Page 50 of Deadly Little Hearts

Anger boils inside me.I cross my arms over my chest.“I’ll ask one last time—what are you doing here?”

He looks around the room, then comes back to me.“Nice place you’ve got here, son.Such a pity you moved out of the old family house.We could have done amazing things together under my roof.”

He watches Freya closely, and it takes everything in me not to punch that smug look off his mouth.

“You’ve got ten seconds to tell me why you’re here before I kick you out,” I say, and he finally looks back at me.

He glances between me and Freya.“Let’s talk somewhere a little more private, without prying ears.”

“Anything you have to say can be said in front of her.”

Dominic shakes his head.“Have I taught you nothing?What, a couple of weeks without me, and you’re ruining everything?I won’t have it,” he snaps, before turning and leaving the kitchen, moving into the hallway.

I follow him out but pause, glancing back at Freya.She motions for me to leave.

“I’ve got some shit to do with Amirah.I’ll see you later,” she says, continuing to eat her breakfast.

I’m sorry, I mouth, but she shakes her head.Dominic has no respect for women whatsoever.It’s surprising that I even know how to talk to a female, let alone date one, after being raised by this asshole.

I pull out my phone and hit dial on Gage’s profile, and he answers after two rings.“Yeah?”

“Dominic is here.Meet us in my office.”

I hang up before he can say another word.Last time I saw him, he was working out with Freya and Lucas in our home gym.Gage and Lucas practically live here now that Freya is back.It’s nice having my family all under one roof—my found family, not my blood.

Dominic’s waiting in the hallway, leaning back against the wall with his phone in his grip.I don’t bother acknowledging him as I walk past and head down the hall to my office.I scan my phone against the keypad, the door beeps, and I push it open.Dominic follows, his gaze moving around my office a little too intently for my liking.

It’s funny how things changed as soon as I was out from under his thumb.Although I thought the control he used to have over me had faded, being back in his presence is jarring.I can’t deny that a small, niggling part of me wants his approval, for him to tell me I’m doing a good job, which pisses me off—I don’t want him to have that control over me.Yet here we are, in my office, and I’m waiting for it.

I move around my wooden desk and take a seat, motioning for him to sit in one of the chairs.

A smile forms on his lips.“Well, this is very different to how I’m used to carrying out meetings, isn’t it?”He takes a seat just as the door beeps and opens.

Gage comes in, with Lucas behind him.Lucas is throwing on a shirt, his hair damp.They watch Dominic closely.Gage sits down next to him but doesn’t greet him.Lucas leans back against the wall opposite my dad.

“What do you want?”I ask, ignoring his comment from before.He’s trying to unravel me, but I won’t fall for his games.I won’t let him see how much he affects me.Weakness gets you killed in our world, and he’s not in charge anymore—we are.

“I’m so proud of you, son,” he says, running his thumb along his jaw.

Heat burns deep under my skin, rising to my cheeks, and my fingers ball into fists in my lap.

“Clock is ticking.You’ve got one minute before you’re gone,” I say, and he sits up straighter, his smile replaced with a sinister purse of his lips.

“I am proud.You must feel so bad about what happened, but you’ve done all that you can, haven’t you, son?”He licks his lips.He’s taunting me, and fuck, I want to punch that smug look off his face.

“Say what you really want to.I’m not playing your games,” I bite out.

“Fine.You’ve had your fun, but you are too young, too inexperienced to run The Brotherhood.Look at the chaos you’ve already caused since taking the reins.”

I take several deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart.How fucking dare he come into my house and speak to me, us, like that?

Lucas lifts his gun from its holster, holding it with a playful grin.I watch him carefully, shaking my head.He can’t kill him—at least, not yet.

“Is that all you’ve got to say?”Gage asks, and Dominic shakes his head, looking between Lucas and me.

“I haven’t even started yet.How many years did I rule, and in that time, did we ever have this kind of attack against us?”

I shake my head, lowering my gaze to my hands in my lap.Technically, I know what he’s saying is true.I mean, when he was in charge, this never happened.We didn’t cause this, but fuck do we take responsibility for it.

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