Page 17 of Where He Ended

- Chapter 7 -

Dominic

My headlights illuminatethe familiar curved gates of my estate. I scrape a hand over my face, yawning and miserable. I wonder if this is how Laiken felt when she didn't sleep the night her sister showed up.

I'd tried my best—rented a nice hotel room after driving around for an hour. Instead of resting, I'd splayed across the firm mattress, eyeing the ceiling, until the sun streamed through the window.

I'd debated coming back to the estate this morning. Every time Laiken's face popped into my head, I changed my mind. Showering didn't erase her, though it did make my stiff joints feel better.

I could have paid for another night or three, or five, or however much I wanted, but I kept getting a terrible sensation in my chest when I considered it. Being near Laiken is painful. Being away from her is torture.

Now, looking at the large house as I roll towards it, my encounter with her flashes through my tired brain again.I told her I wanted her.My blood boils as I recall how vulnerable I'd made myself.I fucking told her that, and she had to rub salt in my wounds.Laiken had no issues reminding me how my uncle was suffering. She'd begged me to give her any hint that I wasn't responsible for my cousin's death.

Listening to her plea was worse than peeling my own skin away.

As I park, I notice a car is missing. It's a black town car, usually used to escort us to important events when it'd be unseemly for us to drive ourselves. Powerful people are careful to avoid looking so pedestrian.

A fingertip of unease creeps down my neck. Slamming my driver's side door shut, I hurry into the house. “Hello?” I call, glancing around.

Emma pops her head around the corner. “Sir?”

I scan the room, not sure what I'm looking for. “Where are my parents? Did they go somewhere?”Without me,I almost add.

The maid blinks multiple times. “I think they're in your mother's room, they just got back from dinner. I didn't arrange for anything to be cooked because they were going out, but I can whip you up a meal, if you like.”

“No.” Passing by her, I start to unzip my navy blue jacket. “I'm not hungry.”They went out to dinner tonight?I'm sure it wasn't a date, my parents aren't known for romance. That means it was a business meal.It's my fault for storming off last night. If I'd been around, they would have told me to come along.I can't see why else they'd cut me out. They've been involving me in the new business meetings without any problems, so far.

There's something bugging me about all this.

It digs at me.

Refusing to let me go.

Emma said they just got home. Then why is a car missing? Who has it?

When I turn the corner towards my bedroom, I hear something banging. “Dominic!” a voice yells. I speed up, startled at the scene in front of me. Kara is outside my room, her fists smacking on the solid wood over and over. Her short hair is sticking up in places, as if she's been running at full tilt.

“Kara, what's wrong?” I ask, rushing to her side, staring frantically around for some invisible enemy.

Whirling on me, her eyes go wide. Pure terror. “It's Laiken,” she sobs.

My heart is dropped into a blender. I grab her shoulders, squeezing too roughly as panic controls my muscles. It's amazing that she doesn't cry out.“What happened to her?”

“I don't know! I saw her leave with Annie and Silas, and then they came back a few minutes ago, but she's not with them.”

Releasing her, I storm down the hall towards my mother's room. It's where Emma said they'd gone. But if they aren't there, I plan to strip the house down to its joists until I find them.

I don't knock, I throw the door open. My parents are sitting on the bed, both of them wearing elegant outfits. They stare at me as I head towards them like a train off its tracks. “What did you do?” I snap. “Where's Laiken?”

Silas starts to stand; Annie puts her hand out to stop him. “She's helping save our business,” she says flatly. “You could learn from her.”

All of my nerves are buzzing. I stop blinking, stop breathing, and it feels like my eyes will explode from my skull. “Where. Is.She.”

“Stay out of this, Dominic,” my father commands. “She's the only reason we're sealing this deal.”

This deal?I think, and then it hits me like twenty pounds to my liver. I know where Laiken is. I know exactly what they've done, and the whining in my ears grows so loud, so deafening, that I know it's building up to the biggest explosion ever. It goes off with asnap. Something inside of me splits open.

I have no idea what it is yet.

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