Page 52 of Dominion

My skin itched, wanting to be close to Dylan, to comfort him, to touch him and show him he was loved just the way he was, but it was something he had to realize himself. It was something I couldn’t push, and knowing him, he wouldn’t allow me.

Ash was as stubborn as I was—maybe even more—and nothing that I could say or do would change what he thought of himself.

“Because,” he started, inhaling sharply. “Because I’m used to being the strongest one. What would happen if I shatter and show you everything?”

“If you shatter,” I said, taking both of his hands in mine. “We would be there to catch you and help you to collect the pieces. Just how you helped us.” But he wasn’t looking at me or at Dylan. Ash’s eyes were firmly plastered to the gray concrete beneath our feet. “Hey, Ash.” I put my fingers underneath his chin, lifting his head up and forcing him to look at me. “It’s okay to break sometimes. It’s okay to ask for help. We went through hell and back, and none of us would’ve survived this far if we didn’t have each other. Granted, some of that hell was created by Dylan.” I chuckled, looking at the man in question.

“Hey! I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I laughed, and then turned to look at Ash. “I know that there are still things we don’t talk about because we don’t know how. But I promise you, we will be okay even if you fall apart. We’re gonna be here to catch you.”

“Are you three going to keep standing there, or are we actually going to go inside?” Casimir’s voice pushed us apart. As I turned around, I saw him strolling casually toward us, as if we weren’t getting ready to go inside and do things that were frowned upon by the law.

“We were about to go down the street for some coffee or tea, but now that you’re here,” Dylan said, shrugging. “I guess we could go inside.”

“Would you look at that.” Casimir smirked. “He talks.”

“Cas!”

“It’s okay, Little One. He’s just jealous he doesn’t have any nice memories of you and him growing up.”

“Dylan!”

“Oh, and you do?” Casimir arched an eyebrow at him, taking a step forward. “Are we talking about the memories when you were a child and your father promised an innocent girl to you, or are we talking about the memories when you were getting a hard-on for a girl who wasn’t even legal at that time?”

Dylan launched first, ready to take Casimir down. I was pretty sure that he wouldn’t be able to win in this fight. Casimir was bigger, older, and, by all looks, more experienced in this kind of thing. It was quite obvious that he hated Dylan.

Ash wrapped his arms around Dylan’s torso, pulling him backward as I stepped in front of Casimir who was about to move toward Dylan.

“That’s enough!” I bellowed. “Both of you.” My eyes flickered between the heavy-breathing Dylan who was trying to get free from Ash, and Casimir who looked ready to snap Dylan in two. “You’re acting like children.”

“He started it,” Casimir said, earning an eye roll from me.

“Do you even hear yourself?He started it,” I mocked. “How old are you? Five.”

“I’m not?—”

“I don’t want to hear it. That comment was absolutely unnecessary. If this is the kind of behavior you’re planning to display during our time together, then I’m going to side with them and say that we don’t need your help.”

“Skylar—”

“No, Cas.” I stood my ground. “We have way too many things going on for you to be hating on Dylan. And for what? The things he did before? Are you trying to tell me that you’ve never harmedan innocent man or woman, huh?” His brows lowered over his eyes, and I was pretty sure I was pissing him off, but he didn’t say anything. “Didn’t think so. Just because I’m younger than you, and just because I’m not part of the Dominion or whatever the fuck it’s called,” I whispered. “Doesn’t mean that I don’t know shit. Trust me, my dearest brother, I know more about misery and monsters than you could ever imagine. So do not fucking stand there, trying to start something with a man I love, all because you’re holding a grudge.”

“Well, shit,” somebody said from behind Casimir. I looked over his shoulder and saw a man standing there, not much taller than Casimir, but built like a fucking brick wall. I had a feeling that he could carry me and not even break a sweat. “You told me she was spicy, but I didn’t know she could knock you on your ass, man.”

The stranger came closer, his eyes dragging over my body from head to toe. Within seconds, both Ash and Dylan were behind me, pulling me back and away from Casimir and the stranger.

“And these two must be Ash and Dylan.”

“I’m pretty sure you already know who we are, our entire history, and why we’re here,” I said, noticing a small smirk on Casimir’s face as soon as the words came out of my mouth. “What I would like to know is who you are and why the fuck you’re here?”

A bright grin came over his face, and for a moment, he reminded me of Atlas and the way he acted around everyone. Almost carefree, happy, but there were demons deep inside, fighting to come out.

“If you weren’t already taken, I would’ve definitely volunteered for the role.” Something akin to a growl ripped out of Ash, and I stepped in front of him, stopping him from movingforward. “But since I don’t want to lose any of my teeth, I think I’ll stand down.”

He was full of shit, and he knew it.

He would’ve been able to take on both Ash and Dylan if he wanted to, but I had a feeling he was saying it only out of respect. “My name is Hunter.” He bowed a little, laughing the entire time. “Hunter Ravenswood.”

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