Looking down at the floor, Dom managed, “I’d promised Brennan that I’d protect you no matter what. So if you want to put us both through hell, that will be my penance for my father’s sins.” Meeting my gaze again, she spoke through gritted teeth. “But I will not break my promise to the only real father figure I’ve ever known.”
The rage bubbled up at the sound of his name. “Don’t you ever say his name!”
I wouldn’t let Dom speak again. “You’re not some fucking hero.” Shaking my head, I refused to believe it. Dom had abandoned me, never once came to see me. While she lived in this fucking mansion, I was struggling to survive under my mother’s thumb.
And she hadn’t done shit for me.
She’d already broken whatever bullshit promise she made to my father.
The sound of the rain grew louder as our words went hush.
Until Leo stepped forward, saving me from knowing what to say next. “So you knew what your father was and you still chose to work for him?”
“I wasn’t given a choice.” Dom turned her attention to the Major. “The Oracle had been watching me ever since my mom died. They found the body, covered for me and kept my place as the heir to the Zeus throne. In exchange, they needed an inside agent.”
After what felt like years of silence, Spencer’s voice boomed across the stone. “What was on that asshole’s phone?”
It was time for Dom to come clean, and every suspicion we’d had was going to come to the surface.
Without a choice but to answer, Dom let out a sigh. “An app, one designed by Zeus to manage their underground dealings. That’s why I had to talk to Gabe; he was getting too close to all of us. To her.”
It wasn’t until her eyes moved back to me that I knew she meant it. Really meant it. She thought she was protecting me, in whatever sick and twisted way she knew how.
I wasn’t ready to accept it. Just because she meant it didn’t mean that I believed it.
How could any of this be true? It was all too convenient.
Of all people, why did Brennan ask Dom to look out for me? How did he know that he couldn’t trust his own wife… or his business partner?
And most importantly, why did he think he wouldn’t be around to protect me?
46
KIERA
Takingadvantage of the brief respite from arguing, Leo cleared her throat. “Look, clearly we all have some catching up to do. But there’s no way we’re getting all of the answers tonight. Everyone go to bed, and we can revisit this in the morning.”
The standoff between Spencer, Dom, and I wasn’t so easily swayed. The air around us crackled with the anxious electricity of our discoveries.
Spencer was the first to peel away from the fight, not having an interest in allowing Dom to walk away from her. Instead, she made her way to the stairs and stopped on the second step, holding her hand out to me.
My eyes flicked between Dom and Leo before I turned my back on them and joined Spencer. Looking into her dark brown eyes, I could read every ounce of conflict inside her. There was the obvious rage that came from her heaving shoulders and tight jaw.
But in her eyes was a sorrow, a deep betrayal and hurt that she wouldn’t want to talk about. Not tonight, and maybe not ever.
Once I’d made my way for the stairs, Dom dismissed herself and headed down a dark hallway toward her office. Her steps were faster than usual, a panic after being caught.
She had a lot of lies to answer for.
And I wasn’t going to let her off the hook.
As Spencer and I headed upstairs, I heard Leo’s heavy feet behind us. Peeking at her over my shoulder, I took in her stoicism. Her broad shoulders were rolled back, her chin tilted high. But her own anger was buried in the stern gaze and tight movements.
I was certain that Leo was holding back, keeping it together for all of our sakes. Someone had to keep their eye on peace.
But I hated that she had to put her own frustration aside for us.
None of this was going to go away. And I wasn’t sure Dom could fix it.
