We dove into the stuff she searched earlier, trying to decipher what it meant. She’d searched my name, but when nothing came up, she moved to searching for other stuff.
“She went through every plastic surgeon’s website in the tristate area. She can’t be thinking of getting work done. She’s hot as hell already.”
“Maybe for her leg?” I scratched my head. It didn’t make sense. She didn’t look at their services, just their ratings and reviews.
“Bro, come on, let’s not be those guys. That’s fucking ableist,” Swayze called me out.
I cringed, knowing what a dick I sounded like.“Okay, well explain it then.” I shoved my phone away.
Just then, it pinged. We leaned over quickly and saw that Domino was making a phone call. The number wasn’t saved in her contacts. The app asked us if we wanted to listen in. I pressed yes, and a moment later, we were tapped in.
“Hello?” a deep voice answered.
“Johnny? It’s Domino.”
Swayze and I exchanged looks. Who was Johnny? Jealousy boiled in my belly.
“Dom! How’s it going, sweetie? You took off so fast the other day, we didn’t get a proper goodbye.”
“I know, I’m sorry. Things have been really weird. I… I went back.”
“You did? Jesus, Dom, are you okay?”
“I am, I am,” she rushed. “I went back because they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Johnny sighed. “I thought you didn’t care about their money.”
“I don’t. But I made a promise to you and I want to do it.”
There was a long pause.
“Dom, did you go back to get the money for?—”
“I did. I have it. Fabian, my oldest brother, gave it to me this morning. You're getting top surgery, Johnny Blue.”
You could hear the happiness in her voice, and my nerves relaxed. Whoever Johnny was, he wasn’t a threat.
“You didn’t have to do that. I can come up with the money on my own. I’ll be fine for a few more years.”
“No!” Domino blurted. “I want to do this. I owe you my life. If I hadn’t tried to sell my ring, they wouldn’t have found me, and my coming back would have been for nothing. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this. Do you have a surgeon in mind?”
This was why she was looking up plastic surgeons. Not for herself, but for someone who needed it. We sat back and took in the conversation. She gave up her freedom, to give it to someone else.
She truly was beautiful.
Rule 13 - Domino
Don’t bond with the people plotting your demise.
“Ineed some time off.” I stepped up to the Rush Slush booth, where Fabian was making himself a slushy.
“What’s up?” He stepped out of the booth, nodding to the worker inside, and we moved through the large crowd of patrons who had come out for opening day.
“I have a friend who’s having surgery. I’d like to be there for him.”
“A friend? When is this?” He raised an eyebrow. I held back from rolling my eyes. Ever since I’d come back a little over a week ago, my family had been hounding me for information. They wanted to know what exactly I’d done while I was gone, but they didn’t deserve to know. I didn’t come back for them. I came back for Johnny Blue and any others I could help. After I got off the call with him last night, I’d made a list on my phone of all the people I could help with the money. People that had helped me during my travels. People who barely had food of their own, but broke bread with me. It was a long list.
"It’s in a week,” I told him, keeping it brief.
