d visited had been at Christmas, and his father sounded genuinely keen to see him. “I’ll see what I can do, but no promises.”
“At least I know what to get you for Christmas this year.”
“What’s that?”
“A new Lexus.”
Dominic closed his eyes as images from the crash bombarded him. “I don’t need you to get me a car, Dad.”
He thought he heard a catch in his father’s voice. “But I’d like to, son.”
It was always like this. Clawing through years of guilt to try and have a normal relationship and then throwing money at it in the hopes of a quick fix. He cleared his throat and returned the favor. “So, what do you want for an engagement present?”
“You. I want to see you.”
Shit.
“And bring a date. Otherwise I’ll have Tracy invite all of her single friends to try to set you up.”
“Fine. I’ll bring someone.” He closed his eyes and hung up, praying for a hostage situation to arise. How the holy hell had he been trapped into this? Maybe Charlotte would come with him. But even as he thought it, he knew who he’d be taking to the goddamn party.