After giving Archie and Evander their coffees, she settled on one of the plastic chairs in the break room with her own cup in hand.

Dominic grabbed the neighboring chair and angled it so that his front would face her side and he could bracket her chair with his spread thighs. He wanted to look at her. Wanted to watch the emotions flit across her face, see her eyes light with amusement, and get a flash of her dimple whenever her mouth curved.

Resting one arm over the back of her chair, he sipped at his coffee. “I noticed a lot of your pride mates are hanging around, keeping an eye on things. No sign of any bounty hunters?”

“All’s been quiet on the Western Front so far.”

“Good. You had any luck getting ahold of your brother?”

Her lips thinned. “No. And no one seems to have even the slightest idea where he could be. Let’s move on to a subject that doesn’t make my cat want to rip someone’s arm off.”

“All right.” He tapped his fingers on the back of her chair. “You finish work at six?”

“Yes, but—”

“Good. We can go straight to dinner from here.”

She sighed tiredly. “Even if I wanted to go out with you—which I don’t—I couldn’t. I’m eating at my parents’ house tonight.”

“I know. I was invited.”

“My mom only said you should go for dinner ‘sometime.’”

“Last night, yeah. But when she called me this morning, she said I should be there tonight at six.” Dominic took a sip of his coffee as he watched her digest that. He almost laughed at the sour look on her face. “Don’t ask me to cancel on them, Mila. It would be rude.”

Mila ground her teeth. Oh no, this wasn’t good. Valentina didn’t invite just anyone to dinner. She preferred for meals to be family occasions. For her to invite an outsider, there had to be a purpose behind it. And Mila knew just what it was. “That woman is unbelievable. And my father is no doubt in on it.”

“In on what?”

“They’re using you, hoping they can push us together and it will keep me from moving to Russia.”

Yeah, Dominic had figured as much. “I can’t blame them for doing whatever they think it will take to keep you here.” And honestly, he didn’t want her cheating herself out of a real mating any more than her parents did.

Not that he could be the devoted mate that her parents wanted Mila to have, but he was pretty sure they knew that. They probably just wanted someone to get rid of those shadows in her eyes and make her have some fun, hoping it would be in some way healing for her. Before she could start ranting, he stood. “You got a restroom here?”

Her teeth grinding, she gestured at the hallway. “Second door on your left.”

“Thanks, baby.” After setting his mug on the table, he disappeared into the hall.

Huffing at his absentminded use of the endearment—and pretty damn annoyed that it had made her stomach flutter—Mila fisted her hand. It was literally seconds later that Joel entered the break room, looking sheepish. Her cat stood with a hiss, slicing out her claws.

“Hi,” he said simply.

She summoned a smile for him, but it was somewhat strained. “Hi.”

Joel took a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry I lost it on you yesterday when you told me about the arranged mating. I shouldn’t have yelled. I’m your friend; friends are supposed to support each other. I just . . . well, I want you to have a real mating. Plus, the other barbers don’t cut my hair right, and there’ll be no one to talk to about Game of Thrones if you’re all the way in Russia.”

“We can talk on the phone.”

“You don’t even know this Maksim guy, Mila. How can you be so sure about someone who’s practically a stranger to you?”

She lifted a brow. “Didn’t you just say friends are supposed to support friends? You’re heading into ‘you’re making a mistake’ territory again.”

He cursed. “I’m sorry, I just don’t get it. I feel like there’s something I’m missing. Something you’re not telling me.”

“You’re missing that I’m a big girl who can make her own decisions.”

He exhaled heavily, and seconds of silence ticked by. “This is really what you want?”

“It’s really what I want.” More specifically, it was what she needed to do.

He sighed. “I can’t honestly say that I’m behind you one hundred percent. I want you to stay, and I don’t think you’re making a move that’s best for you. But I won’t give you any more grief about it. Just . . . please be open to changing your mind.”

“Glad to hear there’ll be no more lectures.”

He moved forward as if to join her at the table, but he stilled when Dominic stepped into the room. The two males eyed each other, one predator studying another. GQ gave him a casual nod and then strode purposely toward her. He returned to his seat and assumed the same exact body position as before, settling into her personal space as if he had every right. His closeness eased her cat ever so slightly, to Mila’s surprise.

The males then went back to eyeing each other. The tension ratcheted up until testosterone practically swamped the air.

Joel glared at him. “I remember you. It’s Dominic, right? Yeah, I heard plenty of stories about you from females too. They all said the same thing.”

Dominic picked up his mug. “It’s true—my dick really is that huge.”

Mila snorted a laugh, and her coffee went down the wrong tube. Motherfucker. Coughing so hard her eyes teared up, she couldn’t quite catch her breath.

“You’re all right, just swallow it down.” Dominic rubbed her nape. “That’s it, breathe through your nose, relax your jaw. Just swallow a little more.”

Oh, the bastard. Once she’d finally composed herself, she wiped at the tears in her eyes. “Sorry about that.”

Joel cleared his throat. “Anyway, Mila, I’m cooking dinner tonight for Adele and her parents. Fancy joining us?”

“Already made plans to have dinner with my parents, but thanks.”

“No problem. I wouldn’t miss your mom’s cooking either. I’m guessing she’s making beef Stroganoff, since it’s your favorite.”

She got the feeling he threw that little fact in as a “Ha, I know her better than you” statement for GQ’s benefit. Her cat didn’t like the sly dig. “Probably.”

Tugging on one of her curls, Dominic said, “Beef Stroganoff is sautéed beef in sauce, right?”

“Yep.”

“Then why did your mom ask if I like sour cream?”

“She adds smetana, which is sour cream.”

Joel tensed. “You’re taking him as your guest?”

“Valentina invited me,” Dominic told him, although his eyes were on Mila’s hair as he playfully plucked at her curls.

Joel’s eyes went diamond hard. “I see. Mila, can we talk in private for a minute?”

Dominic lifted a daring brow. “What, you can’t talk smack about me while I’m right here? Because we both know that’s what you’re about to do.”

Joel inclined his head. “Fine. Like I said, I’ve heard a lot about you. I don’t want my friend being used by yet another player. She had enough of that shit from her ex.”