Page 57 of Twisted Obsession

Twenty-Five

DOMINIC

Alot of scenarios run through my head about what might happen when the Maguire twins return. There’s no doubt in my mind that our secret is out, so I start talking the minute they walk through the door before they can shut me up. “Is Roisin alright?” I ask, then realize that was a stupid question, because it requires an answer I doubt they’re interested in providing. So instead, I launch into the rest. “You make sure you look after her,” I tell them, even though I’m in no position to make demands. “She gets the best care there is, you understand?”

The two of them stare at me and say nothing.

“And the baby, just fucking remember that child is innocent in all of this. You don’t treat it differently just because of who the father is.”

Callum narrows his eyes and I think my time might just about be up, but I haven’t finished yet. “I have money put aside. I made a will as soon as I found out Roisin was pregnant.”

That earns me a raised eyebrow. “Everything I have will be hers, so she can give the baby the life it deserves without having to rely on anyone else.”

“Anything else you want to add to your touching eulogy?” Callum asks, his eyes glittering with something I can’t quite define. It doesn’t matter anyway. I don’t have time for guessing games.

“Yeah,” I say, and for the first time I start to feel choked up when everything I’m going to miss out on suddenly hits me. “Tell Roisin…” My voice gives out and I have to stop and swallow. “Tell Roisin to take care. To always live her best life. Tell her I would have loved our child… Fuck! I do love our child. I wish I could have seen him… or her. Been with her when she brings him into this world. Supported her so she doesn’t have to do this alone.”

I glare at the Maguire twins as they stand there with impassive expressions, no doubt planning my imminent demise. “Make sure you do that, if I can’t.”

I blink my eyes, realizing they’re wet, the first time I’ve cried since I was a kid. “And I will be with her, in spirit. Every step of the way, just as I would have been in life. Don’t let her doubt that.”

I pause, not knowing how to say what I want to say. “Tell her she’s the best woman I know. And I know she’ll be the best mother. And I think… maybe…”

Fuck what am I saying? She doesn’t want a maybe. If these words are my last, I might as well go all in. “Tell her I loveher,too.”

And in that moment, I realize it’s true.

I never would have risked all that I have, no matter how she begged, if I hadn’t cared for her more than anything else. I’m not the kind of man to just take sex because it’s offered, no matter what conclusions people might jump to because of my profession. In truth, I always stood to lose far more than I would have gained from a fleeting moment of erotic pleasure.

And what I experienced with Roisin was so much more than that. I’ve tried to hide it all–even from myself–behind obligation, duty, accountability. Telling myself I was watching her because Mika ordered it, when in fact, I just wanted to see her. Know she was safe and happy. Convincing myself I was taking her to her prenatal appointments because it was my responsibility as the father of her child, when really, I was awed by the tiny part of me growing inside her; the piece of me she chose to love.

She could have terminated, run, lied… but she chose me when she decided to reach out and tell me about our child. I have no doubt there were easier ways. But my sweet Roisin didn’t take any of them.

I make my peace with death as best I can. Regrets will never change anything, no matter how many I have. Not just seeing my child grow up and being the father Roisin’s baby deserves but seeing her grow round with my child. Watching as she blooms and glows with pregnancy. Sleeping with her in my arms and waking up with her in the mornings. Sharing the life we’ll never get to lead, even the mundane parts of it.

I wish she had better memories of me to share with our child than just a week of captivity and my willingness to sneak around with her.

As I close my eyes to the inevitable and wait for what’s about to happen with as much grace as I can muster, the thing I wish most, is that I’d gotten the chance to tell her I love her in person.

Instead, I wrap all the love I feel around me as I prepare to take my final breaths.

Chapter

Twenty-Six

ROISIN

Finally everyone has gone, but there’s no relief to be had.

Callum and Ciaran remained tight lipped and the only small comfort I have is that at least I haven’t heard anything awful coming through the vents from the basement.

Doesn’t mean they haven’t slit his throat or broken his neck or something equally silent, of course.

I want to rant and rage at them, tell them in no uncertain terms that I’ll never forgive them if they kill Dominic, but every bit of energy I had left went into my plea to keep him alive, and now I feel like I have nothing left.

I think I might always feel this way if my brothers have done something so dreadful. It will tear apart the entire fabric of my life as I know it, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to recover from that.

I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing despite my exhaustion. The silence in the house is oppressive, broken onlyby the occasional creak of the old floorboards and I strain my ears, desperate for any sign of life from the basement, but there's nothing.

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