Chapter 51
Dom was going to keep his hands to himself, or else.
Madison McAlister was the most dangerous woman on the planet.
She could destroy him completely. After he’d driven her home from the TSP post, once she’d delivered the ERT back to the post, she’d scurried into her bedroom, showered and when he’d gone looking for her to have that talk about what was on her dining room—he’d found her sound asleep on her bed. In nothing but bra and panties.
He had gotten out of there fast.
He hadn’t dared wake her. He’d just sat at her table going over it all again until he’d been too tired to think. Otherwise…he’d been afraid he’d go in there and cuddle with the shrew he adored.
Fortunately, she was courtroom bound today—and he had a gremlin to track down. Elspeth. Time to find out what it meant.
It took a few hours to track the gremlin down after her doctor’s appointment, but he was finally led into the family room by Hope, and her big, hulking Commander Rodriguez-shaped shadow. Apparently, Miguel had had the day off or something. And…ended up right back here.
Surprise, surprise.
Miguel had his toddler sleeping in his arms, but he was shooting Dom a look that said Dom better mind his P's and Q's or Miguel would simply shred him. Something about the small brown-haired, brown-eyed beautiful demon between them had captured Miguel completely.
Well, Dom kind of understood that. He had a Madison, after all. There wasn't anyone he wouldn't fight if it meant protecting his own beautiful demon. They were two of a kind, he and Miguel Rodriguez. Animal recognized animal.
"Is Heather okay? What did she say? Mom said she woke up with you in there last night. What happened?"
Hope and Heather Coleson were incredibly close. Everyone knew that about the two.
Dom held up a hand. Mostly to balance her when she wobbled a little.
Everyone knew Hope wasn’t up to full speed yet.
Except perhaps Hope. "She was very tired, and weak, Hope.
I'm not going to lie about that. But she was clearer headed than she’d been all week.
She understood what was going on around her.
I'm no medical expert. You'll have to talk to one of them for more information on that.”
"Some of her sisters are going to go in for a few hours, to sit with her,” Miguel said. “From what Bonnie texted a few minutes ago, Heather has slept most of the day but it’s a normal type of sleep. Whatever that means. And when she’s awake, she’s constantly demanding a cheeseburger and fries.”
“Her favorite meal,” Hope said, sniffling. He did not want to make the gremlin cry. It would destroy him. And send Miguel into a rage or something. "I'm going to go later. Once we're done here. I just need to see for myself."
“Hope told me you’d texted her to set up a meeting,” Miguel said. And Dom suspected that was exactly why the other man was there now. Protecting.
Of course.
"Heather told me to tell you that Elspeth will tell me what's going on. She made it very clear that I need to talk to you. She said some things Kimball said the night you were shot tied some things together, and you would know what she meant. What I needed. I promised her we were going to get to the bottom of this and see that it all ends. She said it goes back decades.”
"She told you that. She said Elspeth."
"She told me that was a great-great-grandmother's name. A code word. She made it very clear. She told me to come here and speak to you specifically. So what do you have?"
Hope just stared at him for a long moment. Like she was weighing whether or not she could trust him. Then she looked at the man standing behind her. Miguel just nodded.
"I trust him with the kids' lives, Hope. Dom's one of the good ones. You can believe me on that."
"Madison said the same thing. She said that if I'm ever in trouble again, that I can depend on you. To go to you for help if I need it. And Heather sent you."
"Heather sent me." He waited. He knew what it took for her to trust him. Why should she trust him, considering what Steve Wilson and his buddies had done to her? Madison had told him what Wilson had said and tried to do to Hope that night she’d been shot.
What that bastard had done to Hope and Heather before.
It pissed Dom off that those bastards had thought nothing of hurting innocent women like Hope. Like Heather. Like Madison and Haldyn and Powell.
He was going to see that that ended.
"I want those bastards, Hope. Heather said you can help me make that happen.”
"Then… I need to get my laptop. I'll be right back."
Then he was left alone with Miguel and the sleeping toddler. Emilia was blowing bubbles in her sleep. She was beautiful. Wonderful. Innocent. And she deserved to grow up in a world where this kind of evil couldn't touch her.
Just like Hope and her sisters and all the rest—they deserved to live in a world where this evil couldn't hurt them ever again.
"Heather seriously good?" Miguel asked. “Honest opinion?”
Dom nodded. "As far as I can tell—definitely was in there, this time. Irritated she couldn’t get out there and look for Grundenman herself.
And she brought it up, not me. Talked about Grundenman’s child.
She knew what was going on, Mig. I’m sure of it.
Woman's stubborn. Did you expect anything else?
She's determined to get these assholes, too.
Last thing she said to me before I left was…
well, she extracted a promise. I'm going to see that through. I gave her my word."
"Heather is one of the best I've ever seen. She's loyal. Honest. There's a core strength that runs through that woman. They hurt her. And it was on purpose. I don't think it was just Wilson. I think there's others involved. Far deeper. And I bet the trail starts right there in Wichita Falls.”
“If it does, I’m going to prove it. Those bastards…aren’t hurting the ones we care about ever again.”