We pull into another motel, and he checks us in and lets me into the room.
I set my stuff down on the bed and look around. “I’m going to go shower.”
“Look, Princess, you can hate me for what I did. But your friend betrayed you. I didn’t do that. What I did was to do you a favor by removing her toxicity from your life. You’d always be in danger with her.”
I can’t help myself. Before I even blink, I raise my hand and strike him through the face. There’s a tense moment where we look at each other.
He grabs me, and I gasp as he plants his lips over mine, kissing me hungrily. Clearly, aggression turns him on.
I push him off me and slap him again. “Stay off me. I’m not yours to touch.”
He chuckles and rubs his face. “You hit hard for a princess.”
“I’m not a fucking princess,” I shout.
“Own it. Own what you are, and then you can live free of the shame people attach to it. I’m a killer. It’s what I am. I’m not ashamed of who I am or what I do. I don’t have time for that bullshit. It’s always moving forward, onto the next task, the next job.”
I stare at him and shake my head. “What you are is a monster!”
“Maybe I am, but I know I’ve killed more killers than I’ve killed innocent people. No one is perfect,” he says calmly. “No one is sin free. No one is so-called innocent.”
I pick up my things. “I’m going to shower. I need to wash…everything away.”
Tears well up in my eyes, and for a moment, I almost think I see a flash of concern on his face, but I know it isn’t real. Dominic has no heart.
I go to the bathroom and shut the door, locking it behind me. I run the water so it can warm up while I get undressed. I feel tired, my whole body aches, and I start to cry. I let the sadness wash over me until I climb into the shower, slide to the bottom, and hug myself, sobbing.
I don’t care if Dominic can hear me. I just need a fucking moment. I was always sheltered from this part of my father’s life. I don’t want to be involved or near death, destruction, and cruelty.
I know Dominic thinks he can reason his way out of being a killer, but I just can’t understand it. My heart is breaking for Carmila. She was a huge part of my life, and I don’t know if I believe him that she betrayed me. You can’t just believe someone has betrayed you. You need evidence.
I rest my head against my knees and let the water wash away my grief.
Chapter 15 - Dominic
I can hear her sobbing in the shower, and it stirs something that I long thought was dead. Feelings deep inside of me that I had buried a long time ago with my conscious. I want to comfort her. I want to wipe her tears away and make her feel better.
I don’t feel bad about killing Carmila. I know what she did. She admitted it. But I wish it could have been different. I wish Carmila had been different, and we had avoided the whole situation.
I need to find a burner cell and contact Alessandro about what’s happened and who is involved. I need to let him know everything. Bruno is going to pay for this.
I also need concrete evidence that Carmila was involved. I feel like I should at least justify myself to Sofia. A part of me doesn’t want her to hate me.
I shouldn’t feel this way; it makes me soft, and soft is not something you can afford to be in my line of work.
She comes out of the shower and doesn’t say anything to me as she climbs into bed. I try not to watch her. I try to focus on the ceiling above me. I try to think about what the next step is in my plan of action.
I doze off, my mind constantly trailing back to the idea of Sofia naked in the shower.
When I wake up, it’s early, and I look over to where Sofia is snoring softly. She looks like an angel when she is asleep. The anger and worry are gone from her face. I look at the time on the clock on the wall and sigh. We need to get going.
There’s a safe house not far from here. We can probably walk. I stifle a groan as I sit up, the pain shooting through my body. I run my hand through my hair and go to the bathroom to relieve myself. I step into the shower. The hot water soothes my aching body but stings the open cuts.
When I’m done, I dry off, get dressed, and then shake Sofia gently. “Princess, hey, Princess, wake up.”
Sofia’s eyes flutter open, and she looks around, confused. “What time is it?”
“It’s eight, but we need to get moving. Get up.” I say, stepping away from her bed and sitting on mine.