Page 62 of Fractured
I just nodded at her.
The guys moved to where I was standing, and then we turned to watch Chief Klein with some deputies get the dipshit up and loaded into a squad car.
I rasped, “What happened?”
Garrick sighed.
Carter nodded, “Apparently, that guy heard what you said to Talia. And he must have agreed with you. Fuck, didn’t realize we had been followed from the bar. He followed her into her apartment building, pinned her to the wall. He got his hand on the waistband of her jeans before she headbutted him with the back of her head.”
“Apparently, he yelped, and one of her neighbors came out, saw what was happening, and called 911. Chief called Dad on his way over here.” Carter finished saying.
I turned my head and watched as Talia climbed into Misty and Frank’s car.
Then, without a word to them, I stalked to my car and followed them.
I pulled my car up behind theirs and watched as Talia walked into their house with Misty without bothering to look at me.
Then I looked at Frank, who had walked up to me.
“Dom,” Frank said.
“I won’t say anything. I just need to be here. Okay?” I pleaded.
He stared at me, then up at the house, then shook his head, “I don’t know what goes on with the two of you. But I’ve seen it.”
I nodded.
“You love my girl. Think I can’t see it, but I do. And I know she feels something for you. Figure it out, Dom. Cause a woman like Talia, she’s a handful. But when she lets you in, and I know she has, she’ll never waver. Until you give her a reason to waver. You get me?”
I didn’t comment on the love part, honestly, other than the love my parents shared, Frank and Misty shared, and my friends, I didn’t believe in it.
Not after my failed relationship.
But everything else he said, yeah, that was pure Talia. Through and fucking through.
I followed him into the house, and then Misty saw me, and she opened her mouth, but Frank stopped her, “Let him have this. Okay?”
Misty narrowed her eyes at me, but she nodded.
I walked up the steps and then turned right.
I sat there leaning my back against the wall right across from the door to her room.
She cracked it open moments later and asked, “Why?”
I rested my forearms on my upraised knees, “Why what, Sparkles?”
“Why do you say things like that to me?” She asked.
Then she said, “And don’t you dare give me some bullshit excuse, Dom. Why?”
I swallowed deep, then asked, “Truth?”
I caught her whispered word, “Always.”
I nodded, then closed my eyes, “Ever hear the story of the boy who was so in love with a girl, but he was too chicken shit to go after her in fear of ruining things?”
“Yeah,” she said.
