Page 5 of P.S. I’m With You (Hel’s Ink: Extended)
Four
DOMINIK
“ I don’t fucking care what time it is, who you’re fucking or if your god damn mother is on her deathbed.
You fucking find her!” I slam the handset of my phone onto the base.
The loud bang isn’t enough to calm my anger though, and I grab the phone and slam it repeatedly on my desk before turning away and pulling a cigarette from my pocket. I light the stick and inhale deeply.
She’s gone. We have a rat in our midsts; someone has let it out that Kasapin is a woman… a mother .
“Fuck!” I scream, while driving my fist through the wall. I should’ve been there. I could’ve protected them. They were my responsibility and I failed them. I failed them because Nika refused to let me in—to allow me to fill the role that belongs to me.
Or belonged to me.
Three days ago my heart stopped beating when I received word that Nika’s house went up in flames and she was taken by multiple armed men. Only Nika, meaning Zora…
“Goddamnit!” I sob out through gritted teeth as I shove everything that’s laying on my desk off. “God fucking damnit!” What’s the point? What’s the point of any of this? Of continuing to even breathe if they’re gone?
A rapid knocking on the door grabs my attention and I hear loud crying and screaming as I move through the living area and rip open the door. My heart nearly stops as all the air leaves my body.
“Zora.” Is all I can manage out as the bleeding man shoves the girl into my arms.
“I made sure we weren’t followed,” he states softly.
“My debt to her is paid. I'm leaving now, disappearing. Make sure she understands that.” The man looks at the small girl shaking in my arms and his features soften. “You, little one, never forget how brave you are. For being so small, you are fierce, just like your mother, and I will never regret my time spent protecting you. It’s been an honor.”
Zora nods her head as the man walks away, and I shut the door before setting the small girl down. I go to my knees and look into her watery blue eyes. “Zora,” I breathe out. “You’re okay, I thought—” I clear my throat to stop the cracking.
“Who are you?” Her small question is a knife in my heart. Nika never let me see her. Only from afar could I take care of her.
“My name is Dominik.” I give her a small smile. “I’m your—”
“Father?” Her eyes are bright and wide as she says it. I swallow dryly and nod.
“Yeah.” I manage, over the growing lump in my throat.
“Where is mama?” she asks while taking a step back. “M-Mama said that you can’t be a dad. Why am I here? Why did Rigo leave? Where is my mama?”
“O-Okay.” I hold my hands out to try and calm her.
“Zora, I don’t have all of the answers yet.
I just need a moment to figure this all out.
I won't lie to you, ever, I hope you won't lie to me either. Deal?” Her eyes look to the fallen items on the floor. She walks over and picks up a picture frame and studies the image behind the broken glass. I know the picture too well. It’s of Zora and I, the day she was born.
She’s wrapped in a yellow blanket and nestled tightly in my arms. It was the only time I got to hold her.
“What happened, Zora,” I ask softly. She looks over the photo once more before turning to me.
“Mommy hid me. She told me not to leave the room, but I did. I ran out the back and Rigo found me. I watched men in masks with guns hurt mommy before putting her in a truck and driving off.”
“Masked? So you saw none of their faces?” I try to hide the disappointment, but fuck, I was hopeful she might’ve seen something to lead me somewhere. I sigh while rolling up the sleeves of my dress shirt. “Why don’t you have a seat while I clean this—”
“The flower!” Zora gasps as she points to the tattoo on my arm. The Iris tattoo that all of us under Kasapin’s reign have… except Nika herself.
“Have you seen this?” I ask, giving her a better view of the tattoo.
Zora nods urgently. “Yes, the man who hit mommy—he had it on his arm here.” She points to the inside of her bicep. My heart drops and my gut twists at the realization. I only know one man who has our tattoo on the inside of his bicep, and if it is him, we have a serious fucking problem.