Blood Ties (Dinero de Sangre #2) - Lana Sky Page 0,35
air. I can tell from how his eyes widen that he hasn’t considered that location for himself.
“No,” he says, shaking his head. “That would be fucking stupid. Why would he…”
“Because it would be so obvious,” I point out. A hollow laugh escapes me at the thought of how he would have gloated, were any of this true. “My father was… Is a selfish victor, Domino. Don’t tell me you haven’t realized that. He guards his prizes jealously.”
My mother.
Me.
He wouldn’t see Pia as a person, or even an innocent victim who got in his way. He would only see her as a prize to be won. Or conquered.
“He would keep her in Terra,” I decide, ignoring his skeptical frown. “Not that I believe he did it in the first place.”
I can’t tell if Domino agrees with me or not. He’s still pacing, raking his fingers viciously through his hair. He has to be hurting himself, ripping out stray strands with each frantic motion, but I don’t think he notices. Or cares. Wherever he is mentally is somewhere beyond pain or discomfort.
“Fuck,” he says finally, moving to brace his hands against the counter. He eyes himself in the mirror positioned above, and from this angle, I can see his expression clearly.
Angry. Bitter. Thoughtful.
As much as he may have challenged it, I think my hunch made sense.
Which sickens me to my very core.
“And this is the part where you laugh like a superhero villain,” I croak, too drained to put any real effort into the taunt. My head lolls, and I find myself staring at the shower instead of him. “Then you tell me that it was all a trick. You’ll leave me to die. I was an idiot to even think of trusting you—”
“I’ll uphold my end of our agreement,” he snarls, marching to cross my line of vision. “I’ll ‘trust.’ But can you?”
I blink, puzzled by his statement.
His expression shifts before my eyes, becoming musing again, reminding me more than ever of those nights I would spy on him. He’s thinking. Plotting. And this time, whatever he’s planning most definitely involves me.
“I’ll need to do this right,” he grumbles, stroking his chin, fixated on his own internal thoughts. He’s not speaking to me. And yet, as his eyes dart suspiciously around the room, I suspect that I’m not who he’s wary of, either. At least now. “Get up.”
He lowers his voice and inclines his head toward the shower stall.
But I don’t move.
“I said get up!” He storms toward me, his nostrils flaring. One look at me, however, and he seems to realize that my rebellion isn’t entirely out of a need to defy him.
I can’t move. My head is floating, my body like lead.
Without a word, he crouches, yanking me into his arms. I barely have the chance to marvel at the sensation of being held by him—carried—before I’m unceremoniously placed on one of the benches in the shower stall.
He exits long enough to get the water running, but this time the spray is heavy, pelting us with lukewarm water that ricochets off the walls in a deafening roar.
“Trust is what you want, is it?” Domino questions, his voice low as he returns to my side, bringing his mouth near my ear. “Keep your mouth shut, follow my lead, and I’ll do what I can to help you.”
Help me?
It takes every ounce of strength I have left to find the energy to lift my head and see his face. He’s leaning down, still wearing his shirt and slacks, and I realize that all of this is a way to disguise our conversation.
From who? Alexi?
But in comparison to him, even she no longer seems like my biggest enemy.
“You did this to me!” I’m on the verge of another sob, and he nods, tugging me from the bench and onto my feet. I sway, forced to submit to his strength just to stay upright. He hooks an arm around my waist, and I have no choice but to brace my hands against his chest for stability.
“I did this to you,” he murmurs. “But do you want to learn why? Or would you rather wallow in your role as the victim?”
I recoil at his harsh tone, pushing against him. Belatedly, I realize just what he said—learn. It’s the first time he’s even hinted at giving me more than taunts and mind games. God help me; I’d do anything for answers. Clarity. Something.