Chapter 50
CHAPTER FIFTY
SERENA
D om leads me into his house (I will never refer to it as my home ever again, not after what Dom did to me, not after what Kai did for me) with a bruising grip around my arm. I don’t fight back, not now. Not while he holds Kai’s entire future in his hands. Not while he’s the only person who knows where my mother is. I can’t risk it. When we cross the threshold, my eyes immediately start scanning the room for my mom, desperate to see her and know she’s okay.
“She’s not here, Kitten.”
A pit opens up in my stomach as Dominick nonchalantly crushes the tiny bit of hope that had been blooming in my chest.
“What do you mean she’s not here? You said you had her!” My voice takes on a shrill quality as anger begins to overtake fear as the primary emotion driving me.
“I said I was the only person who knows where she is. And that’s how it’s going to stay until I’m sure you’re going to be a good kitten and behave.” Dom tightens his grip on my arm, causing my fingers to tingle from the loss of circulation.
“Please, she can’t be alone somewhere strange. She’ll get confused. She’ll be scared.” I don’t know how it’s physically possible for me to be able to produce more tears. Not after the last twenty-four hours, but they’re there, spilling down my cheeks, my worry for the woman who raised me more than I can bear.
“Oh, don’t worry. She’s safe. Enough. But you’re gonna prove to me how sorry you are first before I think about letting you see her.” Dom leans in, brushing his dark stubble against my cheek. I fight to contain the urge to flinch as his hot breath hits my neck a second before his tongue licks a path along my jaw. I don’t fight his kiss this time, fear for my mother keeping my instincts firmly in the “freeze” territory of fight, flight or freeze. I breathe in deeply through my nose and clear my mind of everything but Mom and Kai’s faces. I’ll do anything for them. Even let Dom win.
My arms hang limply in front of me, my hand brushing against something solid in the front pocket of the hoodie I’m still wearing. My heart skips a beat when I realize I still have the burner phone on me. My mind immediately begins racing, half in excitement for having a lifeline, half in panic that Dom will find it. I need to hide the phone before he realizes I have it.
Abruptly, Dom jerks back, disgust etched on to his features. “You smell like him.” His eyes narrow when he sees that my body is swamped in Kai’s oversized hoodie. I take a step back, afraid he is going to get violent over the reminder of Kai.
“I-I can go s-shower,” I stammer out, placating. I hold my breath for what feels like an eternity while I wait for his response, my mind silently begging him to let me go shower alone so I can stash the contraband in my pocket.
Dom jerks his head in a sharp nod, acquiescing. “Go wash him off. I never want to smell another man’s scent on you.”
I let out the breath I was holding, moving to rush past Dominick.
Before I can leave, he grips my arm again, leaning in to growl into my ear, “Don’t bother getting dressed when you’re done. Just come to the bedroom.”
Swallowing, I nod my understanding. Finally, he lets go, and I practically sprint to the bathroom, desperate to put space between us.
Once behind the safety of the locked bathroom door, I pull the burner phone out and see a missed text from Arianna checking on us. We were supposed to let her know when we were heading back with Mom. Quickly, I tap out a series of rapid-fire texts to her.
Me: Dom has Mom but I don’t know where. Got pulled over. Kai in jail. I’m with Dom.
Me: Call Kai’s parents. Let them know he needs help.
Me: Dom reported me as kidnapped.
Me: Don’t text me back. Gotta hide phone. Will text when I can.
I send the contact for Kai’s parents, to Arianna before shutting the phone off. Frantically, I look around the master bathroom for a hiding place for my phone. Digging through the cabinet under the sink, I find a box of tampons. Perfect. I bury the phone under the sanitary products and shove the box behind some spare toiletries.
Afraid to give Dom any reason to get impatient and angry, I strip out of my clothes, throw my hair up in a bun and hop in the steaming spray of water. As the water scalds the reminder of his touch from my skin, I pray Arianna will get my message and get Kai help. If they can get a lawyer involved, maybe it will be enough to get Kai out of this mess. Now I just need to convince Dom to let me see my mom.
When I step out of the bathroom, wrapped only in a white bath towel, Dom is lying on the bed, naked, fisting his cock. His bare torso flexes and ripples as he slowly pumps his fist up and down his shaft. My mouth goes dry at the sight of him. His eyes are burning with a hunger that would look just as natural on a wolf or a lion. He is a predator. I am his prey, his next meal.
I close my eyes and inhale deeply, letting my racing heart slow, and a sense of calm settles over my body. When I open them again, I drop the towel at my feet. I stride across the room, purpose in my walk. I will do this on my terms. I will not let him make this hurt. I will do what it takes to get through this alive. I will get through this.