“He threatened to have me killed, if I divorced him,” Colette sniffled, returning her attention to him. “I had to choose between a life of humiliation and my freedom. Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
“Oh, my God…” He whispered, slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand.
“Please, forgive me, Dominic,” she begged, reaching her arm to his wrist. “I wish I could give you back all these years…”
“What are you doing here?” He posed yet another question. “I mean, how did you end up here?”
“Your father was furious at me,” Colette went on. “I couldn’t risk being found. I had relatives here; it made my choice easier. I’d love to tell you that you have siblings, but…” She faltered. “I’m sorry. I got married two more times. My first marriage ended very fast and I only married Peter last summer. But, enough about me. Tell me more about yourself. I understand you like art.”
“It’s been my whole life,” Dominic’s voice was bass-deep, with a hint of change behind it. “Up until I met someone.”
“Oh, the commoner,” she muttered, assuming a snobby tone. “Don’t worry about her. She doesn’t belong with you, anyway,”
A hint of unease brushed across his senses. Dominic scanned his mother’s stiff face, keeping his mouth shut, as he recalled Lieutenant Cross’s words:
“We’re looking for someone quite powerful.”
“How do you know about her?” His voice dripped with suspicion.
“Thierry was always very inquisitive,” Colette smirked. “He tracked me down, a few weeks ago. I was glad to hear from him. I asked him not to tell you anything about me. But, he always had a big mouth, too. He saw you two kissing. He said you were very fond of her.”
Struggling to maintain his composure, Dominic bit his lower lip, sucking in one deep breath after another. He averted his gaze from her, closing his eyes, as he clenched his fists.
“She doesn’t belong with me…” He grumbled, nodding at the same time.
“No!” Colette cried, her hands firmly in the middle of her desk, as she leaned forward. “You’re a blueblood! She’s just some…”
Dominic didn’t allow her to finish her sentence. He reached his right arm towards her and grabbed her by the wrist, jumping from his seat. Moving around her desk, he jerked her from her chair, feeling his blood boiling in his veins and pounding in his temples. Colette’s agonizing cry filled the library, just before Dominic raised his left hand to her neck. Grabbing her by the throat, he pushed her back and pinned her against the library shelves. The thumping sound echoed back at the walls of the room, as several books fell of the shelves.
“Commoner, huh?” Dominic spoke through gritted teeth, his chest rising up and down as he saw the fear in her eyes. “Thierry had a big mouth? So, what, you decided to close it for him?”
“He knew the driver…” Colette said, her voice faint, as her face slowly turned blue. “I had no choice,”
“That ‘commoner’…” Dominic gasped as his knuckles turned white from gripping her face, “… as you put it, is the woman I love; and you tried to kill her.”
“Please, let me go…” Colette begged, her eyes darkening more and more by the second. “I can’t breathe.”
At that moment, he heard heavy, hurried footsteps on the floor. In an instant, he let go of her, only to raise his right hand to her neck. Dominic grabbed her and held her pinned against the shelves again, looking down at the desk, over his left shoulder. Noticing a pen, near the edge, he reached down and picked it up, as two men stormed into the room, with guns in their hands.
“Drop them, you fuckers!” He roared in anger, holding the pen close to her throat, as he loosened his grip slightly. “Drop them and kick them over.”
“Don’t hurt him! Do as he says!” Colette cried. The two men obliged. Dominic was not thinking anymore. In a matter of moments, his bliss had turned into pure rage. His heart was beating so fast that he could actually hear it.
“Now, get the fuck out,” He growled. Colette’s men rushed out of the library, before he turned his gaze to her once more. “Give me a reason not to kill you right now. Just one.”
“I’m your mother,” She gasped, lifting both hands to his wrists. Colette sank her long nails into his flesh, only managing to infuriate him even further.
“My mother…” Dominic whispered, feeling tears rising up in his eyes. “My mother died when I was three. You’re just some bitch who tried to destroy me. You’re nothing to me,” Upon finishing his statement, he loosened his grip and dropped his arm. Colette began to cough violently, her hands on her throat, as he took a few steps back. “And you’re going to jail,” He added, tossing the pen across the floor. Then, Dominic pulled his cell phone and Cross’s card out of his pocket.
“Hello?”
“This is Dominic Redfield. I’ve found the one behind the assassination attempt on Rachel Brewster. Her address is 96, West Red Oak Lane, Westchester.”
“Her? It’s a woman?”
“Yeah. I’m at the same address. I’ll be waiting.”
32
Unable to fathom the fact that his own mother was behind everything, Dominic was an emotional wreck. The police soon arrived and arrested Colette, and he could barely speak. He kept staring into the void, as she confessed to Thierry’s murder and Rachel’s assassination attempt.
Dominic was much too shocked to provide any answers. The only words he could utter by that time were “yes” or “no.” Once again, Lieutenant Cross understood. Likewise stunned by Colette’s story, he suggested counseling, but his words passed by Dominic unheard. He could not get the scene of his reunion with his mother out of his mind. More than anything though, he could not stop thinking about her snobby voice, as she referred to Rachel. She sounded as if she had been talking about someone inferior to her.
Commoner… Why don’t you say ‘subhuman’, you murdering bitch? That’s what you mean, after all. That’s why everyone hates all who are royals guts; because of smug men and women like you. For a moment, I thought I could have a family again. But no… Even if you weren’t responsible for this mess, I doubt I’d want anything to do with you. I met my mother and lost her, all in just a few minutes. God… How does anyone ever recover from this?
Later that day, Dominic realized that his troubles were only just beginning. The news of the king’s mother confessing to murder was all over the internet within minutes. It wasn’t long after that when his cell phone started ringing incessantly. More than that, someone gave away that he was staying in a hotel in downtown Manhattan. The reporters gathered outside caused a massive traffic jam. Things were no different in the lobby. It was so swamped with members of the press that people had to push through them to get to the elevators. Dominic found himself stranded in his suite.
But still, this did not bother him. The press had hunted him down in France as well; he knew how to handle a few, curious reporters. He was annoyed that the art gallery was just an excuse to get him to New York. Reviewing other painters’ work and selling his own would be a welcome change in his life, but, more than anything, Dominic was devastated by Rachel’s absence. For the second time within a few days, he would have to withstand his darkest hour alone. Desperate to hear her voice again, he picked up his cell phone, but, before he could call her, it buzzed with an incoming text message from her:
I’m really sorry for what happened to you. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling. We can meet if you want, but only for an hour or so. No one else can put little Dominic to bed but me.
A bitter smile spread across his face. If anything, her message reminded him of the reason of her unavailability.
Thanks for the offer and the sympathy. But, I don’t need a booty call. I’d love it, but I don’t want just your body. I need you, Rachel. I need your presence. I just can’t have it. Besides, even if I did decide to meet you, I wouldn’t be able to get past all those goddamn reporters. Then, they’d follow me around and we’d
be front page news tomorrow. Stay with the kid. Family comes first.
“If I stay in New York, this is only going to get worse,” he said to himself, tossing his cell phone across his bed.
We’ll be calling each other every day, texting each other all the time, hurting ourselves deeper and deeper. Let’s face it, Dominic. There’s nothing for you in New York, except heartbreak. But, what’s there in Mont Blanc? An empty castle? My paintings? Her room? God, I wish I could just knock it down…”
Dominic logged in to his YouTube account, searching for any reports on Colette’s case. She had confessed, but he didn’t know whether the assassins she had used had been apprehended or not. As the front page popped on his screen though, the video on the upper left corner sent shivers down his spine. The atmospheric music in Within Temptation’s “Shot in the dark” had always appealed to him. He had known the lyrics for years, but, that night, he felt like each and every one of them was written just for him. Dominic clicked the “play” button on his laptop. He closed his eyes, as the melodic, synthesizer introduction filled his ears. Second by second, Sharon den Adel’s magnificent voice flooded his heart with emotion, as the memories he had with Rachel flashed through his mind…
I’ve been left out alone like a damn criminal
I’ve been praying for help cause I can’t take it all
I’m not done,
It’s not over
Now I’m fighting this war since the day of the fall
And I’m desperately holding on to it all
But I’m lost
I’m so damn lost
Oh I wish it was over,
And I wish you were here
Still I’m hoping that somehow
‘Cause your soul is on fire
A shot in the dark,
What did they aim for when they missed your heart?
I breathe underwater
It’s all in my hands
What can I do?
Don’t let it fall apart
A shot in the dark
In the blink of an eye
I can see through your eyes
As I’m lying awake I’m still hearing the cries
And it hurts
Hurts me so bad
And I’m wondering why I still fight in this life
‘Cause I’ve lost all my faith in this damn bitter strife
And it’s sad
It’s so damn sad
Oh I wish it was over,
And I wish you were here
Still I’m hoping that somehow
‘Cause your soul is on fire
A shot in the dark,
What did they aim for when they missed your heart?
I breathe underwater
It’s all in my hands
What can I do?
Don’t let it fall apart
A shot in the dark
A shot in the dark
A shot in the dark
A shot in the dark
A shot in the dark
I feel you fading away
I feel you fading away
I feel you fading away
I feel you fading away
‘Cause your soul is on fire
A shot in the dark,
What did they aim for when they missed your heart?
I breathe underwater
It’s all in my hands
What can I do?
Don’t let it fall apart
Oh, your soul is on fire
A shot in the dark,
What did they aim for when they missed your heart?
I breathe underwater
It’s all in my hands
What can I do?
Don’t let it fall apart
A shot in the dark
“You are fading away…” He whispered as the echoes of the song were still ringing in his ears, and a tear rolled off his cheek.
Nah, who are you kidding, Dominic? It’s over. Everything fell apart, the moment she left France. Now, she’s just a dream that keeps slipping through your fingers. You can’t have her. Not anymore…
Unwilling to stay another minute in New York, Dominic waited until the early morning for the reporters to leave his hotel. Then, he packed his bags in a hurry and snuck out. With a heavy heart, he returned to the place that was now home for him, in the hope that someday, he would find love again…
33
Losing track of Dominic, Rachel suspected he left, but she decided not to contact him again. Deep down, she knew that the chances of being reunited with him were very slim. Their breakup saddened her, but, in a way, also relieved her. Torn between her duties as a mother to her nephew, her job and her sister, she was struggling to cope with the pressure. She did have Kate’s help; her dear friend was doing everything in her power to assist her. She spent most of her time in Rachel’s apartment, babysitting for her while she was at work and stayed there, long after her friend got returned home.
Rachel might have been exhausted, but her fatigue was overshadowed by her emotional state. With her sister still in a coma and the man of her dreams thousands of miles away from her, she was on the verge of depression. She stayed up late, reminiscing about the time she had spent in France. To her relief, baby Dominic usually woke up, before she was overwhelmed by emotion. Moreover, she was often distracted at work, inviting a few complaints about her performance.
Frustrated and lost in her fear of losing her only family, Rachel decided to do something desperate. She left young Dominic at the hospital daycare and took Kate to visit Marianne. Her sister was a mere shadow of her former self. She had lost weight and looked paler by the day. Rachel sat down on a stool beside her, pulling her cell phone and a hands-free set out of her purse.
“Rach, what are you doing?” Kate wondered, as Rachel fitted an ear bud in her ear. “Cell phones aren’t allowed in here.”
“I’m not calling anybody,” Rachel muttered, reaching toward Marianne’s head. “I just want to listen to a song with her.”
“A song? Really?” Kate’s voice was dripping with sarcasm.
“Do you have any better suggestions?” Rachel grumbled, raising her eyes to glare at her friend, as she put the ear bud in Marianne’s ear. “I’m getting desperate here. I can’t go on like this. Marianne…” She whispered, dragging her gaze away from Kate to look down at her sister. “Remember ‘Daredevil’, sweetheart? I’m sure you do. We both loved that movie. Remember the song you liked most? ‘My immortal’? Well, here it is…”
Rachel pushed the “play” button on her cell phone, as Kate shook her head in disapproval. She reached both arms down towards Marianne’s hand and pulled it into her hands, as the melancholic, piano introduction sent shivers down her spine. Her heart fluttered, as flashes of the memories she had with her sister filled her mind. Rachel closed her eyes, dropping her head into her hands, as Amy Lee’s powerful voice flooded her heart with emotion…
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have… all of me
You used to captivate me by your resonating light
Now, I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts… my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away… all the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight awa
y all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have… all of me
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me, I've been alone all along
When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
You still have… all of me
Rachel’s ambitious plan failed miserably. The song was over and she had gotten no response from Marianne. A tear spilled from her eye, as she removed her right hand from her sister’s hand.
“Worth a shot…” She whispered, pulling the ear bud out of Marianne’s ear.
“Hopeless…” Kate groaned. “Just hopeless.”
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” Rachel said, holding tight to her temper. All of a sudden, a featherlike touch on her skin forced her to look down at her hand. Marianne’s pinky finger was twitching, softly brushing against her sister’s knuckles.
“Kate!” She exclaimed, with her eyes open wide, as the sensation sent her heart in a flurry of wild beats. “Go get the doctor. Now!”
“What happened?” Kate’s voice was filled with tension, as she moved around the bed. Rachel didn’t speak. Instead, she stayed still, watching as Marianne’s ring finger twitched as well. Her middle finger followed. Rachel’s lips quivered, as she moved her gaze up Marianne’s arm. Fixing it on her face, she leaned over her, her heart thumping in her chest. Her eyelids were flickering. Kate spun around and stormed out of the room, as Rachel lifted her free hand to her sister’s face. She lightly squeezed her hand, her breath short, as two tears raced down her cheeks. Marianne opened her drowsy eyes and moved them slowly to the left, as Rachel caressed her skin.
“I knew it…” Rachel whispered, as their gazes met. “I knew you’d come back.”
Marianne’s lips curled into a small, sweet smile, as happy tears rolled off her sister’s face. Just when she parted them, Rachel let go of her hand and lifted her hand to her face.
Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection Page 204
