by Brook Wilder
Lena is right, and I’m quiet. I can’t dispute that she’s an expert on Lyle—more than James or I am. And Amy’s an expert on the comings and goings of the city. Vipers and Grizzlies alike know where to turn when old news needs drudging up.
My mind reels. I haven’t allowed myself to think about Beth—that dark time in my life after she left me—in a long time. The thought that someone, especially Lyle, would try to use her against me and the Grizzlies makes my blood boil. I’ve tried to keep Beth in the past where she belongs. I hate that Lyle may be drudging it up, and to Amy no less.
“Dom?”
I stand, dusting off my hands.
“I have something I need to do.”
***
It’s been years – three exactly – since Beth left. As I push into my house, I remember the night, coming home to her not there where she belonged.
It was rainy. Thundering. James had had me playing the Grizzly Bar; Beth stayed home, sick. No lights were on in the house, however, and when I called her name there was no answer.
My stomach stirred. This wasn’t like her.
“Beth?”
I looked through every room, and Beth was not there. I hoped to find Beth in the last room, our bedroom, . No dice.
Everything of hers was gone. Everything but a note and a heart that refused to love again.
Chapter Four
Amy
I will have a normal day. I will have a normal day. I will have a normal day.
My mantra repeats in my head. I hope, perhaps futilely, that today would involve no bikers, no murder mysteries, and for the love of God no…
“Hi. Is Amy Miller here?”
Christ. Is that Dominic?
“Yeah. She should be somewhere in the fantasy fiction section right now.”
Oh hell.
I’ve jinxed myself, I know it. I should have asked for all the weirdness and strangeness and ‘cursed’ myself with a bland end to the week.
I still have no idea what to think about Lyle and Dominic. I have no idea what ties Beth and the missing girls to Dominic, only that they’re tied. It makes Dominic’s sudden appearance jar me deeply. He was literally just here.
But I’m here as Dominic rounds the end of the bookshelf. Brace, wondering why he’s here. Again.
“Dominic,” I say, putting up one of the books from the cart in front of me. “You came during the day this time.”
“You didn’t seem to like my vampire act yesterday.”
You’d be right.
“It’s nice having people coming in during proper hours.”
Dominic smiles, leaning against the bookcases. I hate to admit, in the middle of my very justifiable hesitations, that his nonchalance does a wonder for his looks. I blush and turn back to my books.
You know what happens when you ignore warning signs for a pretty face, Amy.
“What do you need, Dominic?”
“‘Dom’. And, actually, I’d like your help.”
I pause mid book grab. Did I hear him right? He needs my help?
“What for?” I turn and face him, hands on my hips and guarded.
He holds up a folded, crinkly piece of paper.
“There somewhere we can go to talk?”
I’m not sure how to feel about going off with Dominic. But to keep the situation under control at all costs, I lead him to my office. Maddison can handle the front, and I leave the office blinds up so that it’s easy to see inside. With an air of confidence that’s entirely manufactured, I sit behind my desk and gesture to Dominic to follow. He settles down and slides the paper across to me.
“Read this first.”
I eye it, brow raised. Unfolding it, I begin to read.
Dom—
I’m sorry. I know you won’t understand, but I have to leave. I could give you a hundred reason, I could try to explain, but the only explanation is that I don’t belong here anymore. When we met, I thought I could rule the world with you. Dom… Tomahawk is not the world. I need more.
Please let me go.
—Beth
I blink and re-read the brief note one more time.
Please let me go…
“Why are you showing this to me, Dominic?”
I look up to him, thinking maybe some clarity will be found in his gaze, a great big ‘this is what’s going on!’ Instead, I draw a blank.
“Because I know—or suspect—that dick-head, Lyle, has put some notion in your head that I have some shit to do with Beth’s disappearance. I didn’t. And I know, despite the fact that you don’t mingle with us like that, that you’re the only person with the know-how to get me at least halfway there on making sure my ass is covered when—because I know Lyle is planning something—Lyle decides to blow this up again.”
Whoa!
I’m shocked.
“How did you… what?” I take a deep breath. “How do you even know Lyle’s up to something regarding you and Beth? And why would I help you, anyway?”
“Because you’re been burned by the Vipers, too.”
I stiffen. Of course, he would know about Adam; having it so casually stated throws me off tremendously. I try to put myself back together, clearing my throat.
“What makes you think this has to do with the Vipers?” I ask, fishing for information.
He had been convinced Beth’s disappearance had been foul play, according to the news reports I’d read; did he suspect the Vipers?
Dom launches into a story about Marc having had a secret operation to take him down, an operation that Dom believes, because of Lena, Lyle has taken over. There’s a gap, however; Dom says nothing about the missing women, which is half the conundrum plaguing my mind right now.
As is this dilemma: do I give this information to Dom, or do I tell Lyle Dom is on to him?
I look back at the note. Beth’s scrawl is messy, like it was written in a hurry. If she even wrote it…
When I look to Dom, he has this look. It’s in his eyes; though his expression is calm, they have a shadow of a plea in them that I find myself compelled to answer. I’m probably going to regret this. I don’t revel in the idea of working so closely with one of the MCs on this. There’s something big going on; I need to get to the bottom of it. Maybe even understand what’s going on with Dominic for my own peace of mind in the process.
“Okay,” I concede. “I’ll help you.”
His face brightens, almost surprised.
“You will?”
“Yes. I think there’s more to this than what’s on the surface. But I don’t want things getting out of control.”
“I can keep things under control.”
“I hope so. Now…”
There’s a knock at my office door, and Maddison sticks her head in.
“Hey, Amy.” Her eyes settled on Dominic, brightening in recognition. “Hey! Dominic Jones? I totally thought that was you coming in.”
Dominic turns around, grin on his face.
“The one and only.”
“Rad, man! Think you can sign…”
“Maddison!”
I give her a pointed look.
“Oops, right. Anyway, Officer Creepy is back.” She looks at Dom. “Nice seeing you, Dom Jones!”
The door snaps closed behind her, and I shake my head, sighing.
That girl…
“Officer Creepy?” Dominic asks, curious.
“Oh. Lyle. He’s probably here about…” Oh! “…something. Give me a moment.”
I stand, knowing that I’m going to need to placate whatever snooping Lyle is here to do. Hopefully, I can get him out of the library without him and Dominic crossing hairs; lately it seems that Grizzlies and Vipers don’t know what playing nice means, despite the fact that they’re supposed to be playing nice.
Dominic has this dark look in his eyes as he peers out through my office blinds. He stands, leaning against the window, his gaze narrowed on Lyle as he stands by the front desk, oblivious to the man watching him. I stare at Dominic
for a little, his expression a storm of emotion. I wonder if it’s hatred toward Lyle or worry for my speaking with him that makes it brew on his face.
Out of my office, I walk up to Lyle. I hope today’s visit is brief. Very brief. I’m starting to see more of Lyle than I ever wanted to at any given point.
“Lyle,” I greet. “You’re back already?”
“I wanted to thank you again for your help,” he says. “It was illuminating. So, I figured I’d come and ask to take you out—as a thanks.”
Suddenly, I wish I was back in the confines of my office with Dominic.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Lyle,” I say.
“Why not? It wouldn’t be the first time that we’ve been out together, Amy. Let me treat you.” He smirks, moving closer to me to move a piece of my hair out of the way. “You wouldn’t deny me, would you?”
And there… There is the Lyle that people are warned about. The one that seems so nice and welcoming on the outside but has the threat of something more underneath. It took so long for me to see that in the past; I think that my lapse in judgement in the past is to blame for my current situation.
“Lyle, I…”
Something off to the side catches Lyle’s eyes.
“What the fuck is he doing here?”
Lyle’s eyes trail to my office, where Dominic stands near my window. Dominic is in the same position he was in when I left him, his eyes trained on Lyle, scrutinizing. Lyle’s glare is penetrative, and when it turns on me, I shrink back, unused to his anger being directed toward me. His lust, his manipulation – yes. Not his anger.
“What the fuck is he doing here, Amy?”
His vehemence once more spits at me.
I feel as trapped as the night at the Grizzly Bar. Transfixed to the spot, I remind myself that, for all his verbal anger, Lyle wouldn’t dare do something so publicly.
“He’s just her looking for some information.”
“Information on what?”
“Lyle…”
The people in the library don’t deter Lyle as he backs me against the front counter. His arm cage me, and he looks down to me with narrowed eyes. Is this the Lyle those ‘Devil’ nicknames come from? I like it less than the side of him I’m used to.
“I told you Dominic Jones and the Grizzlies were no good, Amy…”
A hand suddenly clamps down on Lyle’s shoulder, forcing him away from me and to turn. Dominic stands behind him, his mouth set in a hard line.
“Funny how we keep meeting like this, Officer,” Dominic says, any minor trace of possible humor absent from the glare he levels at him.
“Jones,” Lyle spits, jerking his arm out of Dominic’s hold. “What are you doing here?”
“I don’t believe you have the right to know that.”
“I could make it my right.”
He doesn’t, however. He glares between Dominic and me, weighing his options between staying around and leaving well enough alone, then he scoffs and pulls away, I know this isn’t for the last time.
“Remember what I said, Amy,” he practically growls. “I’ll be keeping in touch.”
Lyle storms out, leaving Dominic and me behind. He leaves me shaking in his wake; both from his anger and the way Dominic handled him. It’s dangerous being between these two men, pitted against each other through circumstances. Lyle makes it terrifying; Dominic makes the terror almost alluring.
What are you even thinking, Amy?
“You alright?” Dominic asks, pulling me from my chaotic thoughts.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I sigh. “Thank you. Again!”
“Don’t worry about it,” Dominic says. “All in a day’s work.”
He’s back to his usual self. More relaxed outside of Lyle’s presence. I wish I could so easily do the same.
“I need to get back to work,” I tell him. “How about we pick this back up later?”
“Like tonight?”
I nod.
“Best to get started as soon as we can.”
“Here?”
The idea seems to perturb him deeply.
“Yes…?”
“No offence, but… hell, no!”
I bristle.
“What’s wrong about being here? It’s a library. Neutral ground.”
“It’s hardly neutral if Lyle decides to keep coming around. Also, this place is spooky as hell at night. It’s like a ghost town when no one else is here. How about I come and pick you up after closing? We could go to my place or yours. Or a café. Whatever makes you feel more comfortable.”
To be honest, any of those options sound like they’d come with potential issues. Especially the thought of being alone with him, him driving me…
“I have my own car,” I remind him. “I drove here today; I can’t just leave my car behind.”
“Then I can follow you or you follow me,” he suggests. “Whatever works for you, really. I don’t care.”
Problem was, I cared. I cared because I still wasn’t sure what I was going to get out of this.
Well. We weren’t going to get anywhere with me not doing anything, were we?
“Okay. We can go to my place tonight…”
“What about now?”
I blink.
“Why now?”
“Because I don’t trust Lyle’s gremlin ass to not come crawling around later when he thinks you’re alone. He looked pretty serious.”
“It wasn’t…”
“Amy.”
Dominic gives me a pointed look, brow raised. Don’t bullshit me, his expression says. I know that I can’t lie and say that I’m not afraid of Lyle coming back, when I’m alone, to finish the conversation we had started.
“Okay,” I concede. “Give me a second.”
I hunt around for Maddison, who I find helping someone pick out books.
“Maddison?” I call. “I’m cutting out early. Is that alright?”
She waves me off. “Sure thing. Get me an autograph though, will you?”
Yeah… I’m sure I’ll do just that.
Chapter Five
Amy
Dominic’s bike follows closely behind me as I lead him through the city to my house. It’s a small thing, in a small neighborhood, but I like how unassuming it is. One story, brick. It’s cozy. Adam and chose it to be our ‘starter’ home. Now it’s just…
Well. It’s just some bricks on foundation, but it’s a place to live and that’s as best as it needs to be, for now.
I pull into my driveway, Dominic sliding in right beside me. When I glance over, I can’t help but stare. He’s a solid brick of a man; being on that bike doesn’t hurt, either. It’s ironic, isn’t it? That dangerous things can be so appealing sometimes. Draw us in. Maybe I’ve just read too many romance books I my time running a library. It was bound to bleed into my brain.
Dominic comes over and knocks on my window. I roll it down.
“You gonna come out and let me in?” he teases.
I blush, nodding.
“Yes, of course.”
I grab my bag and realize that the flowers that Dominic got me are still in the passenger’s seat, wilting. His gaze follows mine down and his brow goes up. I’m grateful that he doesn’t say anything and only pulls away, walking up to the front door.
Good impressions.
It’s a little awkward when we walk into the house together. I turn on the light, illuminating the sparsely furnished and decorated space. I got rid of everything that reminded me of Adam after he died. Every piece of wall art, every picture. I removed the wallpaper that he had picked out, even, leaving nothing but the off-white cream color below.
I’m never self-conscious about how bare the house is, until someone else comes in to scrutinize. As I set my things down on the living room table, I peek around my hair discretely to see Dominic looking around, his eyes following the bare walls and the bare floor and the bare everything. His head tilts.
“You a minimalist or something?”
