Page 63 of Shattered Love

Dominic

I makethe call and everything is in place. I sit on the bench waiting for her to arrive. I lift my head up as if sensing her.

She searches the park before her eyes land on me. She’s not in her uniform. Instead, she’s in a pair of cut offs and a t-shirt. Her hair hangs loosely around her heart-shaped face, those catlike green eyes taking me in and checking over the bruises that cover my face, as well as the ones she can’t see.

My lips tilt up, making her eyes widen before a smile that lights up her whole face takes over.

She takes a seat opposite me. “Was that a smile? You want to watch out…you have a rep to protect.”

I shake my head, smirking. “Yeah, don't believe everything you hear.”

She grins before she looks me in the eyes. She has a thing for doing that.

“What did you call me for?”

I pull out the envelope from my jacket, sliding it across the table and tapping it with my fingers before letting it go. “Can you give this to her?” Inside holds everything I want to say to my baby girl as well as begging for her forgiveness.

She picks up the envelope and her fingers trace the words, “baby girl.”

I stand up, looking down at Lettie. “You make a good cop, kid. Your father is going to be so damn proud of you.”

She looks back down at the letter. When they return to mine, they glass.

I nod goodbye knowing I won’t see her again.

“Dominic.”

I turn to her voice. As she stands she tilts her head. “Why does this feel like goodbye?” A tear rolls down her cheek and I catch it.

“Don'tcry over an old man who doesn't deserve your tears.”

She shakes her head. “You deserve so much.” There so much conviction in her voice.

I knock her chin lightly with my fist and let my eyes say everything I can't, knowing she’ll be able to tell the truth.

We don't say, “see you later,” since we both know we’ll never see each other again.

* * *

The driveto the location is exactly like I expected, ending in the middle of nowhere, so far out no police will ever travel up this far. There are no houses around. I pull down the dirt road and park in front of the run-down building. It used to be a slaughter house. The irony isn't lost on me.

I look at the building where I'm going to take my last breath. Closing my eyes, I see Avery’s smiling face. I see the life we had built and the plans we made. I see my beautiful baby girl and the life she’s going lead.

I swing open the door and see him standing there.

He matches me in size, but his amber eyes pinned you, a stark contrast to his mocha skin. His lips curl. “Changed your mind?”

I stare at him and the scorpion tattoo that looks as if it is crawling up his neck, and a smile the devil would be proud of plays at my lips.

Two goons come at me from the sides, but I don't move. Even with everything in me built to attack, I just stand there, the disgust rolling over me. They pat me down, shaking their heads.

The scorpions are a gang known for drugs and trafficking. They’re the lowest of the low. They fight dirty and have killed women and children in some of their attacks. They never care who is caught in the crossfire.

Even with the jigsaw pieces all in front of me, I still couldn't see the picture. I was missing the final piece and I knew it was inside.

The doors are opened by two more goons who physically flinch when they see Braxton. That's saying something. He's known in the dark world. Where people rarely have fears he makes them scared.

The place still has that lingering smell of death. It invades me as we walk through a corridor into the main room.

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