Page 59 of Exile
I hold still, hope stealing my ability to breathe, while I wait to see if Dom agrees with his assessment. Please, please, please, let Kai go.
“Who said there won’t be charges filed? That’s entirely in Serena’s hands. His fate is all up to her.”
Bile rises in the back of my throat at Dominick’s implied threat. I have to submit to him. Be his. And then maybe he will let Kai go. A glimmer of something that looks like concern passes over Dane’s face before he schools his expression again.
“Right…well, then she’s got sixty hours to decide before we have to let him go.”
Dom’s hand moves from my shoulder to the back of my neck, giving it a painful squeeze. I can’t control the flinch that twists my face up as pain lances down my spine. “Thanks for the reminder, D. I’m sure she will make the right decision. Now if you don’t mind, we’ve got some catching up to do.” Dane looks from Dom to me, clearly conflicted by Dom’s dismissal. I can tell he wants to help me, but doesn’t want to outwardly oppose Dom for some reason.
Dane jerks a stiff nod, then retreats down the porch steps and jogs over to his truck. My heart sinks as I watch him get in, desperately wishing I could run after him and go with him. But I can’t leave Dom yet. Not until he takes me to my mom and I know she’s safe.
Dom drags me back into the house by the scruff of my neck. His face is a blank mask, and I can’t tell if he’s angry with me. I tried so hard not to give him any reason to think I had said anything to Dane. I want Dom to feel like he’s beaten me. That I’m giving up. I need him to get cocky and think he’s won. It’s the only way he will finally tell me where my mother is. Now that I know Kai has a lawyer fighting for him, all of my determination shifts to saving the woman who gave me life.
“Dom, please don’t be angry. I didn’t say anything to Dane. I swear. I know where I belong, and it’s here with you.” The words taste bitter on my tongue, but I infuse them with as much regret as I can muster. “Wasn’t I so good for you last night? You…you said I was your good girl.” Nausea churns in my gut at the reminder of what I had to do the previous night to placate him. I push through it, putting on the performance of my life.
I caress one palm against his stubbled cheek, delicately trailing my nails against his skin, the way I know he likes. The punishing grip he has on the back of my neck lessens slightly as my touch relaxes him. His eyes lock on mine, the steel color of them cutting through me like a knife.
“You’re mine, Kitten. You understand that now? There is no end to us. There is no end to you and me. You are my end game, one way or another. Am I being clear?”
My mouth goes dry in fear as I nod mutely in understanding. It is in this moment I fully comprehend how far Dom is willing to go to ensure he gets what he wants.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
SERENA
After spending the morning doing my best to convince Dom of my acceptance of the situation (which included giving him a blowjob where I had to fight the urge to puke) he finally says the words I’ve been waiting to hear.
“Go get dressed, Kitten. Let’s go pick up Laura.” His mood is drastically different from the broody bastard who brought me home last night. He seems relaxed again. I guess face-fucking your fiancée will loosen the tension in even the biggest assholes.
I don’t hesitate, afraid to give him a chance to change his mind. I run upstairs, grab a change of clothes and lock myself into the en suite bathroom, where I stashed the phone. Turning the phone on, I send a quick text to Arianna.
Me: Dom is taking me to Mom. I’m sharing my location just in case.
Me: I’ll text when I have her back.
Making sure the phone is on silent, I shove it into the back pocket of my jeans before pulling on one of Dom’s oversized hoodies, hiding it from view. I’m hoping seeing me in his clothes will keep him placated. Right now, he’s a sleeping lion satisfied by a recent kill, and I’m just a zebra, trying not to make any sudden moves that will trigger his prey drive.
In his car, he keeps his hand clamped possessively on my thigh, a slight, satisfied smirk turning up the corner of his mouth. I watch the route he takes carefully, trying to memorize it in case I need to find this location in the future. Eventually when he turns off the main road and begins to drive into the mountains, I realize he’s taking us to the cabin where we spent the weekend together. We are driving there in the daytime this time around, and the weather is clear. It’s easier for me to keep track of the turns and side roads he takes as we make our way up the mountain, closer to where he is keeping my mom. My body hums in anticipation, my desperation to see her and make sure she’s okay thrumming through me.
It's all I can do to resist the urge to jump out of the car before he has it parked, my need to see my mom hitting critical mass. I fling the door open as soon as the car is stopped, but he grabs my arm, stopping me from my hasty exit.
“Kitten, look at me.” The command freezes me in place. With one hand he grabs my chin, turning me to face him, making sure he has my full attention.
“As far as your mom is concerned, I brought her up here so we can have a relaxing getaway together as a family. I had to pick you up from your little rendezvous with Kai. You will not give her any indication anything is wrong between us, do you understand?”
I try to swallow, but my mouth is dry. I nod my head but he pinches my chin harder between his thumb and forefinger.
“Let me hear you understand. Believe me, Kitten, I have no problem leaving her here to fend for herself while I take you back home to teach you a lesson.” His eyes are so dark, they’re almost black. The kind of dark gray you only see in the middle of storm clouds right before a tornado siren blares its warning.
“I understand.”
He smirks, then pulls me in for a kiss. I don’t resist. I let him drink from my lips and take his fill. I’m so close to my goal of reuniting with my mother, I will not jeopardize it.
We exit the car, me trailing behind him as we walk up the dirt path to the front, my hands nervously clenching and unclenching at my side. Dom unlocks the front door, walking in first and announcing his presence. “Hey, Laura, I’m back. Look who I—” Something long and black comes from behind the door and smashes into the back of Dominick’s head with a sickening crack. He crumples lifelessly to the floor, his body landing with a loud thud. I can’t stop the scream that escapes from me as I watch it happen.
My mouth hangs open, my eyes bugging out in shock as I watch blood seep from the wound on his head into a puddle on the floor. When I manage to drag my eyes from the gruesome scene in front of me, I see Mom standing over him, her chest heaving from exertion, a heavy black fireplace poker hanging from her right hand. She used to play softball in college and even got her team to the state championships a few times. I know she put everything she had into the swing that took Dom down.
When our eyes meet, Mom drops her weapon and rushes over to me, wrapping me up in the most comforting hug. “Oh, Sweet Pea, you’re okay. I was so scared for you.” She peppers kisses along my forehead and cheeks as she checks me over. My eyes are busy scanning over her, doing the same thing. Once assured that we are both whole and unharmed, we pull apart but keep our hands linked as we stare down at Dom’s lifeless form.