Page 20 of Unhinged Desires
Fucking hell, this is either their piss-poor attempt at some sort of intervention, or they really are having a family reunion without me. Which I’m okay with.
“Turn around and get back in the office,” my father says, pointing behind me.
“I’m a little busy right now, Dad. Can this wait?” I ask.
“No, it fucking can’t. Turn around, Dominic. Now,” he says, his tone firmer.
I groan but do as I’m told. The sooner I let them think they’ve fixed me, cured my proclivities, or whatever shit they’re attempting to do right now, the sooner I can get back to checking on my Little Bee.
I sit on the chair that gives me a view of the workout area. I can see Axe talking to Hope on the other side of the room. Opposite Lucy. If he keeps his distance, I won’t have to kill my own cousin.
“What are you doing with the Christianson girl?” my dad asks me as soon as the door clicks shut, while three pairs of eyes continue to scrutinise me.
“I’m not doing anything with her,” I tell them. “I’ve never even met the girl, so all this bullshit you all have cocked up in your heads is just that.Bullshit.”
“Bullshit, huh? Is that why you can’t take your eyes off the screen?” Dad asks, pointing to the monitor in question. “You’re jittery as fuck, Dominic. So What’s going on?” His voice softens slightly before he sits down on the edge of the desk.
“I’m fine. I have it under control,” I assure him.
“You know, the last time I saw someone as unhinged as you look right now was when your Uncle Josh was in high school with your Aunt Emmy. He spent three fucking years keeping her at arm’s length. For what? They ended up together anyway. Happily, mind you.”
“It’s different,” I say.
“How so?” This comes from my Uncle Zac.
“Because I said so.” It’s simple as that.
“You know you’re not too big for me to take in the ring and beat some sense into,” Uncle Bray adds.
I laugh. Don’t get me wrong, he’d be able to put up one hell of a fight even at his age. But I have something on my side that he doesn’t. My mum. He’d never give his all in the ring with me, because my mother would have his head.
“Is mum in town?” I ask Dad.
He nods. “She’s shopping with your Aunt Lyssa and Aunt Reilly.”
“So this is a family affair then,” I mumble more to myself than to any of these fuckers.
“When everyone is concerned about you, expect them to show up in hordes. And be fucking grateful you have a family who cares. A lot of people don’t,” Uncle Zac grunts at me.
My gaze flicks back to the screen and my whole body goes rigid. Ice-cold. While a red haze settles over my vision. “I’m going to fucking kill him,” I say, pushing to my feet and making a beeline for the door.
“Fucking hell. Keep him here. I’ll deal withthat,” Uncle Zac says, and the next thing I know, my dad and my uncle are blocking the only exit.
“You can’t kill your cousin, Dominic. Let it go,” Dad says.
“Fine, I won’t kill him. I’ll just cut his fucking hands off,” I grit out. “Move.”
My dad pulls his phone from his pocket, and I know what he’s doing before the ringtone starts blaring. “Dean? Everything okay?” My mum’s voice fills the room.
“Princess, you need to talk some sense into this child you bred. He’s about to go apeshit on Axel.”
“Why?” my mum asks, though she doesn’t sound as alarmed as you’d expect.
“Axel touched a girl Dom’s gone and got a crush on.” Dad laughs.
“It’s not a fucking crush and I’m fine. Mum, you don’t need to worry.” I glare at my father. He’s fighting dirty bringing her into this. He knows she’s a weakness of mine, that I’ll do anything for her. Then again, so would he. The nickname “Princess” really is fitting for my mother. She’s the younger sister of my Uncle Bray and Uncle Zac. And even though they’re in their forties, they still dote on her like she’s a kid.
“Dominic, what’s her name? Is she pretty?” Mum questions, breaking me from my thoughts.