Page 46 of Kingpin
“Alannah.”
“Please, just take me back to my room, Dominic!” I yell as my emotions get the best of me.
Dominic’s head snaps up again, but this time it’s for good reason. A cop has heard me and is staring us down. He squints as he eyes us, then he turns and walks our way.
My heart is back on fast forward as the young policeman approaches us with suspicion on his hairless face. Dominic doesn’t say a word as the cop never takes his eyes off us, stopping only a few feet away with his hand resting on his holster.
“Is everything alright over here?” he asks, glaring at Dominic before looking to me. “Are you okay, ma’am?”
Dominic puts his head down and awaits my answer. I suddenly feel powerful, like I have his life in my hands at this very moment. I could tell this officer everything right now and Dominic could do nothing to stop me. I could settle his beef for him by telling and sending the cops over to Lumiere Place to question the owner. I could help their investigation and probably do a lot to protect Dominic from whatever else is going to come from all of this.
But if I did that, I’d lose Dominic forever. He’d never be okay with me cooperating with the police. He’d never look at me the same, and no matter how angry I am with him, it’d be a lie to say I didn’t care about that. I do care about that. I do care about him.
“Everything’s fine, Officer,” I snip just as I get up and walk around to the passenger door.
“Are you sure, Miss?” the cop double-checks, still eyeing Dominic.
“Yes, I’m sure. If there was a problem, I would’ve told you when you interviewed me earlier, but like I told you then, I don’t know anything. It’s been a long night, and I want to go home. So, Dominic, please take me home.” I dismiss the officer with a wave of my hand, then get in the car and close the door, making sure not to make eye contact with the cop again.
Dominic doesn’t waste a second. He ignores the cop’s glare and gets in the car, starting it up immediately and driving away from the scene.
The ride back to River City is silent. I know he has questions and is probably in his head just as I am right now, but neither of us speak. He parks the car in the garage and we walk to the elevator together. When we reach my floor, I get out without saying a word, but he stops me.
“Alannah, please don’t go like this, alright? I know you’re pissed, and you have every right to be, but you just came back to me.” He suddenly stops talking and looks down at the floor before clearing his throat and looking up again. “I mean, you just got back. You just got back, and I don’t want it to end like this.”
I don’t want it to end like this either, but maybe it has to. Maybe it doesn’t matter what we want anymore. Maybe the idea of being with Dominic is better than the reality, because in reality, gangsters are dangerous people who hurt and get hurt. The bad boy persona is undoubtedly appealing and attractive as much as it is terrifying and dangerous. Maybe I was too blind to see that before. Maybe I was wrong all along.
“Good night, Dominic,” I reply. Then I turn on my heel and walk away. I hear the elevator close behind me as I open the door to my suite, step over the threshold, and slam it shut with every muscle in my body.
I spend the next few hours crying into my pillow, until sleep finally shows up to comfort me.
