Page 71 of The Viper

“Wait, you saw him? Did you see Eliza? Did you see her the way I did and you left her there? Why did you do that?”

“No, I didn’t see your sister. He said she was asleep.” Dominic’s grip tightens on the wheel as we head back to his house.

I get the feeling he’s not telling me something. “What aren’t you telling me?”

He stares out the window, his jaw clenched while he grinds his teeth. “It’s not your concern.”

“Why is everyone hiding shit from me?”

He turns to glimpse at me. “Eliza’s hiding something?”

“Yes, and now you are too. Why? What do I need protecting from?”

“What did Eliza say?”

“Nothing. She said nothing! And you have no idea how frustrated I am because she won’t tell me what her secret is, and now you won’t tell me what you’re hiding,” my voice is growing in frustration. There’s a splitting and relentless pain behind my left eye while my arms are protesting from how tightly balled up my fists are.

“Have you thought that perhaps we have these secrets because we want to protect you?”

“I’m not a fucking child, Dominic. I don’t need protecting.”

“Watch your tone,” he warns.

“Why? Are you going to channel your inner Adrian and hit me?”

He slams the brakes on and the car comes to a complete stop. He turns to me and says in a low voice, “I’ve never raised my hand to a woman in my life, and I never will.” He grabs his cigarettes and lights another before starting back toward his house.

Dominic has never raised his voice, let alone scared me, and in my gut I know he’d never do anything to hurt me. The tension rolling off both of us is making the air thick and stifling. “I don’t want to start a war with you and your brother, Dominic, so tomorrow I’m going to walk away from all of this.”

“No,” he says flatly.

“I’m not asking for your permission. I’m telling you that my sister is my only family, and I’m not going to leave her to fend for herself, especially considering she’s going to need me now more than ever. Your brother has done a wonderful job fucking her up, and now I need to mend those pieces for her to have even the smallest chance to survive.”

“No,” he repeats in his low tone.

“She can’t survive in this world, Dominic.”

“Yes, she can.”

I shake my head, adamant. “I’m leaving.”

“No. You’re not going anywhere.”

“Eliza isn’t strong enough to heal without me, and I’m not going to ask her to even try. Your world has ruined her, and I have to leave before it ruins me too.” I lower my eyes and stare at my hands wringing together. “Your world will destroy me. If you don’t let me go I’m afraid I’ll end up hating you.”

Dominic’s hands tighten around the wheel. “No,” he repeats. “I’ll figure something out.”

I turn to look at his dark features. “Eliza isn’t like me at all, Dominic. I look at the blood on your shirt and it doesn’t frighten me. Actually, if I’m being honest, it kinda makes me hot.” I hate having to admit something so dark to him, but he has to understand that Eliza won’t survive this world.

“You’re not scared by this?” He gestures toward his bloody shirt.

“As long as it’s not your blood, then no, I’m not. But Eliza is gentle and sweet, and clearly, I’m not or I’d be terrified.” I lift my hand to place it on my chest. “But she can’t do this by herself, and I wouldn’t want her to. She’s the only family I have and I can’t leave her on her own. You understand how important this is to me, don’t you?”

His jaw tenses as he stares at the road ahead of us. The beam of the car’s headlights shine brightly on the road. The silence between us is thick with many unspoken words. “I know she’s your sister...”

“Please don’t say but.”

He chews on the inside of his cheek and finally gives me a small head nod. “On one condition.”

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