Page 147 of The Dominator

He listened, while sifting his hands through my hair and up and down my back, his lips against my forehead the whole time. I could feel his expression changes, smiles, lips tightening, soft kisses, or tightening of his whole body alternately while I told him all about meeting my cousin and how it felt really nice to have family, when I told him how much I liked his sister, when I told him the things the cops said, though he didn’t deny or confirm some of the bad stuff.

At the end I said, “At first I thought it was a test.”

He loosened his grip on me and I saw his smile instead of felt it. “That would’ve been the ultimate test.”

“Mm hm,” I answered with disapproval. “Don’t get any ideas.”

“I’m done testing you, baby. And I never would’ve done that sort of test.”

“My dad, Tommy; that’s fucked.” I couldn’t believe how calm he’d been about all of this, how trusting he’d been of me. It was such a relief.

“Yeah, you know what else is fucked?”

“What?”

He was thoughtful for a beat, then said, “Forget about it; you don’t wanna know.” He got up and got into a clean pair of boxers and then poured two glasses of wine.

“What? Tell me, please. Wait I don’t think I should have a drink yet. I haven’t had a single thing to eat today.”

“I’ll order pizza.” He reached for his phone. “Greg O’Connor just signed his own death warrant.”

“No.”

He raised his index finger to me as he started to talk on the phone and placed the order for an extra-large double cheese, pepperoni, bacon, and mushroom pizza with someone he obviously knew. When he ended the call, he resumed the conversation. “People’ll want him dead.”

My expression dropped. He paused a conversation talking about my father getting dead so he could order a pizza? How messed up was his life to even make that sort of thing seem so casual?

“Sorry, Tia, but this is it. When certain people get wind of this, that’s it.” Tommy motioned by drawing a horizontal line across his neck with his index finger.

“Shit.” I put my hand over my mouth.

“’Fraid so.”

“Fuck!”

I took the wine glass and I downed half of it. “I can’t let that happen.”

Tommy looked at me like he felt sorry for me. “Easy with the wine. The pizza’ll be here in half an hour.”

“He’s my dad.” I passed the glass back.

“Your father knows the price of what he’s done. It’ll happen.”

“But Witness Protection…”

“He has nothing. They’re not gonna protect him when he has nothing to give them but rumors, babe. He’s goin’ to jail for the drug charges and then someone inside’ll get him. He was hoping you’d rat, that’s why he sicced the cops on you.”

I hugged my myself, feeling a chill, and shook my head.

“He knows the price of his actions, Tia.” Tommy shrugged.

“Don’t be so cold.”

“So cold?” Tommy started to look pissed. “He just tried to fucking take you from me!” came out with a roar.

I flopped down and stared at the ceiling. Tommy downed his wine and then got his cell and dialed a number.

“Pop,” he said as he left the room.

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