Page 146 of The Dominator

I continued to tell them that I knew nothing about what they were talking about. They asked me personal questions about Tommy. They asked when his birthday was. I didn’t know the answer to that; we hadn’t gotten there yet but I said March 1st. They told me his birthday was April 5th (I was close. He’d told me that he turned 29 a few months ago when his father bought him the house) and then asked me if I’d think it was strange that two people were engaged but that one didn’t know the other’s date of birth. I shrugged and said he hated birthdays so maybe he lied when he told me his birthday.

They countered by saying perhaps I was afraid to reveal that I was really a prisoner, not his live-in girlfriend. I clammed up and told them that they needed to either arrest me or let me leave. That was when the door opened and Susie, my social worker, came in. Shit. And then it went on and on, with Susie trying to get me to talk.

She put her hand on mine, asking them to leave us alone for a minute. I hadn’t seen her since my graduation day. She was such a sweet lady, had always been nice to me. I knew we weren’t really alone. It was obvious that they were watching us through the mirrored glass.

“Tia, they’ve told me that you’re saying that you’re with Tommy Ferrano of your own free will.”

“Yes,” I answered.

“That’s not what I heard, honey. Are you scared? You don’t have to be. The police want to help. They can help you. I can help you.”

“I don’t need their help, Susie. I’m fine. I told Rose and Cal I’m fine. I’m telling you, I’m fine.”

“I’ve known you for over half your life, Tia. Meeting some guy who’s known for being connected, for being the son of a crime Don? Moving in with him and cutting off contact with everyone other than a few quick conversations that are obviously designed to make people believe you’re okay? Come on. This isn’t you. What’s really going on here?”

I shook my head. “Susie, I’m fine. I love him. He’s not mafia, that’s ridiculous. His father may be, I have no idea. But, he’s not. I know nothing. Can I go?” I got to my feet.

“Tia, I’m here to help you. The police are here to help. Let us help you.”

I dug my heels in and she finally relented, giving me her home phone number and her cell number so that if I needed her, I could reach her.

An hour later they finally told me I could leave. My cell phone was dead, so I couldn’t call Tommy as I had no idea what his number was. I called a taxi. I didn’t know what the address of Tommy’s house was. I knew where it was, by intersection, so I guided the cab driver until we pulled up in front of the gate. I paid the driver with my debit card and stepped out in front of the gate and pushed the buzzer. Dex was already opening it to let me in.

“You okay?” he asked. “Need me to pay the cab?”

I blew out a long breath. “I paid already and yeah, I’m okay, thanks, Dex.”

“Next time, the cab gets inside the gate before you get out, okay, Tia?”

“Okay, Dex.” I hoped there wouldn’t be a next time.

I walked up to the house and he opened the front door with a key. The house was dark. I looked in Tommy’s office and he wasn’t there. I went up to the bedroom. He wasn’t there, either. I went downstairs and found him beating up the punching bag.

I hesitated in the doorway. “Uh, hi.”

He didn’t hear me. Or he was ignoring me. I stepped around so he could see me if he simply hadn’t heard me. He stopped and caught his breath and pulled the gloves off.

“Baby!”

“Hi,” I approached him cautiously and he grabbed me and pulled me tight to him. He was drenched in sweat. I didn’t care. I put my arms around him, relieved he was putting his arms around me, not angry with me.

“You okay? How’d you get here?” he asked, caressing my face.

I nodded. “I’m okay. Cab.”

“Let’s go upstairs and you can fill me in. I’ll grab a fast shower. Join me?” He grabbed a bottle of water from the floor and took a glug. “I was going out of my mind not hearing from you so I was just killing time.” He motioned with his chin toward the punching bag. I was surprised he looked so calm.

I followed him to the bathroom and got out of my clothes. He looked down at me. “So, too bad about that Brazilian.”

I looked down at my naked lower half and started to laugh. We both laughed hard and he pulled me into the shower and against his body. He got my face into his hands and kissed me deeply, passionately. My arms wrapped around him, then I pushed him against the tiled wall and then I was devouring him. He reached behind us and turned the shower on, not breaking lip contact, and at first the water was freezing. He adjusted the temperature.

“At least we don’t have to wait till tomorrow,” he muttered, my earlobe in his mouth.

“Yeah, and now I know when your birthday is,” I answered, and he released my lobe and looked at me with a tilted head. “And I don’t think I could’ve waited. I need you,” I added, and put my hands on his rear and ground my hips against him, up on my tippy toes trying to get better contact. He bent his knees while he lifted me onto his shaft, sliding right in. He turned us and got my back against the wall, and whoa… it was just what I needed.

* * *

We were in bed, lying face to face on our sides naked, one of my hands was flat against his chest, the other tracing the lines of the ink on the other shoulder, trailing down his arm, as I told him all about my day.

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