Page 46 of The Dominator

After a few paces I glanced back and saw her dialing on her phone. That’s when I knew I couldn’t walk away. I had to fucking run.

I couldn’t believe the fucking screw-up. First, my meeting runs late because I have to watch a couple guys rough up someone who owes us money, like I have time for this piddly shit, but then I find out that my sister fucking took Tia. The gate guard that relieved Nino had some fucking stomach bug and was in the pool house taking a shit, so Marco hadn’t left yet despite being on since last night. Tino was at the front gate but then there was an emergency with a shipment that was coming and a few guys dropped by and swapped out Nino’s brother Tino with a newbie who just had to man the fucking gate waiting for the other guy to come back. I called Earl and told him to get over there and straighten this shit out.

My sister heard I’ve told Pop I’m running late and I’m not sure if we can make it and she conspires with my other sister to make sure they get their claws into Tia. So, Tess swings by my house and it’s miraculously during the period the inexperienced guy is there and the experienced guy is in the john and my five foot two 100 pound sister proceeds to bully the guy into letting her take Tia to my Pop’s.

He works for us but isn’t in the inner circle so doesn’t know the rules for handling Tia. All he knows is he’s watching the gate for a minute and my sister wants to give my fiancée a ride. The guy’s phone is dead so he tells her he’s gotta confirm it’s okay, but she starts getting pissy about running late and name dropping that she’s Tom Ferrano Senior’s daughter and does he really think she shouldn’t take her own future sister-in-law to me? She’s like a midget Doberman or something, both of my sisters are.

He lets her take Tia. The other guy comes back out and finds out. After I get off a phone call, I see I missed a text from Luc telling me not to worry about Tia; that Tessa has gone to get her. I piece everything together as my guy at the house is phoning. Tia’s not answering her phone and then I finally get ahold of my sister.

Two minutes after I get off the phone with her my sister is calling me back and telling me that Tia took off on her, ran like her hair was on fire, and left her engagement ring in the fucking car. I heard her voice in my head, how she ended that call with me saying, “Goodbye, Tommy.”

Fuck! Not only has she taken off without the ring that has the damn GPS in it but the anonymous note we got is nagging at me. Heads are gonna damn well roll!

I got to a mall two blocks from that strip plaza and finally found one of the few remaining pay phones in the world. I was debating between calling Susie and calling Rose. I was freaking out. I turned the stupid iPhone off and dropped it in a garbage bin a block from the mall.

I decided to call my Aunt Carol to ask where my father was. I called directory assistance and they connected me, but after the operator laughed at my asking for Carol O’Connor. “Archie Bunker?” She giggled, like I’d been prank calling.

“No, Carol a female, not the actor.”

It rang twice, then there was a scratchy sounding “Hello?”

“Aunt Carol, it’s me, Tia. Athena.” I felt shaky but tried to keep my voice steady.

Dead air.

“Aunt Carol, I’m really sorry to bother you. I know you don’t talk to him much, but it’s imperative that I find my father. Like… life or death kind of thing. Do you have any idea where I might reach him?”

She sighed. “I have nothing to do with your father, Athena. He’s a loser. I’m sorry to say that, but he is.”

“Please; do you have any idea how I can reach him? It’s really important.”

She sighed, “He works at the car parts place on Dufferin Street. Last I heard, anyway. I don’t know if he’s working today. It’s Sunday. I don’t have a home number. His girlfriend is Sadie Lewicki. She’s probably listed.”

“Thank you.”

“Athena?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t call me again.”

Click.

What a royal bitch.

I called directory assistance again. I didn’t have that much change left in my purse but when I fished around the bottom, looking for more, I found a folded up ten that I could break, if needed.

I got through to my dad’s work and typed his last name into the keypad via the auto attendant. I got transferred to him and he answered.

“Dad!”

“Tia? Is that you, sweet pea?”

“Dad, I took off. You need to hide. I’m sorry, I don’t know why you did this to me and it doesn’t even matter now but you need to hide because they could hurt you and I had no choice but to run so I have and I wanted to warn you about it.” Tears were streaming down my face.

“Shit, Tia. Breathe, sweet pea. Where are you?’

“It doesn’t matter. I’m gonna get out of Dodge and you need to as well.”

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