The Dominator (37 page)

“I’m fine, don’t worry. Good as new.”

“I know you’re fine from the allergic reaction but what about everything else?” she asked, her eyes landed on my hand and widened at the sight of the engagement ring.

“Actually, I’m really good.” I tried to reassure her. I had to oversell it so that they’d just back off. Plus I
was
pretty good, all things considered, “Things are working out after all.”

She opened her mouth to speak but I stopped her, “Seriously. I’m good. I think we’re getting married in a few weeks and I’d like you to both be there.” I smiled at her.

Her mouth dropped open and she looked at me like I was a puzzle to her.

I looked to Cal and as I said, “I hope you’ll consider doing the favor of giving me away? If it’s not too much to ask,” The door opened and Tommy walked in with his hands in his pockets. He didn’t look surprised to see them. I let out the breath I’d been half holding.

Cal looked back at Tommy and then to his wife. He looked a little perplexed but like he was trying not to show it. Rose was giving Tommy an evil eye.

“Maybe before then we could get a rain check on that lunch or brunch idea. So you can get to know Tommy?” I said quickly.

“I’d be honored to walk you down the aisle, Tia. Thank you but wouldn’t you rather your own Dad. He’s---”

“You’ve been like a Dad to me. He’s only biologically my father, Cal. You’ve been there for me, helping me with my homework, being stable and reliable…”

(Not selling me to the mafia…)

Lines crinkled around his eyes and he nodded, “Thank you. I’d be happy to.” Then his gaze swept over to Tommy and I bet he was thinking that he’d rather me not be marrying at this age and not be marrying this guy.

I looked at Tommy and smiled and patted the side of the bed that was opposite where everyone stood. Tommy rounded the bed and sat on the edge and put his hand on mine.

Rose and Cal both looked a little confused. Rose’s face was red.

“You have another visitor, baby.” Tommy said as he leaned over and kissed my temple.

“Who?”

“Your father,” he said and my expression dropped.

“If you don’t want to see him…” he started.

“I don’t,” I said.

“Kay.” Tommy rose and left the room.

Rose winced as she watched him leave, “He’s intense.”

“Did you guys call my father?” I asked.

Rose turned her attention to me and nodded, “He came up with us. We wanted to talk to him about your… situation on the way here.”

“And what did he say?”

“Very little,” Cal said and lowered his voice, “First he tried to brush things off when we described the visits from the police, what Susan had told us. Then he admitted that he’d gotten involved with some unsavory mafia types some years ago. They had demanded that you be handed over to marry the mobster’s son to settle an old vendetta. He was cryptic but said he hadn’t given up on finding a way to get you out but was still working on it. We asked him to work together with us to help get you out of this safely and he told us he’d rather continue on his own, try to see if you were okay, but not involve us with the unsavory people he was talking to. Said that he’d already tried to barter, negotiate, but said this family was sort of above the law. We thought we’d come here and make sure you were okay and then see what he was like and go from there. We’re very worried about you.”

“You can’t believe a word out of Greg’s mouth,” I said stiffly, “He lies. I don’t know yet what happened with him and Tommy’s father but you don’t have to worry about me. Tommy and I…we are fine.”

“You have a lovesick look about you,” Rose said, “And it’s very different from the way you were at the store last week.”

I smiled, “I’m fine. I’m happy. A lot has happened since then, Rose. My father is hiding something, I don’t know what yet, but please don’t work with him, don’t trust him. You don’t have to get me out of this. I am fine.”

“You hardly know him. What sorts of illegal activities is he into?”

“I think it’s probably not all that Hollywood hype, Rose.” I rolled my eyes. Inside, I saw flashes of that cargo plane, that pink canopy bed in that dank basement in Mexico and then the bullet holes on the bedroom door back at Tommy’s house with the dead men in the hallway, and my blood ran icy cold.

A man in scrubs entered the room and brought me a tray of food. I guessed it was lunch time. I thanked him and cautiously lifted the lid and then stuck my tongue out, “Eww.”

“We should go,” Cal looked at his wristwatch, “We will go have a word with your fiancé about getting together. In the meantime, we’re just a phone call away if you need us, day or night, okay?” He leaned over and kissed my forehead, “No surf and turf for you!” He smiled.

I smiled, “Thank you so much for driving all the way up here.”

He left the room. Rose leaned over and kissed my cheek, “I suspect you’re not telling me everything but what can I do? You tell me to back off and I trust you. You’re really okay?”

My heart constricted for a second, “I am.” I said, “Tommy can’t control who his father is any more than I can control who my father is.  It doesn’t mean that Tommy’s a bad guy.”

“But your father said…”

“Don’t trust my father. He is a lying liar who lies out of his lying liar hole.”

“And those people who visited us and tried to get us to stop talking to the police --- and them stopping you from talking to me at the supermarket…”

“Rose, I’m fine. A lot is going on. It’s too much to explain right now. Please trust me.”

“Why not move home? If he wants to see you, date you, go from there? My parents were so looking forward to having you.”

Tommy walked in as she said this and he obviously heard her.

I shook my head, “I’m fine. Please tell Nonno and Nona I’m so sorry. I will try to visit soon.”

“I am happy to reimburse them the rent Tia would have paid until they find a suitable tenant,” Tommy offered softly.

“That won’t be necessary,” Rose bit off without looking in his direction. She looked at me skeptically, “I’ve been keeping Ruby and the girls in the dark a little. Ruby is getting impatient. I’ll have a talk with her.”

I nodded, “I’ll call her as soon as I can.”

“She won’t understand and ---”

I saw the alarm on Rose’s face but then as she glanced in Tommy’s direction her stare hardened, “I’m not going to tell her anything that will upset her.”

She smiled, “You’re a good girl. Don’t be a martyr, though. Okay? No one is above the law. If you need help, we will find a way to help you. And carry an epi-pen, okay?”

I nodded.

“Call in a few days?”

I nodded again, “Tommy has a business trip and I’m going with him. When we get back I’ll call.” 

She squeezed my hand and left, giving Tommy a dirty look as she passed him.

I hadn’t sold them very well, I knew they were doubtful and worried but I guessed it was enough. For now.

As she left, Tommy looked like he was trying to soften his hard expression, “What
is
that?” He looked down at my bowl.

“Cream of something soup. But of what, I don’t know, and I highly doubt this is even cream.” I lifted the spoon in the bowl and let some soup fall off the spoon and it was runny, gloopy, and filmy at the same time.

“Don’t eat that slop. I’ll get food for us on the way back. The doctor’s releasing you. You can get dressed.”

“My father?”

“Escorted him out. I need to make a call while you’re getting dressed. I’ll be back in 10.”

I nodded and watched him leave. He looked super pissed. Dread worked its way through me.

After directions and a prescription for the epi pen, which had been filled already, I was on my way out the door with Tommy.

He clicked the button to unlock the door to his Jeep and we got in and he let out a big breath, “How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” I told him, “Can you stop at the store?”

“Yeah, I was already planning to get something for us to eat later. What do you want me to stop for?” he pulled out of the hospital parking lot and onto the main road.

“Graham crackers and chocolate bars and marshmallows,” I told him, “Since you got me poisoned, you at least owe me some s’mores,”

He caressed my cheek and looked like he visibly relaxed.

“And worms,” I added, “For more fishing.”

He rolled his eyes, “I’ve created a monster.”

“So…” I said after a moment of silence.

His jaw tightened, “Your father said a few things about his history with my father. And he’s got an ulterior motive giving me the information. I’m going to give my PI the info.”

“And that information is…” I asked.

He shook his head, “No point bringing it up until I know if he’s bullshitting or not.”

He had a point. “Tommy, there’s something I didn’t tell you. You may know about this but you may not...”

He pulled over to the soft shoulder with a squeal of the brakes, startling me.

“What?” he spat.

I grabbed my chest and I must’ve blanched because his hardened expression softened, marginally, and he motioned with his hands for me to speak.

“When I sorted through my things in your basement I found a photograph of my mother with your father from when they were like teenagers in one of my albums. They looked like they might’ve been together.”

His expression was unreadable to me for a moment, then he said, “Anything else?”

I shook my head.

“Why didn’t you tell me this?”

“I didn’t know what the connection was, what the truth was, and I… didn’t trust you.”

“No more secrets,” he said and then put the jeep into drive and merged back in with traffic.

“But you get to have secrets.” I mumbled.

He didn’t answer me. I didn’t push it. I didn’t feel strong enough to argue with him. He didn’t say anything until we got to a grocery store.

“Let’s go,” he told me gruffly and we went into the store. He grabbed a shopping cart, “Whatever you want for later and tomorrow morning before we head back,” he motioned to the empty cart and I nodded and he followed me up and down the aisles while I grabbed tea bags, instant coffee, sugar, milk, marshmallows, graham crackers, Hershey bars. Then I asked, “What’ll we do for dinner? Microwave food?” I made a face.

“I have a grill in the barn. I’ll bring it out,” he mumbled, clearly still in a foul mood.

“What’s with the farmhouse? Is there a usable kitchen?” I asked, thinking there may be appliances in it.

“Gutted,” he answered and picked up a bag of charcoal and lighter fluid and putting it in the space under the basket of the shopping cart.

“Steak? Chicken?” I asked him when we got to the meat section.

He shrugged, “Whatever.”

I shook my head in frustration at these one word answers I’d been getting and tossed one of each in the cart and then stormed off to the vegetable section and left him behind.

When we got back to the jeep and loaded the bags into the trunk I said, “Listen, you’re obviously not in the mood for this so if you’d rather just go back to the city, why don’t we just do that?”

He didn’t answer me. He got into the driver’s seat and turned the ignition. I got into the passenger seat and folded my arms across my chest. He leaned over and blazed a dirty look at me and fastened my seatbelt for me.

Tommy

I didn’t wanna be pissy with her; I was so relieved she was okay after that allergic reaction and I felt like crap because I’d let that happen to her. I brought her up here for safety and this shit happens.

I wanted to pamper her, spoil her, make love to her non-stop for the next 24 hours before we had to go back to real life.

Everything was just getting on top of me right now. Seeing the Crenshaws and getting attitude from them, seeing O’Connor, and then talking to him and listening to the shit that came out of his mouth just pissed me off. I was tired and pissed off and stiff from a long night trying to sleep in a chair. I wanted her away from all of them, all to myself. So, why couldn’t I let everything go so I could just enjoy the next 24 hours with her?

When we got back to the farm she began to put the groceries away and I left her for a while. I got some grass cut out back with an old rusty manual push mower to make an area for the barbeque and campfire. I looked up at the second storey doors and decided it might be a good idea to build a deck up there. Maybe we’d come back before summer was over and spend a few days so I could work on that. I’d started off at fourteen working for my father’s construction company and I could build just about anything. In a year or two maybe I’d start working on building a cradle.

I couldn’t believe where my mind was going, imagining having babies with her when we’d only been together not even a few weeks and when she’d only agreed to try with me not 48 hours ago.

I took my frustrations with everything out with my axe as I chopped enough firewood for more than a few campfires.