“No need for that. He just cares about you. He’ll understand I care about you too, eventually,” Dominik reassures but I don’t feel less anxious. Now that I know Dominik is fine, everything starts to come back in flashes.
Stephanie, who’s a beautiful brunette with striking amber eyes, waiting for us in Dominik’s entry door, dragging me inside a car, while her helper, I didn’t get the name, or face, knocked Rian out. Damian tried to help Rian but it happened too fast, so Damian just followed Stephanie’s car.
“He dumped you for a washout Barbie doll,” the man says on the front of the car. My hands handcuffed, me clinging to Rian’s wrist to check his pulse. It’s strong.
“He’ll get tired of her. He always does. And he’ll come crawling back to me,” Stephanie says her voice so secure I shudder.
We stood in the car for about twenty minutes until it was intercepted.
“Come closer and I’ll blow her fucking brains out, Karl,” Stephanie says getting out of the car and shielding herself with me. I try to hit her but I can’t properly and she might actually take the shot if I try.
Karl shoots the man who was with her and he falls to the ground. I’ve seen him around Dominik, I think he’s his security team’s leader, and also his personal guard. Not that he needs one. Stephanie shakes while holding a pistol to my head, against my right temple.
“If you come nearer I swear to God, I’ll take her with me,” Stephanie said, I refused to shake, but inside I was shivering like a damned beam.
“We got your brother, he’s gravely injured, do that and he’ll be gone. Walk to Louis and he’ll get to a hospital,” Stephanie loosens her grip on me and I can finally breathe, or better I remember how to breathe. I’m not trapped.
“You’re bluffing,” Stephanie says grasping me tighter, Karl remains serious, and she lets the gun fall to the floor. I kick her away from me and walk to Rian who’s barely conscious, all I could think about was Dominik and why everybody refused to tell me how he was.
“Love?” Dominik calls, I look at him, concern in his eyes, I put on my best smile and pretend I didn’t just relive hell, “Don’t. Don’t give me that crap. What were you thinking about?” he questions and my heart starts racing I sit down next to Dominik. Both to be closer to him and not to faint.
“Stephanie,” I start, my voice almost fails, “None of this would’ve happened if I fought, I froze-”
“It’s ok-”
“It’s fucking not, Dominik,” I say my voice breaking, my breathing peaking. “I was trapped again-,” I stop myself from talking further, I don’t want to involve Dominik in this more than he already is.
“Again?” he caught it, of course he did.
“It’s nothing,” Josh responds for me and that’s the first moment I’m aware he’s in the room with us. I was so focused on not freaking out I didn’t notice it. I look from my shaking hands slightly up at Dominik, even severely injured he looks like someone you don’t play with.
“Hello again, Josh. Care to stop babysitting,” Dominik says and looks back at me, his eyes see through the walls I put up, it’s like they aren’t even there. I reach for his hand, and he holds my hand back. I needed to know that despite being pale as hell, and bandaged Dominik is here, and he’s going nowhere.
“Care to stay away from my sister?” Josh says and sits next to me looking at my hand like I’m committing a crime.
“Can’t do,” Dominik answers his voice soft and striking.
“There’s your answer,” Josh replies and turns to me. “Mom wants to talk to you,” Josh informs and I look at Dominik.
“Don’t let me hold you back. I’ll be right here waiting for you,” Dominik says and I cling to his hand a few seconds longer. He’s here. He’s going to be ok.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” I ask concerned when I see her shaking.
“You never told us,” her blonde hair a mess, her tall figure against all odds fragile. She doesn’t know. She can’t. “My poor baby,” she says and holds onto me, enveloping me in her arms, she doesn’t try to get me to talk and I thank her for that, mentally. I hold her back, feeling her warm hug reaching the side of me I never let anyone see.
“You couldn’t sleep without Rian, I should’ve known-”
“You couldn’t, I made sure you didn’t. None of you did,” I say but I’m too numb to cry. Or at least I think I am.
“It’s my fault. It’s all my fault, all of this. I hid something from you too,” my mom says her hazel eyes red from crying. She holds both sides of my head and kisses my forehead. “I’m sorry,” she says then turning to dad and Josh who nod, leaving some space between us and them.
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” I tell my mom, not understanding where this is going. “Spencer’s dad tried to kill me. That’s why your father taught him a lesson. That’s why you were kidnapped and almost died. If it weren’t for Javol’s help,” my mom says and my father gets nearer to hand her a tissue.
“But he helped mom, it’s fine. I’m fine, see?” I say and smile at her but tears don’t stop streaming down her face.
Thud.
The darkness in the corner of the hallway starts expanding, and reaches its way within the light to me.
