Page 52 of Sweetest Sin
Instead of going home, I went to a few different bars and asked various people about the Antonov family. The women were smitten, the men envious. Some feared them, and others respected them. But almost every person confirmed what I’d already known—they were dangerous.
“Regardless of what I am,” Dominick says, “it didn’t give you the right to keep my son from me.” He walks back to his seat and slides into it, casually placing his ankle over the knee of his other leg.
“Actually,” I say, sitting up and swinging my legs around the side, “it did give me the right. Because my job as Damien’s mom is to love and protect him, even if that means protecting him from you.
“I heard the violence in your voice. when you killed a man with your bare hands, and I willneverlet you get anywhere near my child.
“I watched my father abuse my mom, and I told you once that I was afraid of history repeating itself. That my biggest fear was not breaking the cycle, and you told me that I would break it. So, I did what I had to do to protect my son.”
I walk past him, but he catches my wrist and glances up at me.
“You saw what I’m capable of,” he says, tilting his head slightly. “Do you think it’s wise to poke the beast? Who’s to sayI won’t kill you? Then, what will be standing in my way from takingourson?”
“I willalwaysfight formyson,” I tell him, pulling my arm out of his hold. “Until I take my final breath, I will fight for him because I am his mother. He is just a baby, Dominick. Not your heir or a pawn. He’s an innocent little boy who doesn’t belong anywhere near your violence.”
Dominick surprises me when he lets me walk out of the room without stopping me.
Good.Maybe I got through to him.
Maybe he understands.
Maybe he’ll do the right thing and let us go.
18
Dominick
“As you can see,nobody is here,” Peyton says when we arrive at her apartment a few hours later.
I take in the area where she’s been raising our son. Worn-in couches and a kitchen table with chairs that have seen better days. The cabinets are the original dark-wood particle board from the ’80s with Formica countertops. And the flooring is a scratched-up linoleum.
But on the walls are child’s drawings, framed like they are the most precious thing in the world. Taped to the fridge are dozens of photos of Peyton and a little boy with several other people. They’re laughing and smiling in every picture, and my heart swells. He has her fiery-red hair and porcelain skin, but his eyes … his gray eyes are one hundred percent mine. And the reminder that I have a son—someone with my eyes, who shares my genetics, that I’ve never even met—sends my blood boiling all over again.
“I want to see our son,” I say to Peyton.
“He’s not yours,” she volleys. “He’s mine. I already told you that you’re not getting anywhere near him. You’re violent and dangerous, and you’ll have to kill me before I let you get close to my son.”
“That can be arranged,” I tell her, striding across the room.
Despite her false bravado, her eyes flash in fear as her back hits the wall.
Normally, I’d reassure her that I’d never hurt a woman, especially the mother of my child, but I’ve had enough of her shit.
“I understand you think you’re protecting our son, and I can even respect that,” I tell her, caging her in. “But you cost me over three years of his life, and it stops now. You made your choices, and now, you’ll deal with the consequences. I’m giving you forty-eight hours to come to terms with the fact that our son has a father. One who will be in his life. When I return in two days, be prepared to move to Harbor Point.”
She opens her mouth to argue, but I shake my head.
“You have nothing keeping you here. Your mom is dead, you graduated, and this apartment is leased.”
“I have a job!”
“Your part-time job as a flight attendant?” I scoff. “It barely even pays your bills. You’re running out of money and hoping to land a job at one of the hotels or restaurants you applied to.”
Her eyes turn into thin slits. She’s pissed that I know so much, but I don’t care. She did it her way the past four years, and that ends now.
“Our son will have a home in Harbor Point, where he’ll be given the best of everything. You can either get on board or the train will leave your ass here. You were right. I am dangerous, and I am powerful, which means I have important people in my pockets. As you know, I’ve killed people, yet I’m not behind bars.I do what I want, where I want, how I want, and nobody will fucking stop me.”
“Cocky much?” she chokes out.
