15
Chapter Fifteen
For the last few days, the four of us combed through every file from Dominic’s office. Dominic’s study was full of boxes, stacked chest high and neatly lined along the walls. We each took a wall and started working through the files with a fine-tooth comb.
None of us really knew what we’re even looking for, so it was actuallyworsethan looking for a needle in a haystack. When I asked Shadow what I should keep my eyes peeled for, his reply was simply, “My gut says you will know it when you see it.”
At the time, my sarcastic reply was, “Well, that’s helpful.”
Actually, it turns out that it was indeed helpful. “Oh my god, I think I found it,” I call out to the others. My tone is steeped in worry, even to my own ears.
Shadow and Tucker make a quick move toward me but Dominic stands still, holding the file that he’s been looking through, and waits. His eyes search mine, asking questions that I can’t find the words to answer. He sees it in my eyes, though. Knowing me as well he as he does, he sees the concern, he feels my worry, and he senses my anxiety.
When Shadow and Tucker both read it while looking over my shoulder, Dominic puts his file down and swiftly moves across the room. No doubt that he also sees the shocked look they both wear. The last few days have really been hard on me, alternating between admitting that I’m jealous and angry that Carol Ann was pregnant with Dom’s baby and being upset that she died while pregnant with his baby. The emotional roller coaster has become the very basis of our lives and I’m so ready for the drama to stop.
That’s not happening today, though.
Dominic snatches the paper from my hand and paces in the study as he reads it, and rereads it. “That son of a bitch!” he roars, causing me to jump from being startled.
With his voice thick with sarcasm and anger, he reads the note aloud.
“If you’re reading this note, it’s because I’m dead. I’ve become frightened of Dominic Powers. His abusive and controlling ways have escalated and I fear for my life. If I die under suspicious circumstances, he should be the first person you investigate.
“I’ve tried to leave, but he keeps me prisoner in our condo. I’m afraid of what he’ll do to me if I try to leave again. If I die, just keep him from doing the same to another woman. –Carol Ann Dictman”
Dominic’s face turns multiple shades of red as the anger in him rises. Tucker calmly walks over to him and takes the note from his hand. He studies the handwriting between this note and the other one Dominic has from Carol Ann. “The handwriting is strikingly similar but there are some discrepancies,” Tucker says calmly.
Shadow and Tucker sit at Dominic’s desk and carefully examine every letter of every sentence. Shadow makes a phone call and we only hear the clipped end of the conversation. When he’s finished, he says he has a contact in the Dallas FBI office that is a handwriting analysis expert and will look at the letters. Shadow leaves, taking the letters with him, and Tucker stays behind with us.
The only thing I know to do that may remotely help calm Dominic is to wrap my arms around him. “We’ll get through this together, Dominic,” I whisper to him and his arms tighten around me.
“You know, it’s my job to reassure you,” he murmurs back to me.
“I’m a tough girl. I can support and help my man sometimes, too.”
“You do, love. You do,” he sweetly kisses my hair.
Friday is hereand I wonder how the week has flown by so quickly. Today is the day that I’ve both looked forward to and dreaded. We fly to Austin today and meet my brother at Quattro Amore for dinner tonight. At least, I hope it’s my brother. Just in case, we have a whole team of security personnel flying with us that will be positioned all around the restaurant.
“Stop wringing your hands, my love. It’ll be fine. You won’t leave my sight and we have enough manpower to shut the whole place down,” Dominic smiles, reassuring me. I look around the plane and I know he’s right. I have nothing to worry about with all these people helping us.
“I’m nervous either way, Dominic. I love my brother, and I want to see him, but I just don’t see it going well if he starts on me about helping get him out of trouble,” I confess my fear.
“Babe, if he puts his needs before yours, you don’t need him in your life.”
“I know. But he’s my little brother. It’s not so easy to just let him go,” I reply and look into my Dom’s eyes. “He doesn’t come before you, though. If I have to choose, it will always be you.” Pulling my hand to his mouth, I watch his full lips kiss the back of my hand and I want to lean in and capture the kiss with my lips.
It’s a short flight to Austin on his private jet and the landing gear is suddenly touching down on the tarmac. Taking a deep breath, I steel my nerves and face whatever is ahead of me. My pregnancy hormones coupled with my overactive nerves have wreaked havoc on my morning sickness today. I only took half of an anti-nausea pill before we left in hopes that it doesn’t make me too groggy to fully function. So far, so good.
Two black, full-size SUVs with black tinted windows are waiting for our entire entourage. Dominic sits by me and moves in as close as he can get. His hand slides across my waist and covers my stomach, shielding our baby and warming me from the inside out. I glance up at him as he’s talking to the security team and realize that he’s not even aware of the gesture.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he whispers to me.
I look down at his hand and back up at him. “Oh, no reason.”
The smile he returns is the one that melts me every time. “It just comes naturally, I guess,” he shrugs.
Two blocks from the restaurant, we stop and I take a taxi the rest of the way to the restaurant. This huge security team would definitely draw attention if we all pulled up to the front door at once, so our arrival is staggered. The other SUV went on ahead so the men can get into position at all the exits. The taxi will deliver me next and I will stall before going to the hostess. The second SUV will be immediately behind me. I know I’m well covered, but I still wonder what I’m walking into.
