Betrothed (currently being edited)

Chapter 33-Returning to the Real World (just revised)

The week went by in a whirlwind.  Carina didn't see a lot of Dimitri until late at night.  He was back in full work mode and now she understood why she didn't hear from him on a frequent basis before they married; her husband was a workaholic.  

Monday night he did bring home a flash drive with Fusion's books, records, receipts and inventory.   She had worked on them everyday, during the week, getting closer to something that she didn't want to tell Dimitri about.  He was being stolen from.  

At first it wasn't that big, but as time went on, it became clear that this was a great deal of money and liquor...money out of his pocket and into someone else's.  Thursday night she had the break through she was after and then she started assembling the pieces.  She made a detailed spreadsheet that showed everything from point A to point Z and everything in between.   Carina looked at her phone, it was 10:30, so she decided to call it a night,  leaving everything on the floor, she went to take a shower.

The splint was taken off two days ago and besides the yellow-green bruising, you couldn't tell anything.  She was flexing her hand in the shower letting the warm water caress it, working out the tightness and getting used to using it again.  

She shampooed and conditioned her hair, shaved and was done in fifteen minutes.  She dried her hair and brushed it, threw on her black silk nightie and brushed her teeth.  Finally finishing, she crawled into bed.  

Carina didn't even remember falling asleep, but she must have because it seemed later.  She grabbed her phone.  It was now after midnight and no Dimitri.  She hadn't heard from him all day and being a newlywed this was all new to her.  

Sighing, she got up and stepped outside on to the balcony, where there was still half a bottle of vodka and her cigarette pack.  She turned on the outside heater, pulled out a chair and stretched her legs to rest on the other one.   Pouring herself a hefty glass, she lit a cigarette.  She hadn't had one all week, so she treated herself to this and the liquor.   She was just sitting there, taking in her surroundings and listening to the quiet, when she heard car doors.  Her prodigal husband was back.

She knew he worked hard.  She might not know everything about his business workings and dealings, but she did know that.  He had told her on many occasions that he had more of a reason to work as hard as he did...her.  He wanted his wife taken care of financially.

Carina didn't have the heart to whine about the fact that he was never home.  She couldn't be that selfish when all he did was for her.  She would find a way to deal with it and should he ask her, she would be honest.  Until then, she would keep quiet. 

Dimitri walked into their room to find the balcony door open.  Carina's back was facing him and her head was laid back on the top of the chair.  Her long beautiful hair hanging down, sexy legs stretched in front of her and she was wearing a silky black nightie.  He watched her hand move to her mouth as she dragged on a cigarette and watched it fall back beside the chair.  

She reached for the bottle of vodka, poured a glass and held it up saying "Nightcap?"  He smirked and shook his head, she always could tell he was there.   She looked him over as he turned the chair around backwards and sat down.  He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, but at least he'd taken his socks and shoes off, untucked and unbuttoned his shirt.  

Carina stood up and placed a kiss on his head and said "Don't move I'll be right back."  She knew what he needed; he had even gotten to where he would ask for it.  She walked back out with a bottle in her hands.   "Take off your shirt lover" she instructed, he complied. 

She stood right behind him and starting at the base of his neck, she let her fingers run through his hair, massaging his scalp, running her fingers behind his ears and back through his hair again.  His body instantly relaxed.  It felt good to take care of him, to know what he needed and be able to give it to him.

Picking up the chamomile oil, she squeezed it into her hands and rubbed them together.  She liked the chamomile essential oil because it had relaxing ingredients in it and it smelled heavenly.  Putting her hands on his shoulders, she started there; massaging and rubbing with her hands and fingers.  She worked her way down to his middle back, circling her thumbs inward and then out and finally to his lower back and slowly back up again. 

Carina lost him, somewhere along the way, as he'd fallen asleep.  She looked at him, so relaxed, and hated to wake him, but he really needed to be in bed.

Kissing his cheek she said "Di, come on baby. Let's get you to bed." He groaned, but got up and headed inside.  Carina picked up his shirt, turned off the heater and grabbed the oil and followed him inside, shutting the door and locking it. 

Dimitri had gone to change while his wife turned the bed down and climbed in waiting for him. About five minutes later he walked in, completely naked and crawled into bed.  He laid on his stomach, which he hardly ever did, and closed his eyes.  Carina reached over and gently brushed the hair away from his face and kissed him. 

"I love you so much Car" he said sleepily. 

She whispered back "I know."