“You know you didn’t have to go into the FBI,” I murmur. “You could’ve stayed. We could’ve built all this together.”
Dominic’s jaw tightens. “Don’t do that, Cipi.”
“What does it matter anyway?” My voice rises slightly. “You made your decision and didn’t care what I thought. You walked away the moment I took the reins. Like it disgusted you to be with someone like me.”
“You become someone else,” he mutters.
“I became who I needed to be to survive this hellhole my father gifted me with. And what did you become? A ruthless agent who put many people behind bars, but saved those when it was convenient for you?”
Dominic doesn’t respond. He lowers his head and looks down at his hands. I wonder if he regrets it. I wonder if our last encounter still haunts him like it does me.
The doorbell rings and we both freeze.
“Fuck,” I mutter. My pulse quickens. Who could that be? Everyone in the compound is out and no one is scheduled to come by.
Dominic jumps to his feet.
I lunge for my phone. “Hang on.” I swipe open the security app and access the front camera. I stand and walk to the foyer.
A cardboard box is on the mat.
I sigh with relief. “The mailman must have dropped a package for me. But I don’t remember ordering anything. And whydoesn’t the footage show him dropping it off?” I move to the door when Dominic grabs my arm.
“No. I’ll get the box. It could be a trap. Someone might try to shoot you.” He pushes me back into the living room then walks out into the foyer.
I hear him open the door quickly then shut it.
He reappears and places the box on the coffee table. “It’s addressed to you, but there’s no return address.”
Typical.
I grab a pair of scissors from the drawer and slice through the tape.
“Be careful.” Dominic stands close to me.
Wedging my fingers under the cardboard lip, I pull up until the tape cracks. A sharp, foul stench curls into my nostrils. Ew that stinks!
Peering inside, I feel my blood run cold. A gasp escapes my lips.
“What the fuck!”
Dominic grabs me and holds me close as he glances into the box.
Inside the box is filled with black tissue paper. A snake is curled up in the center. The reptile is about two feet long and light gray. There is a pit between its closed eyes and nostrils. Dark bow-tie-shaped splotches travel down its decaying body ending at a rattle shaped tail.
“What the fuck is that?” I wrap my arms around his waist, falling back into old habits.
Dominic glances into the box again. “I recognize that pattern. It’s an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake.”
“I don’t even want to know how you know that.”
“It’s okay Cipi, the snake is dead.” Dominic doesn’t remove his arms from around me, and I don’t unlock mine from his waist.
I peer into the box. “Its tail is wrapped around something.”
Dominic follows my gaze. “Yeah. It looks like it. Do you have gloves?”
“In the kitchen.”
