Page 63 of Neverland

Chapter 16

NOW

“When everyone thought you’d simply vanished into thin air, I found you four states away, broken, on the streets with nothing to lose. Not even your dignity. Now, what are the chances of me being the one to stumble upon you? Of me being the one to find you again? Slim to fucking none, that’s what. But I did.” He brushed a lock of hair behind my ear. “I found you. Now I get to keep you. Finders keepers.”

“I’ve got nothing left to give you, Dominic. Nothing.”

“But I’ve got something to give you.” His thumb under my chin lifted my face to meet his. He wore the same evil smirk he always did right before he committed some atrocity that left another scar on my heart. “I’ve got something just for you, Lucy.” Dominic turned to Anton. “Bring him in.”

Still wearing his smile, Dominic stood, his thumb rubbing his jaw in anticipation. Anton returned, leading a man wearing a black hood out to the rest of us. I slumped to the ground, too weak to give him the attention he craved. He paced back and forth like a restless wildcat.

“You may think you’ve paid me back for helping you that night, Lucy. But something has, shall we say, come up, and well, you can kiss away any freedom you may be chasing.”

I looked between him and the hooded man. “What are you talking about?”

As if some great reveal, Dominic pulled the hood off, laughing as he did so, revealing the monster he really was.

Jesus!

“How is this possible?” I asked, feeling the wind knocked clean out of me.

“I’m glad you asked,” Dominic grinned. “It’s quite the story.”

Dominic was a sick man. The last few days had solidified that, but this… this was on a whole new level.

“Hello, Lucy,” my father greeted me with a nervous smile.

Hearing his voice froze me in place. The hate I had for the man came rushing back, and with a vengeance.

“Lucy,” Dominic taunted. “You remember who this is, don’t you?”

It can’t be.

He should be in jail.

“Why is he here?” I finally stammered.

“Lucy, I’m sorry,” my father began. “I’m sorry for—‘”

“Shut up. Shut up,” I pleaded covering my ears. “Why is this happening? You should be jail for what you did.”

“I was. I’m out now.”

“How?” I screamed at him and the injustice in the world. “How are you just allowed to walk out when you killed my mother?”

Dominic laughed as realization dawned. “Ah… you don’t know, do you, Lucy?” My silence was his answer. “Your father pleaded he was mentally ill at the time of slaughtering your mother, which is why he didn’t get death row. But that’s not why he’s here. Since his release, your father has done quite a bit of gambling and has racked up a substantial debt with my father.”

“What’s his stupidity got to do with me?”

“Well, you see, since he’s unable to pay us back and with the interest owed, we’re forced to get creative.” Dominic reached behind his back and pulled out his Glock. “Creative in the sense that, while he’s escaped death row once, your father isn’t getting away with it now, especially since the price was high.” Dominic stood at an arm’s length and held the Glock’s barrel to my father’s temple, who only now started to realize things weren’t going to plan.

“So tell me, Lucy. Do you think he deserves to live?”

I looked to the man who’d become a blubbering mess. He had the nerve to stand in front of me, pleading for mercy. All those years I did the same only to be rewarded with a punch to the face. When I didn’t answer, Dominic took that as his cue, smiling knowingly. “Darlin’, I totally agree with you.”

He pulled the trigger, blood violently spraying from the exit wound. I watched my father fall in a heap onto the polished warehouse floor. I wasn’t crying because I was mourning for him. I was crying because the man I hated with all my soul, was now responsible for ruining my life a second time because it didn’t matter whether he was alive or dead, my outcome was still the same.

Dominic lowered before me, his hand cupping my cheek. “Congratulations, Lucy, you just inherited all your daddy’s debt.”

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