Page 60 of Worth the Vow

“Fucker needs to know not to talk about you that way,” he seethes.

“I’ll never see him again, Dominic. It’s not worth it. Who knows what he might have on him. Dirty needles, drugs, or worse. I don’t want you to get injured in any way.”

Dominic turns, an eyebrow cocked as he smirks in my direction. “Oh yeah? You worried about my pretty face?”

“Nah,” I joke. “I’m just worried about my paycheck.”

Dominic throws back his head and laughs heartily. “Nice, Katharine. Get in your car, baby. I’ll follow you toward Matt’s.”

He waits until I get in my car and start it up. Rolling down my window, I call out to him, waiting until he turns to say, “I happen to like your pretty face as it is, husband.”

The smile I get in return is painfully beautiful. It’s a smile I’ve never seen. One filled with promise and hope. And dare I say a little bit of love?

Dominic follows me all the way to Colorado Springs, where I veer off toward the mountains and he continues north toward Denver. I’m surprised at how sad I am that he wasn’t able to go with me to Matt’s. For some reason I want my brother to see me with Dominic. I’d like Matt and Victoria to give their honest opinions about how Dominic and I interact. But I know his kids come first, and he’s going where he needs to be right now.

Matt is waiting for me, pulling me into a big bear hug as soon as I get out of the car. “I was worried about you, kid.”

“I know,” I whisper. “I should have listened to you. I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. Our dad is a dick, and he’s the one who should apologize, since he made you cry.”

We walk onto the front porch, and Matt motions for me to sit in one of the chairs. He pulls out two bottles of water from a little cooler and hands one to me.

“Can you tell me what he said?” he finally asks.

I sigh, taking a deep breath and willing my emotions to stay under control. “He asked for money, and then he wanted me to smuggle certain contraband items into the prison. When I refused to do any of it, he started screaming at me. He said he hated me, and he wished I’d never been born. Said I was the worst of his kids and he hated every moment of living with me.”

“Fuck,” Matt mutters, rubbing the back of his neck as he stares out into the street. The sun has gone down, and the natural orchestra of crickets serenades us. “I’m so sorry, Kate. I hate that you went through that.”

“I’m okay now,” I admit, realizing I actually am okay. “I think mostly due to Dominic.”

Matt studies me, his expression unreadable. Seven years older than me, he’s only been in my life for a few years, but he’s been an excellent role model and big brother. I’m not as close with his older brother, Zane, but I know Zane would come find me if needed.

“Hey,” I comment. “How did Dominic know I was in trouble?”

“I called him to get your location. I wasn’t sure if he’d have it, but I figured someone in the family did.”

“He didn’t,” I giggle. “But he does now.”

“Yeah, well, he didn’t give me much of an option. I was ready to drive down and find you, and he basically demanded that I let him go. Something about it being a husband’s responsibility to go to his wife when she’s hurting.”

I’ll again ignore my heart leaping in my chest. “Honestly it was exactly what I needed, Matt. I know you, and you would have been ready to go to the prison and read Dad the riot act. Dominic just let me … be. He let me cry, vent, and process it on my own terms.”

Matt takes a long swig of his water before speaking. “You’re right. I would have been furious. I think I’m too close to the situation, and I’d have taken it too personally that Dad spoke that way to you. I can take it, but he barely even knows you. He shouldn’t have treated you that way.”

Feeling awkward, I tilt my head down, letting my hair fall to cover my face. “I thought I got pretty close to Dad when he slept on my couch. Looking back, I realize it was all an act. He recognized my insecurities and pounced on them. I was so desperate for a family that I overlooked any red flags.”

“I’m sure he didn’t have any major red flags you ignored, Kate. He’s that good of an actor. Look at how often he cheated on my mom. She only caught on the last few years of their marriage because he got careless. You have a heart of gold, and you find the goodness in everyone.”

“No wonder I’m taken advantage of,” I whisper.

“It’s not a bad thing, kid. You have an amazing outlook on life. You’ve been dealt a shitty hand, yet you’re always seeing the good in things. It could rain for days and days, and instead of complaining about how dreary it is, you’d talk about how the green grass is more vibrant after a rain. More people should strive to be like you, not the other way around.”

His words strike a chord in my heart. I’ve always seen the glass as half full. I try not to let one bad day make me miserable all week. One argument with Dominic hasn’t made me assume our entire relationship was a mess.

“Hey, Matt?” I hear from the doorway. Looking up, I see a frazzled Victoria holding a baby monitor. “Can you go sit with Silas? There was a diaper explosion, and I really want to take a shower now. His two-year molars are coming in and he’s just miserable.”

“Of course, Kitten.” Matt stands, then turns to me. “You okay, kid? You need anything?”

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