No one argues, and once I can see that they’re clearing out and there aren’t any more guns trained our way, I loosen my hold on Dominique and stand. My heart pounds in my chest now for an entirely different reason.
Police Chief Valdez meets my gaze. There’s concern there but it’s fleeting. Then he turns and starts in on the officer forced to stay behind.
Roman is there, yanking me into his arms. “What the hell were you thinking? Fuck. Were you trying to give me a heart attack? Seeing you like that just shaved ten years off my life.”
I freeze in his arms and close my eyes. Silent tears track down my face. I… I can’t… I can’t breathe.
He releases me and turns toward Dom, completely unaware of the meltdown taking place inside of me.
“What the hell happened?” Roman asks.
No answer. I swallow several times trying to force the lump in my throat down.
“Dom?”
He’s not getting up. Roman sends me a worried look and I force my feet to move. I step around him until I’m standing in front of him and I bend down to catch his gaze. “Dom?”
His jaw is locked. His eyes glassy and far away. I send a worried gaze toward Roman but he shrugs, unsure of what to do. I bite my bottom lip. Words aren’t getting through to him.
I take a deep shuddering breath and swipe the tears from my face with the backs of my hands before turning my attention to his. They’re still held above his head.
I shove past my fear and with shaking fingers, reach out and cup Dom’s cheeks in my palms. “Dominique?” His gaze flickers to mine. “It’s okay. You’re okay. They’re gone. It’s okay.”
His hands slowly lower but his arms are trembling. He sucks in a shuddering breath. “I need…”
I know and I force myself to give it to him. I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him close. His strong arms wrap around me in an almost painful embrace. I bear it and when my limbs lock up and my breath becomes erratic, I just squeeze him tighter.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
THIRTY-SIX
Roman
Allie took off ten minutes ago. I tried to convince her to let me give her a ride but as soon as Dom released her, she took off straight for her Audi with barely a backward glance.
I was tempted to go after her. I don’t know what the hell came over me but seeing her like that, in the line of fire, I’ve never been so fucking scared in my life. My girl was in danger.My girl.
Fuck all the bullshit with her and Julio. Fuck the fact that she ghosted me. She’s mine. She ran off tonight but as soon as I get Dom settled, she and I are going to have words.
It’s just the three of us now. Dom, me, and my pops. We’re sitting in Dominique’s Escalade but I’m in the driver’s seat. No way am I letting him drive himself home tonight. Dom gave my dad a recount of what happened, and one thing for sure is heads are going to roll Monday morning when my dad gets to his office. He assures Dominique that all of the officers will face consequences. I’m almost positive the first asshole on scene will lose his badge. You can’t be a racist prick on my dad’s force. He has zero tolerance for that shit.
“You boys going to be alright tonight?” my dad asks.
“Yeah. I’ll drive Dom home and crash at his place. What were you doing here, anyway?” I ask him.
Color is coming back to his face. He seems a little more like himself. “Allie called me. She was freaked out. I guess there was some dude outside and she didn’t feel comfortable leaving the diner by herself.”
A stab of pain hits me in the gut when I realize she was afraid and she called him. Not me. But before I say anything, my pops curses.
I flick my gaze toward him, and he asks, “Are you two close with her?”
We both shake our heads. “Used to be. We don’t talk anymore,” I tell him.
He frowns but I have no idea why. What does he care whether or not I talk to Allie?
“What’s that mean exactly?” he asks.
I shrug, not wanting to get into it with him. Allie and I were on the outs but after tonight, I plan to rectify that. “Nothing. It’s whatever.”
