Page 34 of A Seed Of Peril

“Katrina will miss her mother for a long time. It’s unavoidable. Just keep feeding her whatever excuse you’ve given her until it’s no longer in her mind.”

How long would Katrina accept my excuse? When she first asked where Maria was and if she would see her again, I told Katrina there was an emergency and her mother had to leave, and I wasn’t sure when she would be back. I explained it was complicated, and I didn’t understand it all, but I let her know she would see her mom again. I had been sticking with that story ever since. I hated lying to her, but I had to until we figured out when we should tell Katrina the truth.

Restless like our son was for yet another night, I stood from the chair and wandered over to the piano. I thought about the first time I saw Dominic play it. It was the night I told him I was in love with him, as long as it took me to finally admit it. The night I threw my heart on my sleeve and meant every word I said with my whole chest. He played my favorite piece by Chopin.

I missed that—watching him play. It was like he was one with the music. It was beautiful.

Skimming my fingertips along the side of the Fazioli, I walked around it and moved the hem of my kimono out of the way before sitting on the piano bench. I sensed Dominic’s staring at me, and when I looked at him, his eyes said he was waiting anxiously for whatever he thought I was about to do. I looked down at the piano keys and played a few random ones, taking my time with each note. I lacked the patience to study and learn the mechanics and technicalities of playing the piano. I just wanted to cut straight to learning to play songs, “Nocturne Op. 9” being one of them.

“Do you remember the first time you played this for me?” In the silence, I looked at him again, only to find his sharp, blue eyes still honed in on me. Smiling at the memory of me professing my love, I answered my own question while I focused back on the piano keys. “It was after I told you I love you.”

“I remember,” Dominic said. Amid pressing a piano key, I lifted my head, slowly taking my finger off the key. The intensity in his eyes had softened. “I seem to also remember you talking about jumping off a bridge.”

Chuckling at the memory, I said, “Oh, yeah.” Thinking of the rest of my desperate ranting that night, I added, “And you said I had Stockholm Syndrome.” I playfully rolled my eyes.

“What a dope I was.”

I laughed. Dominic sat up on the sofa and swung his legs over the side, reaching forward for his bottle of Walker. He poured himself one more finger’s worth and then twisted the cap back on the bottle.

“Why didn’t Hector want you to play the piano?”

He chugged the liquor before setting the glass on the table. He took a deep breath while staring at the expensive, wooden furniture.

“The bastard didn’t make sense sometimes,” he stated as he shook his head. “Hector enjoyed classical music, but the thought of me learning to play like the composers got his panties in a twist.” Dominic rested his elbows on his knees, running his fingers through his hair. He then laced his fingers together and rested his chin on his clasped hands. “He wantedtoughmen, and me playing the piano wasn’t something powerful men did—his words. He said that only sissy boys play piano, and he wouldn’t have any sissies in his family. So, I had to quit the lessons Nadia had been taking me to, the lessonsheapproved and funded.”

“But wait,” I said, confused with Hector’s logic. “If he said you could, why would he?—”

“He thought I’d try it, get bored, and want to quit. He didn’t think I was serious.”

After a moment, I asked, “And then, what happened?”

Dominic turned his head and looked at me. It was clear in his eyes this was a dark road to travel. I was ready to be his guiding light.

“He ordered Nadia to end the lessons. He wasn't sending the teacher any more money, and if Nadia tried paying for it and kept it going, he would banish her from the family.”

My eyes widened, shocked to hear how easily Hector turned on Nadia, the woman he respected so highly.

“Nadia tried to talk him into the lessons, but he shut her down, raising his voice at her. It pissed me off to see her scared, and it pissed me off that he wanted to take away what brought me any semblance of happiness because I sure as hell wasn’t happy under his thumb.” He set his chin back on his hands, staring at the table again. “Before the piano, the only time I smiled was when I was with Ma.”

My heart sank. Hearing this side of Hector, remembering how he talked to me about Dominic, it made me wonder why he treated him so horribly. Then again, Hector did refer to Dominic as damaged goods and that he wasn’t capable of the responsibility of fatherhood. Bullshit. Dominic was already more of a father than Hector could’ve ever claimed to be.

“Did you try pleading your case?”

Dominic chortled. “He told me he was confiscating the money I had saved for what would be that one over there.” He nudged his head toward the piano. “I said fuck you and told him he was a piece of shit, daring him to touchmymoney. He called me boy, which Ifuckinghate.” Those last words were laced with venom. “I spit on his five-hundred-dollar pair of shoes. Paid for that one pretty good, but it was worth it. I should’ve kicked it, would’ve scuffed it.” He sighed like he was kicking his ass for the missed opportunity.

My anxiety rose, knotting my stomach. I wanted to know what his punishment was, wondering if the scars on his back Hector gave him were from that day. That punishment.

“You said Hector gave you some of those scars on your back?”

I watched him play with the ring on his finger—Hector’s ring.

“He kicked Nadia and my brothers out of his office, locking the door. He ordered me to remove my shirt and face the door. If I spoke or looked at him, he’d restart the beating.”

My hand over my heart, my chest squeezed at the revelation he never truly escaped the abuse. The beatings. Dominic never experienced true safety, just false promises of protection. I closed my eyes, my hand now on my throat as I continued to take it all in.

“He took off his belt and used it on my back until it bled,” Dominic continued.

I closed my eyes and took it all in.