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And when his eyes finally focused on me, the terror was evident.
“Whatever this is, whatever is happening, you have to talk to us. Now. Okay? You have got to tell us what’s going on,” I said.
“Yeah,” Em said as she stepped up to my side, “our places are ruined. Our stuff is broken. Our homes aren’t safe any longer. So, if you know something--”
“Clyde,” Mom said softly. “Maybe they’re right.”
And when Dad looked over at Mom, he nodded his head. “Let’s go into the kitchen. Your mother made a fantastic meal, and we’re going to need food for this conversation.”
I wasn’t sure what to think of his statement, but at least it was a step in the right direction. I looked over at my sister only to watch her sigh, but I wrapped my arm around her waist and tried to reassure her as best as I could. Getting Dad to talk about anything was like pulling teeth out of a fucking toddler’s mouth. However, I knew we had the upper hand. I knew that we were right.
And he knew that we were right as well.
Silently, we gathered around the kitchen table. Mom started placing dish after dish in the middle before divvying out plates and glasses filled with ice cold water. We dished up the piping hot food silently, and normally I would’ve been thrilled to eat my mother’s homemade cooking.
But, that night? I wasn’t the least bit interested in filling my stomach.
“So,” Em said, “where do we start?”
Just as Dad drew in a deep breath, my phone started vibrating. I took it out of my bra and silenced it, then placed it down on the table next to my fork. I nodded at my father, giving him the go-ahead to start talking. However, he didn’t even get the first word out before my phone started vibrating again.
And again.
And again.
“Everything okay?” Mom asked.
I shook my head. “So sorry, I’m gonna turn it off—”
I looked down at my phone’s screen and saw that Dominik was calling. Over and over again, he had dialed my number, not bothering to text or at least leave a voice message. What a pompous fucking windbag. No wonder people couldn’t stand him.
And yet, the image of that figure standing in front of my apartment complex hung heavily in my mind.
“Hold on, sorry. Just a second,” I said as I picked up the phone call.
Em scoffed. “You’re kidding me, right?”
I held my finger up to her. “Yeah? What is it?”
Dominik’s voice was hard, and angry. “We need to talk. Now.”
My gaze darted around to each of my family members. “Can’t really talk right now. In the middle of something.”
“Oh, yeah? You seen the news yet?”
I blinked. “What news?”
The second I spat out the words, Em couldn’t get her phone in her hands quickly enough. She started swiping around and typing things in, and the second her eyes widened I pointed at her. I crooked my finger as Dominik fell silent in my ear. She held out her phone, turning it around so that I could bear witness to whatever the hell she had just found.
And when I saw the headline, I leapt to my feet.
“I’m texting you my parents’ address. Get here now. Understood?” I asked.
“I’ll be waiting for it. Heading to my car now,” Dominik said.
I hung up the phone call and shot off my parents’ address straight to his phone. I couldn’t sit. After seeing that headline and bearing witness to those first few pictures, there was no way in hell I was eating and having a calm conversation with anyone. Em passed her phone around, showing Mom and Dad the disgusting article as I raked my hands through my hair. With my phone at eight percent and my mind scrambling for answers, I chewed on the bed of my thumb as I pondered what this meant for mine and Dominik’s deal.
Had those figures in black been paparazzi following us around?
