Curves & Courage (13 page)

The tears fell silently as I sat back down at the table. I methodically ate the steak, barely tasting it. He was right. From here on, what happened to me was my own doing. Where I ended up was my own choice, and that was hard to
accept.

Chapter 30

Dominick

Shit!
I was such an asshole. The girl had been through hell and I just put her back against the wall.

My frustration had exploded
in a split second. I hated seeing her as a victim, but worse, I hated when she treated herself like a victim. Yes, her situation sucked. Yes, I was fucking pissed that her dad had done that shit to her, but he wasn’t here anymore. I was giving her an opportunity and she was just staring at it. I couldn’t figure out why.

What was the hard choice? Hell or heaven? Go back to an abusive dad or live with your caring mate…who’d just gone off on you and stormed out.

Dammit! I was such an idiot! Dr. Charles had warned me; he’d told me she would have a lot to work through and wouldn’t be confident in much. I didn’t listen though. Worse, I’d just walked out on her. She’d even told me that I would. She’d said that she couldn’t be who I needed her to be; she’d even alluded to the fact that I’d tire of her.

And what did I do? I got tired of her shit and left.

Dammit. That wasn’t even the truth. I wasn’t tired of her; I wasn’t even upset with her. I was angry at the whole situation. It’d built inside me, quicker than I’d wanted it to, thanks to my wolf, until it burst at once, unfortunately on her, just like with her father.
Shit!

I’d probably just fucked up any chance I had at being with her. Why would she stick with someone who’d just acted exactly like the guy he was telling her to leave behind?

Kris appeared at the end of the corridor. I’d been stomping through the halls of each floor in the building, trying to work off some steam. I think I’d even scared my wolf, who was surprisingly quiet.

“You gonna tell me why you’re beating the floor?” He leaned against the doorframe to his apartment. His arms were crossed over his chest. His body was relaxed, but his expression held all his concern.

“No,” I barked. Shit. I stopped, huffing out a sigh. “I mean yes.”

His brows slid inwards. He grunted. “That bad?”
His smirk clued me in to his amusement over the whole thing.

“
Screw you, man.” I didn’t have time for teasing. “I may have just completely screwed up any chance I had with my mate and you wanna fucking laugh about it?”

He sobered immediately. “Shit.” He dropped his arms and stepped back, clearing the doorway. “Sorry, Dom.
Wanna talk about it?”

“Not really.”

He took a deep breath, observing me. I hated when he did that. He saw too much. He always saw too much. “You’re better off groveling now than later. Take too long and her choice will be set in stone.”

He was right. I knew he was right. The longer I walked, the more certain I became that I was
an irrational idiot.

I looked at him, hating how he came out with these insightful sentences sometimes. “Thanks.”

“Just make sure I don’t hear the make-up sex.”

I shook my head in dismay, frowning at him. “You just had to ruin it, didn’t you?”

He shrugged his shoulders, turning and closing his door. It was a period to his point. That was Kris’ way of giving my ass a kick in the right direction.

I shoved my hands in the pockets of my shorts. I’d been roaming the halls in only my shorts. It was safer that way. I couldn’t walk the streets of the city without shoes. This kept me inside. This kept me near her. This kept me from going after him.

Chapter 31

Sophie

I carried our empty plates to the sink and set them in. Using my good hand, I set about awkwardly washing them. I was mid-scrub of the second plate when Dom walked into the kitchen, looking forlorn.

He didn’t say anything. He merely came up behind me, turned off the faucet and wrapped his arms around me. He kissed the back of my head, pulling my back into his chest.

I closed my eyes, tilting my head forward a bit to curl deeper into him. He was warm and comforting. He was reassuring. He gave me the confidence I needed to decide my own fate.

We stood there like that for a while. My hands came to rest atop his around my midsection.
He’d obviously memorized my wounds because he didn’t touch even one.

There, in the peace of being near him, I felt his heartbeat in rhythm against the back of mine. I felt everything he wasn’t saying. I knew he regretted walking out; it was written all over his face when he came in. I didn’t know if my face read the same or not though. I didn’t know if he could see how sorry I was. Because after wallowing through my food, which he’d cooked for me, something my dad had never done, I realized he was right. He was giving me an out. And from where he was standing, I’d be stupid not to take it.

And now, from where I was standing, in the safety of his arms, I would be stupid not to take it.

“I’m sorry.” My voice was low, but thick with emotion. “I don’t want to disappoint you.”

He spun me in his arms. “Soph, I would never be disappointed in you for choosing what you thought was best, even if I disagree.”

I studied him, uncertain, yet hopeful. “I’ll leave my dad, Dominick.” I swallowed hard, meeting his
intense gaze. “But I don’t want you to fight him.”

He chewed his lip for a bit, watching me closely. He tucked my hair behind my ears, studying the bruises on my face as he did so. “What kind of wolf would I be if I didn’t defend your honor?”

My heart sped up, fear summoning adrenaline. “The better wolf.”

He shook his head negatively. “No, sweetie. I’d be the cowardly lion.”

“What if something happens to you?” I knew I was grasping at straws, but I didn’t care.

“What if he isn’t taught a lesson?”

Damn my tears for returning then. What was wrong with me? I hadn’t cried this much in years. “I don’t think he’ll retain it.”

He smirked. “Retain? Such a big word for a little girl.”

“Dom, please. I’ll give everything up if you’ll give up that one thing.”

He pursed his lips, mulling over my offer. “Doesn’t matter if you stay or go, I couldn’t let him walk knowing what he’s done to you.”

My heart crumbled into a thousand despairing pieces.

I blinked my eyelids profusely, fighting back the tears. This wasn’t the time to fall apart. This also wasn’t the time to retreat. No, I was being forced to choose, right? Dom said anything I did from here on was my own doing. Well, I was choosing Dominick. Only, I was choosing to protect him, not to be with him.

I looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I know what he did was wrong. It was hell living through it. But, unlike you, I just want to walk away from it, not relive it in hopes of teaching him a lesson he’ll probably never learn.”

I went back to the dishes. Dom took them from me, shooing me out
of the way to dry them and put them away.

I went in search of my shoes. I found them in Dominick’s room. My book bag was absent; I idly remembered leaving it in the car, with Dom and Kris’ in the trunk. I would have to leave without it.

I put on my tennis shoes, thankful they’d been slid off of me still tied. I stood, wincing as a flash of pain worked through my right side.

I spun towards the door, coming to an immediate stop at the sight of Dom leaning against the frame. A single glance at his hard, yet obviously tortured expression was enough to shatter my confidence, shaking my determination. I looked away, unable to see him like that.

Love is a choice, a chance, a dare;

Love forces you to live without fear
.

“I’ll give you your shirt back tomorrow,” I said. Every second I stood here was somehow more painful than any hit from my dad. I wanted to be with him. God. I wanted to just run to him and hug him and fall into him.

But it wasn’t that easy. I couldn’t do that knowing he was set on risking himself for me. I couldn’t do what I wanted because then Dom would definitely do what he wanted.

Life was about choices. We chose what was worth the sacrifice. We chose what was worth los
ing and what was worth fighting for. Dom wasn’t worth losing, but I wasn’t worth fighting for. My dad wasn’t worth the effort of a battle.

My choice was inadvertently made for me when I
viewed it that way.

“Keep it.”
He held everything close, not giving anything away in his tone.

I nodded my head once in understanding.

I moved past him, careful not to touch him. I knew one touch would weaken me. I would want to cling to him if he welcomed me back in his arms.

Loving him enough to walk away took bravery. Loving him made me brave.

“Sophie.” I stopped, meeting the knowing glare of the alpha. “Where are you going?”

He already knew, but he wanted me to tell him. He wanted me to say it aloud, to discharge myself from the pack.

“Let her go, Dad.” Dom stood behind me. Even as I was ready to leave, he was still defending me.

Dan focused on his son. “Is this what you want?”

“No. But you didn’t give me a choice. You forced me to run with you. I won’t do the same to her.”

I stiffened as anger flared
in Dan’s eyes. I knew Dom was referencing their move to the city, and I hated that I’d brought an old wound to the surface.

“I wish you would reconsider, S
ophie.” The way he looked at me…was that how all alphas stared at their pack members? Power crackled in his irises. Every look held intention, shook with purpose. Worse, I couldn’t look away. His presence seemed to overwhelm mine. I was at his command somehow; he easily overpowered my will. No wonder everyone obeyed.

Was that how Dominick would be one day? Would I be hostage to his gaze every time he regarded me?

I felt compelled to reply. “I wish Dominick would reconsider.”

His
attention flickered to his son before returning to me. He released me this time. He let me go with a simple, single nod of his head. He took a step back, clearing the path.

Three adults stood in the living room, waiting, watching me. Confusion scrunched their features. Every step further weighed down my heart. It felt heavy enough to
crush every bone in my body.

I had to own my decision. What happened from here on out was my own doing.

Damn. Being an adult was hard. Being a kid being an adult was worse.

As I reached the end of the living room, prepared to round the corner between the dining room and kitchen, towards the door, I made the biggest mistake I could make
: I looked back.

Dom’s dad stood in the same place; he gave nothing away as he watched me. It was Dominick that broke my heart tho
ugh. He stood outside his bedroom door in the hall. His feet were shoulder-width apart; his hands were stuffed in his pockets. It wasn’t any particular thing about him that cracked me; it was everything. It was torture leaving him. I would rather take a million beatings than leave him, but his choice was forcing me to take more abuse rather than stay.

A single tear slid down my cheek. I swallowed hard.

“Don’t go.” His voice was so soft. My gaze flew to his. His wolf sat in his eyes, peering at me. His lips were squished together, upset tightening his jaw. “Don’t do this, Sophie.” He ground his teeth, his limbs vibrating with anger. It was in the depths of his eyes, wrapped around his glowing wolf, that I saw the plea I heard in his voice.

“I don’t want to.”

He moved forward, swiftly closing the distance between us. “Then don’t.”

My wall trembled as my eyes further glistened. “I can’t lose you both.”

“You won’t.” He gathered my hand between his.

It was too intense. The idea was too much to bring into focus, to acknowledge while watching
him. “If I stay, you’ll fight; if I go, you’re safe.”

“But your not,” he argued.

I slowly lifted my gaze. “I love you enough to take it, all of it.” More tears escaped as my wall, that final barrier between us vibrated from the swell of my emotions.

“Why can’t I do the same?” His brows furrowed, his eyes blazing. “That’s an awful double standard, Soph.”
His nostrils flared; his exhales sounded like puffs from a snarling dragon.

Cold seeped into my veins, freezing my thoughts, my feelings where they were.

He was right. It didn’t quell my frantic heart. It didn’t stop me from fighting, from trying to somehow justify my intentions though.

“Might I suggest a compromise?”

Both of us turned to Dom’s dad. I’d forgotten our audience.

His gaze passed between us before he spoke. “Dom, you agree not to fight unless he engages you. As the alpha of this pack, I don’t encourage seeking trouble, however I do permit defense if it finds you.”

Dom studied his father. “Define engage.”