Page 85 of Dominion

“But I just want to explain. I want to?—”

“I’m gonna repeat myself one more time, Danika.” Her breathing hitched when I used her name. “You and I, we have nothing to talk about. I don’t need you anymore, and I for sure don’t want to hear your lame excuses of why you couldn’t be there with me, because that’s what you’re going to give me, isn’t it? Fucking excuses.”

“You don’t understand,” she murmured. “I?—”

“You’re right.” I smiled. “I don’t understand, and I don’t want to understand. But I sure do hope you will understand that I don’t want to have anything with you.”

“But—”

“Mother,” Casimir warned. “That’s enough. I told you already. I told you to fucking wait, and you had to barge in.”

“I had to meet her.” Danika’s voice wavered. “I had to.”

“You’ve met me. Congratulations. Now if you don’t mind.” I grabbed Ash’s hand in mine, facing her. “I would like to change from these clothes and figure out a way to save the people I love.”

“Sky, please. I know I messed up, but I want to have a second chance. I want to know you. I’m sure you want to know me too.”

Something snapped in me. I was trying to be as cordial as possible, for Casimir, for the fact that I didn’t want to waste my energy on this, but she was relentless and she obviously didn’t want to listen.

My legs carried me closer to her, our eyes at the same height, and I hated how much we looked alike. Would I end up like this if I continued screwing my life up?

“Listen to me, lady.” I purposefully wanted to hurt her. “I don’t ever want to see your face again. Do you understand me? You left me alone when I needed you the most. You fucking left me with that monster while you did whatever the fuck you did. And now you want to know me?” The audacity. “You are too fucking late. You are nothing but a body that gave me life, and that’s it.”

“I am your mother!”

“Giving birth to somebody doesn’t make you a mother. Caring for your child does, and you failed me. You failed both of us.” I looked at Casimir who was observing the situation carefully. “So don’t think that you will be able to just waltzback and claim your place by my side, because you won’t. I can guarantee that I don’t work that way.”

“But I?—”

“Danika.” The man who came with her spoke finally, walking toward her. “You can’t do it like this.”

“But—”

“Baby, please.” He turned her toward him, whispering into her ear, and I took the moment to observe him—dark hair with silver streaks and the tall frame he shared with someone I knew. My eyes found Casimir’s and with a small nod, he confirmed what I already assumed. At first, I thought Casimir looked like our mother, but I was wrong.

This was his father. His real father.

Lazarus Morass.

Gabriel Lacroix raised him, but this man in front of us was Cas’s biological dad. I bit down the jealousy threatening to come out, because I would’ve given everything to be able to go back to the past and see my dad.

“Fine,” Danika spoke, taking a step back from us. “I will give you time, but I will be here once you decide that you would like to get to know your mother. I am sorry for everything, but you have to get to know me.”

My blood boiled, my hands turned into fists, but before I could react, Ash beat me to it.

“Listen, Danika,” he thundered. “I have no idea what kind of fantasies you create in your head, and to be quite honest, I don’t care. But you don’t get to dictate how or what she should do. You don’t get to decide for her, not now, not ever. Now, if you’ll excuse us,” he took a step toward Casimir, pulling me with him, “we have things to discuss. Things that have nothing to do with you.”

Danika’s wordsfollowed me throughout the evening, haunting my dreams and turning them into nightmares. I couldn’t shake off the feeling of impending doom even after going through the plans with the guys ten more times.

I had tried everything in my power to not think about her presence here in the house, and while she made herself scarce after that confrontation, I still hated knowing that she was around. I didn’t want her here, and judging by Casimir’s stern words I could hear after he told Ash and me to go to a room adjacent to the foyer, he also hated what she had done.

I thought that the new dawn would clear up my head and that it would give me some much-needed clarity, but if anything, it had only made everything worse.

I was weighed down by all the decisions we had to make and all the things we needed to do. It didn’t sit well with me that both Ash and I would be staying behind in the house while Casimir and the rest of his guys who arrived during the night, would go to an old church on the other side of the town.

Danny wanted me to come alone, and I feared what he would do once he realized that it wasn’t me knocking on the front door, but ten other men ready to take them down. I wondered if Dylan was there and I had questions about the plan. Questions Casimir didn’t want to disclose because he was so sure that both Judah and Danny would be there.

“Are you okay?” Ash asked, finding me standing by the window on the second floor, overlooking the front entrance and the fountain that probably used to be beautiful back in the day.

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