The Sacrificial Lamb (39 page)

Bianca had her eyes squeezed shut, tears leaking from the corners. She shook her head back and forth.

“Good,” he said in a deadly voice. “’Cause now I’m taking over where Dad left off.”

“No,” she moaned. “Domenic, no.”

He took the gun away from under Bianca’s chin and shoved her away from him roughly. She yelled out and tumbled to the ground. Her hands were braced against the floor, and she wept. Her eyes were downcast, tears falling onto the floor beneath her. Domenic was dying inside, watching her cry. He wanted to take it all back and comfort her but knew it was the wrong thing to do.

Grabbing Bianca by the upper arm in a merciless grasp, he dragged her up from the floor. She whimpered in pain as his fingers dug into her flesh. Domenic pulled her along behind him toward the front door. When they got there, he spun her around and brought his face scant inches from hers.

“Tell Russell about this, and I’ll have him killed,” he said between clenched teeth. It was a low blow, even for him, but the threat to Russell was one of the only things that would keep her away from him.

“Domenic, please don’t do this.”

“Too late. Don’t force my hand, Bianca. Get the fuck out and don’t contact me again. Got it?” He shook her violently. Her head bounced off the door. “I swear to God, I will put Russell in the fucking ground.”

“Okay!” she cried out.

Domenic put his gun back in its holster, opened the door, and shoved Bianca out into the hallway, slamming the door in her tearstained face. She pounded on the door once and wailed out his name. Putting his face in his hands, he sank to the floor, his heaving back braced against the door.

After a minute, he heard Bianca leave and walk down the hall, taking with her his last shred of humanity.

Domenic stopped speaking and stared at the ceiling. Alex remained silent, and he wondered if she thought he was a fiend. He certainly felt like one.

“That was the last time you saw her?” she finally asked.

“No,” he replied. “Someone sent me an invitation to her wedding. I think it was Russell. Of course I couldn’t go, not officially. By that time I was a part of the Liseni army and Russell was a cop. I think he just wanted me to know, you know?”

“Yeah.”

“I went anyway. I paid off the priest, and he let me stand in the vestibule. I stood back in the shadows so no one would see me. Miles walked her up the aisle. She was beautiful. That should have been me walking her up the aisle.”

“You did it to save her, Domenic.”

The heaviness in his heart lightened fractionally. Alex understood why it had been necessary to push Bianca out of his life. The pain was still there. It always would be until he was able to explain everything to Bianca and beg her forgiveness. He vowed that someday she would understand why he had done what he did.

Domenic took a deep breath and let it ease out. He had been worried about telling Alex what had happened—afraid she would hate him for being so cruel to his sister. If she did feel that way, she kept it to herself. He was grateful she let him get it off his chest with no judgment. No one knew what had caused the rift between Bianca and him. He never thought he would tell anyone.

Alex lay in his arms, her hand caressing his chest. It seemed like tonight was full of revelations.

He thought back to earlier this evening when the Chicago song began playing. It had been his chance to let her know how he felt about her. His stomach had dropped to his feet when she’d left his embrace and had walked away from him. Domenic thought he had made a big mistake until she returned to him and led him to the bedroom. Perhaps he couldn’t quite say the words, but he could show Alex how he felt about her instead. He didn’t think it was his imagination that she was showing him the depth of her feelings for him in return.

Domenic wasn’t sure how much time passed after telling her about Bianca, but eventually Alex fell asleep. He couldn’t help but mourn the passing of one more day together.

The next morning Alex sat up in the middle of the bed, a loose sheet wrapped around her body. She had that determined look on her face that made Domenic wary. He turned his head and stared up at her. The feeling of dread intensified when she took a deep breath, about to speak.

“I want another gun lesson,” she said definitively.

“Why? You already know how to shoot the gun.”

“Because. I want to practice.”

“Practice?”

“Yes, for when we go call Russell.”

Domenic rolled onto his side, head resting on his palm and frowned up at her. This couldn’t be good. Inhaling deeply he asked, “What in blazes are you going on about? Why would you need the gun when we call Russell?”

“Just in case something happens,” she insisted. Her chin rose a fraction of an inch, and he groaned internally. Definitely a bad sign.

“Alex, nothing is going to happen.” He tried to give her a winning smile. It wasn’t working.

“But you don’t
know
that.”

“Granted. But even if something
did
happen? What do you think you’d do in that situation, anyway?”

“I can help!”

He threw himself back onto the bed and scrubbed his face with his hands. Again with the help. When was this woman going to realize the best way to help him was to stay out of sight so he didn’t get distracted?

“Alex…”

“No, Domenic. I said I would wait in the panic room if the Liseni found us, and I will, but if we are going to leave here, then I want the gun.”

Groaning and covering his face with his arm, he muttered curses under his breath and asked himself why he was surrounded with stubborn women.
Testa dura
, his father used to call his mother and Bianca. Looked like Domenic Jr. hadn’t learned anything from Dom Sr.’s mistakes. Alex would have given both his sister and mother a run for their money.

Alex yanked his arm away from his face and looked down at him. “Well?”

“This is a stupid idea!”

“You’re the one who wanted me to learn how to use a gun,” she said with a smug expression, knowing he had to be kicking himself right about now.

“Yes, as a last resort! Not so you could go all gangster on the townspeople!”

She made a
tsk
noise deep in her throat and dropped his arm. “Don’t be stupid. I would just use it in an emergency.”

“Alex, you could
kill
someone.”

“Isn’t that the purpose of a gun?”

“I mean innocent people.”

“Well, you could do the same thing.”

“I’m trained for this!” Domenic said, exasperated, sitting up and glaring at her. “I know what I’m doing.
You
don’t. And two lessons aren’t enough to teach you how to be that accurate.”

“So, you would rather me be unarmed and useless?” Alex arched a brow at him, pursing her lips together.

“No, I would rather you stay here in the panic room,” he growled in return.

“That’s not happening. No way. No how. And if you leave me here by myself—I swear to God, Domenic, I will leave the cabin.”

“Is that a threat?” he glared at her and moved in closer, hoping to get her to back down. The obstinate tilt of her head remained the same, and she glared back.

“Yes. So choose. Take me with you, or leave me here and see if you find me when you get back.”

A flush of red started rising up his neck, and he rose from the bed, grabbing at the boxers on the floor. Something about arguing while stark naked unnerved him. Tugging them on, he turned back to Alex.

“Why are you being so difficult?” he said between clenched teeth. “After all the shit we’ve been through, you’re going to put yourself intentionally in danger? Was it all for nothing, Alexis?”

Alex looked down at the sheets, but her expression remained the same. Willful. It was one of the things that drew him to her, but he hated when she opposed him.

“It’s up to you, Domenic,” she replied.

The anger was threatening to take over so he turned on his heel and left the room. Stalking into the kitchen, Domenic pounded his fist on the table several times. He leaned against it, grinding his teeth together. Of all the stupid, harebrained ideas. And she had been right—he had wanted her to learn how to use the damned gun. Now he was paying for that folly.

Domenic didn’t want to admit that Alex might also be right about coming with him armed. He didn’t believe anything would happen—but by the same token, if something did, would it be such a bad idea if she had a gun as well? Shaking his head violently, he tried to dispel that idea. It was too dangerous. But if he taught her properly?

Looking back toward the bedroom, he waited to see if Alex would follow him to pursue it. She didn’t. Domenic had expected her to come barreling out after him, but the doorway stayed empty.

Heaving a sigh, he went to their room. Leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed, he examined Alex. She was still sitting on the bed calmly. The look in her eyes was determined, however. Domenic knew that she would do exactly what she said if he left her here by herself again. Alex understood all too well that he would be much too distracted and worried about her if he made the trip by himself. He could always refuse to give her the thirty-eight, but that wouldn’t go over well.

They remained silent, staring each other down, neither giving any ground. Domenic went over all his options and found them lacking. Leave Alex here and she would leave. If he took Alex with him, she would want the gun. He could give it to her and pray she didn’t go jumping at shadows. If he had to choose the lesser of the two evils, it would be bringing Alex and letting her have the gun.

“Fine,” he said tersely. “You can have the gun.”

She nodded at him once. It would have been worse if Alex had acted smug or happy about winning the argument. She could tell this was a serious decision and wasn’t taking it lightly.

“When do you want to do this?”

“I guess after breakfast?”

Domenic left the bedroom doorway and headed back into the kitchen. Leaning into the refrigerator, he began taking food out for breakfast. Alex came in and started helping him. She made no move toward him and didn’t try to initiate contact. His mood was still foul, and he was glad she wasn’t trying to push the issue or discuss it further.

Breakfast was conducted in silence. He didn’t want to think about it too much, but there were two days left. The day after tomorrow they would make the call to Russell and that would be their last full day together. His life would change drastically after that and so would Alex’s. What happened when they left here would be up to fate. That cruel bitch.

Bowing his head over his plate, Domenic finished eating and tried to clear his thoughts. He would just set his mind on his task and teach Alex whatever he could. Hopefully she would be able to take care of herself until he found her again.

Walking through the forest, Domenic looked around and listened intently. There was the regular noise of birds and insects, nothing more. Everything was a lush green, and the air was heavy and still. Eventually they broke through the trees where he had taught Alex to shoot a few days ago.