Page 140 of Tethered

The door widens further and Dominik’s lawyer steps into view, sharing a thin-lipped smile with Hina. I recognise him as someone Dominik used back in England: Jefferson, I think.

“Oh, you brought a lawyer,” Dominik says, eyeing Hina.

The two step aside, and I sweep in with my entourage at my back, heading for the staircase. This should be a quick enough task; I didn’t unpack a single thing, and Vee was immediately whisked away to the tailors. Still, it’s unnerving having four sets of eyes on me as I let myself into my room.

Hina stops Dominik and maybe-Jefferson as they try to follow us in. Why, I don’t know—I’m hardly going to rip the paintings off the walls.

“As this bedroom was assigned to my client by yours, we don’t require supervision while she simply collects her belongings.”

Dominik looks to his lawyer, perhaps thinking it can be disputed, but Jefferson only gives a brief nod. Dominik’s nostrils flare, but he steps away from the threshold, folding his arms. It’s so petty, but I could kiss Hina for the thrill that goes through me.

Why shouldn’t I enjoy the little things? I close the door in his face.

“Can I take the art?” I ask loudly, just to be a shit.

Hina shoots me an unamused look.

“Joking.”

I’m not nervous, I’m not nervous, I’m not—

I grab my bag, shove in toiletries stashed in my en-suite and fill it to bursting with every single shot in the cabinet. The one good thing about being interred in this mansion is my new supply of meds. There are enough syringes to last me months, and thankfully, they come packaged quite small. Lastly, I kick off the dainty little flats Hina brought me and lace myself into the boots I’d bought on Novus. Mismatched with my boho-stylejumpsuit, it gives me a touch of grunge. I don’t think Kiran would approve, but my arches are relieved.

The whole thing takes five minutes, max, so Dominik has no reason to look like he’s sucking on lemons. Yet he watches me with narrowed eyes as we all head to Vee’s room. Maybe my art-stealing joke riled him up.

Jefferson informs us that our previous argument doesn’t apply here, and we pile inside.

Vee gave me a list of things to pack, and I consult it as I dig around the mess he’d already managed to make in one day. Dominik, of course, doesn’t help except to make comments about certain items I pick up; ensuring the lawyers thathepaid for them. He reasons he wants them here for when Vee’s home. I nearly bite my own tongue off trying not to react.

Still, Vee’s smart, and he hasn’t listed anything he didn’t arrive with. At some point, I unearth the flight suit. I make a point of hanging it in the closet, though I found it on the floor.

Back downstairs, Dominik offers Hina and Ell food to take home. They both look bewildered, but I immediately know what he’s up to.

“We have more food than we know what to do with, thanks to a last-minute change in plans,” he says airily. “Plenty of meat and desserts, prepared by the best chefs in the city. It’d be a shame to let it go to waste.”

Ell starts to decline. I can see Hina’s in agreement, but I interrupt. “I’d appreciate if you both did. I’m the reason for the leftovers, after all. And despite everything, I’d like a minute to say goodbye to Dominik.”

Hina touches my elbow. “Are you sure?” Her voice is low, almost a whisper.

No. But I watch Jefferson take Dominik aside, likely asking the same question. Our eyes meet, and when he gestures for Jefferson to pass into the kitchen, I nod anyway.

Dominik follows me into the dining hall, which shows no trace of last night’s chaos and gleams in the daylight. I pull out a seat at the banquet table, he stands opposite me, and I wait for him to speak. I’m too exhausted, I think, to be angry.

“I’ll drop the charges.”

I narrow my eyes. “You’ll drop the charges?”

Maybe I was wrong about being too tired; something in my chest sparks like a firework. I’m not necessarily surprised, but I am suspicious.

“On one condition,” he continues.

Ah, there it is. I stare at him until he gets the hint, though I know he wanted me to probe.

“We agree, at a mediation, to a certain number of visits per year where you, Harvey, and I spend the day as a family. I don’t care where, as long as it’s the whole day. I’ll also keep the bedrooms here maintained and ready; in case you want to stay.”

I’d like to say I’m shocked, but I’d be lying. To someone who doesn’t know Dominik, that might sound like a great offer. It should sound like one to me, considering the last thing I wanted was to end up on the radar of any law enforcement. But Dominik’s not the kind of person to back down from a challenge, and something tells me this offer’s a misdirect. It’s very likely, with the video evidence and all the guests who saw it, he’s just not certain he’ll win this fight. With his hubris, his lawyer probably intervened.

If he drops this, I’ll be obligated to as well. He assumes, anyway—because why would I want to drag our family through court if I didn’t have to, right?