Page 62 of Tone Deaf
“What the fuck does that mean, Dom?” Then it dawns on me. “This whole time, it was all about you? We were looking at Brian’s past, but this jackhole was afteryou?”
“Pen—”
“No, Dom. I don’t want you to explain. Just get Callum back,” I warn, not ready for his excuses. “I don’t care how you do it. And once this is done, we are through.”
“I will get Callum back. But I’m making this perfectly clear, you aren’t breaking up with me. Oncethisis all done, we’ll talk and listen. The three of us.”
“It’s too late for us—and I’m not arguing with you about it now. We have more pressing matters, like getting Callum back,” I rail, not giving a fuck if he doesn’t like my denial.
“I don’t even know who the fucker is that took him,” Dom counters, his storm-filled eyes glaring back at me.
I bite my bottom lip and look up at the ceiling, trying to control my rage. My eyes widen when I spy the smoke detector—we had to turn on its hidden camera when we first arrived. Tobias set it up for extra precautionary measures. “Give me a second and I’ll get an image for you.”
“How?”
“The security camera in the ceiling,” I explain as I make my way to the second bedroom and grab my laptop.
“Shit… Last night,” he mutters.
I close my eyes for a second, realizing what he’s talking about. When Dom was railing me against the sofa. “Goddamnit. That feed goes straight to Tobias,” I utter, feeling my stomach gnarling up even more. “We’re never going to hear the end of it.”
Dom groans, shaking his head. “Focus.”
“I am,” I spit out while placing the laptop on the kitchen counter and opening it.
Dom remains quiet while I access the video footage. After a few clicks, I find the time frame I’m looking for and expand the image. “I’m turning my phone camera around so you can see the guy’s face.”
The second I expand the image, Dom growls, “Motherfucking son of a bitch. Rick Morrison. This whole time he’s been playing me. That asshole played me.”
“Who is he?” I ask while memorizing the bastard on the screen.
“He was my partner when I worked for the U.S. Marshals.”
“You worked as a marshal?” I practically shriek, then gulp down the acrid taste at the back of throat. I really don’t know who Dom is.
What would have been the harm in telling me that he used to be a marshal? It wasn’t like he was working for a criminal organization. This whole time, he could have—should have been honest and talked to me about his past. And now look at where we are.
“Pen.”
I turn the camera around so he can see my face and the gravity of the situation. “This entire time, it was your ex-partner.”
“Yes,” he says gravely. “I swear if I had known it was him… I have to call in the feds and the U.S. Marshals. They need to know.”
“Why?”
“Because Rick has killed at least six others, and now he’s coming after me all because of a case that destroyed both of our lives.”
“I wish I could say that I understand that, but I can’t. Because I know nothing about that part of your life.”
“I’ll give you every detail later since I’m no longer under any obligation to keep quiet about the case.” He sounds earnest, but it still doesn’t justify his lack of communication and secrecy. He’s been keeping so much from me.
I’m not sure if I believe him or if I evenwantto believe Dom. The promises he’s dishing out right now are only words. He needs to prove it.
“Dom, all I want is Callum back,” I insist. “And I coming with you.”
“You’re not,” Dom declares. “The note says alone and I have no doubt Rick will try to take you out. I can’t lose you, Pen.”
“Don’t you trust me?”