I tightened my coat around myself as I stepped onto the pavement, the city air crisp against my skin. I spotted Dominic just as he exited the towering glass building, his expression unreadable as he adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves. He was as handsome, in control, and cold–seeming as ever. I was glad that I had decided to hurry to meet him, and that Vivian was nowhere to be seen.
His driver stood a few steps away, poised to open the car door for him.
He walked toward him until he saw me. He frowned as I approached.
“Dominic.”
He cocked an eyebrow, his dark eyes settling on me with a flicker of something I couldn’t name before quickly cooling.
*Renee… I assume your study plans were….….. postponed?”
I shook my head and came to a stop a mere few feet away from him. Close enough to be heard, but if someone saw us they wouldn’t think anything
of it.
The air between us seemed to burn and pulse with tension. The urge to be close enough to smell his cologne was powerful, but I pushed it away along with the memory of that kiss.
“I need to talk to you, and it wasn’t something I could reasonably get a appointment with you today for.”
His jaw tensed slightly, but he didn’t immediately shut me down. “You shouldn’t be here.”
I crossed my arms. “I don’t exactly have a lot of options. It wasn’t as if I was really given the chance to cultivate a whole lot of allies.”
Dominic winced at that. He looked almost guilty, but I had no idea why. It wasn’t like he was the reason that Philip had kept such a tight leash on me, keeping me from my mother’s company, her allies and friends who might have helped me all this time.
The only reason I had any idea of where else I could go, what else I could do, in this lifetime was because I had at least met my mother’s estate lawyer in my other life. It had been a brief meeting that I had barely been able to participate in with Philip and Tyler breathing down my neck. I, at least, had the sense before to request that the details of my inheritance to remain private, but it had ended up not doing enough to keep me safe.
“I need your help,” I said. “I don’t… I don’t have any one else I can ask.”
Dominic exhaled, glancing past me. I could see in his eyes that he was already considering how to extract himself from this conversation.
“I’ve already interfered enough. I can’t keep interfering in Frostborne business.”
My fingers curled against the sleeves of my coat. “It’s not Frostborne business. It’s my life. My sense of securty and safety. You mean to tell me you interceded last night just because it was in public? Knowing what kind of–”
“I don’t–”
“You do,” I said, setting my jaw. “You know exactly what kind of person he is. Why you’re so keen to turn a blind eye to it, I don’t know.”
He worked his jaw. “Renee… it’s not that simple. None of it is.”
I stared at him. “He put a block on my personal debit card, cut off my access to all my other credit cards, and yanked my tuition.”
He blinked. His eyes widened.
“How long do you think I can survive without money? Even though I have part time position, what am I supposed to do without an accessible bank account? Get my checks in cash?”
He grimaced, eyeing me. I could see the wheels in his head turning, but he had no answer for me. Because there wasn’t an answer.
“Renee… he is your father. It’s…” He sighed.
“You wouldn’t do this to Vivian.”
“Of course not, but you’re not my daughter.”
“So it’s okay? Compulsion you do something about, but compulsion by default is fine?” My voice sounded harsher than I meant it to be. I could tell the legal term had gotten to him, or maybe it was just my frustration leaking out, simmering in my words, that was putting the look on his face. “Philip has made sure I have nothing, and you’re just going to act like that’s not your problem? Why even intercede if you’re not going to follow through?”
“You think I’m the kind of man that could have just watched that happen? In my home?”
I set my jaw and glared at him. “I’m sure he’ll make sure not to invite you the next time.”
1/3
5:04 PM
Chapter 11
He huffed. “You’re being dramatic. Your birthday…” He shook his head. “I could offer you sanctuary in Brightclaw.”
I reared back, like I had been slapped in the face. “You want me to live with the man that cheated on me and was content to marry me while I was under compulsion?”
“Another property then.”
“Why is it so hard for you to intercede in this? You have the power?” I set my jaw. “Is this also something that I can’t ask you for?”
Dominic’s gaze flickered, something unreadable passing through it before he said, “I’ve already given you what you wanted. Isn’t your engagement off?” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “And if a little hardship is enough to make you go back and accept the engagement, then I wonder how badly you really wanted out of it.”
I should have been angry. I should have been fuming at the insinuation, but all I felt was numb. Then, amused, irritated and all together done. Did he really think I was some weak little girl who couldn’t tough it out until my birthday if I had to?
I’d never been so fucking insulted.
I scoffed, shaking my head. “Never fucking mind, and I guess you’re right. Forgive me for not being more specific,” I said, meeting his gaze sharply. “I suppose I thought, you being the type of father you are wouldn’t need step–by–step instructions about getting me actually out of my engagement.”
Dominic didn’t respond, but I didn’t expect him to.
I turned on my heel and pulled my phone out of my pocket, stepping close enough to the building to use the Wifi as I let out a humorless laugh.
“You don’t have to worry. I won’t make the mistake of expecting anything from you again.”
I strode a few paces away from Dominic. The easy path out of this wasn’t an option, so it was time to stop wasting time. I scrolled through my contacts and selected the number for the Interpack Court.
“You’ve reached the Interpack Court’s mainline. Please listen to the following options–”
Dominic’s hand closed around my wrist, pulling my hand away from my ear.
“What are you doing?” His voice was low, edged with something between frustration and warning.
I yanked my arm free and met his gaze, unflinching. “I thought you interceded enough? What does it matter to you.”
He glared down at me. “I’ll ask you again, Ms. Caldwell, what are you doing?”
“Getting myself justice since I can count on no one else.”
“Renee–”
“I’m not asking permission,” I hissed at him. “A little hardship is nothing, and suing Philip will hardly be one.”
“Suing your father? Are you insane?” His expression darkened. “For what?”
“For financial abuse, sabotage, and emancipation from the pack,” I said. “To start. I figure I’ll probably find some other charges to throw in along the way.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened. “You don’t want to do this.”
I let out a sharp, humorless laugh, bringing the phone back to my ear. “I don’t have a choice, so yes, I really, really do.”
His eyes searched hers, something like reluctance settling in his stance. “Renee, this will burn every bridge you have with your father. Once you do this, there’s no going back. Why don’t you just come to Brightclaw? Wait a few days for him to calm down. I know he can be stubborn, but so can you. He will come around.”
I ulted my chin up, seeing something in Dominic I had never seen before. Naivete, or maybe just a hopefulness that would have been endearing once upon a time. Part of me knew that sense of family came from growing up in a loving home and pack where family was everything.
I felt my heart hardening. “You think that every father has a weakness for their daughter the way you do. They don’t. You’ve seen it. I don’t have a father, Dominic. I have a tyrant who wants to control every aspect of my life. And you can’t have it both way. Don’t tell me to not protect myself when no one else seems to want to. Including you.”
Something flickered across his face–guilt, perhaps, or something more complex. But it didn’t matter.
“My relationship with Philip is nothing like yours with Vivian,” she continued. “And I’m not going to pretend like we both don’t know that sabotaging my job prospects will be the end of his little machinations.”
I followed the prompts until I was put on hold to wait to speak to a filing clerk.
2/3
5:04 PM
Chapter 11
Dominic’s fingers twitched at his sides, his silence stretching between them. Finally, he sighed. “This can’t end well.”
I smirked. “I’ll take my chances between this and certain doom.”
I turned and walked away as a calm, professional voice greeted me.
“Interpack Court, how can I help you?”
