Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
So why do you look so worried?
Once I’m alone with Grandma again, I go to the window, checking if the car is still there. The only contact I’ve had with Dom since everything went to hell is when he texted to tell me he’d put security on Grandma and me.
Dominic: I don’t know how far your uncle is willing to take this. So, for the time being, this is the way things have to be.
They’ve been following me everywhere, even when I drive to the locations I know for a fact Uncle Aaron owns. I know because he often bragged to me, ranting about this piece of the city, that piece, until I was able to build a map in my mind.
I’ve taken photos on my phone, wearing a big hat and pretending I’m arguing with somebody. People are coming and going with packages, openly dealing drugs, and I even witnessed one person being shaken down for money. It’s not everything, but it’s a start, surely? And there’s the fact that he’s been threatening me with my grandmother’s life. Now that he’s no longer paying, I have the freedom to go public about that too.
I can ruin him. I can make this better.
Grandma makes a soft noise, drawing my attention. I go to her bedside and take her hand. A slow smile spreads across her face, her eyes lighting up a little. It’s always like the previous version of her is trying to claw through this new existence.
“Where’s that nice man? Dominic?”
I sigh. I’ve already told her it was a short fling and we’re no longer together. The words hurt, and I’ve got to question if they’re true, considering he’s still got people following me around. If he didn’t care, why hire people?
“He’s gone, Grandma,” I say.
“He’s dead?”
“What? No! We broke up. There were some… complications.”
“Anything can be worked out when true love is at stake.”
“True love?” I huff. “You’ve got the wrong idea. We hardly even know each other. We’ve been on one date. It’s not true love or anything like that. It’s something I’ll look back fondly on, something I’ll cherish, and that’s that.”
“I knew the moment I met your grandfather,” she says stubbornly. “The moment we laid eyes on each other. Oh, it was like a motion picture. He swooped in and… just like that, everything changed. I was no longer the same person, nor could I imagine being the same person. I want you to have something special like that too.”
I blink, but I haven’t cried since everything went to hell. Now that Grandma is getting the care she needs, not from my sadistic uncle, I feel freer, more able to act, to think. To hate. I’m not scared. I’m infuriated.
“I saw the way you looked at him,” Grandma murmurs. “I saw the love in your eyes. I was so happy, because I knew I wouldn’t have to leave without seeing you settled.”
I stare out the window. Okay, maybe that not-crying thing was a little arrogant. I wring my hands together.
“Are you praying?” Grandma says approvingly.
“You know that’s not my thing.”
“I thought you might be praying for things to turn out okay with your man.” She lets her head fall sleepily against the pillow.
“Get some rest, Grandma,” I murmur.
I wait until she falls asleep, then take out my phone and hold my thumb over Dominic’s name, over the text icon. So much of what we shared was through words exchanged on a phone screen, like we both needed that emotional distance to fully connect.
He doesn’t want me. He’s made that clear. I’ll just make a fool of myself if I text him again.
I put my phone away.
CHAPTER 22
DOMINIC
Istand at the water’s edge with the city as my skyline, like a mob boss in a movie shaking down a cop. The cop in question is Marco Aquila. He’s had a soft spot for Vale Construction ever since we helped build a new community center for his precinct’s softball team.
He takes an envelope from his pocket, frowning at me. A short man, intelligent eyes, with combed-over wet black hair. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“I wouldn’t have called you otherwise.”
I try to let my voice come out casually, in control, not like a man whose world is spiraling into chaos. Ever since Sebastian dropped the bombshell on me, I’ve been trying to convince myself it’s all a lie. He’s a liar. But my mind won’t stop skimming over memories, nasty comments here and there from my father, things I’ve buried and ignored because I loved him too much.
Marco hands me the envelope.
“Just tell me,” I grunt.
“All signs indicate that he’s telling the truth,” Marco sighs. “The accident report, police report, hospital report, they’re all inside. It seems your father managed to pay off a witness and bribe one of the investigators. There’s also an official letter of complaint from Sebastian Armitage. A local officer told me some of them were pissed at the time, but the officer your father bribed was their superior. Nothing they could do.”