Before We Fall

Chapter Thirty-Three

Jacey

I get off the phone with Joe, smiling as I think about how badass he always tries to act, but how soft his heart actually is.

I’d explained the situation, in very vague terms, and said that we wouldn’t be back to work until Monday. He was perfectly fine with that. We won’t be in trouble. That’s a relief, because that’s the last thing we need on top of everything else.

I tiptoe back into the bedroom and stare at Dom.

In sleep, he’s peaceful. Nothing can hurt him when he sleeps, and that’s the reason I’ve let him sleep for two straight days. It’s almost as if his body needed it to absorb the emotional shock that it’s undergone the last few days.

At night, I climb into bed and he wraps his arms around me, holding me close. During the day I get up, but I check in on him from time to time. He’s woken up a couple of times for water, but nothing else.

As I stand over him, I feel the intense need to protect him from anything else that might hurt him.

That’s why when Sin shows up on the doorstep a couple hours later, I’m hesitant to let him in.

“I know you’re sorry,” I tell him hesitantly. “I know. But he’s messed up, Sin. He’s been sleeping for two days. I don’t think he’s in a place where he’s ready to talk to you.”

Sin stares at me with his doleful rocker stare. “You know, I was right when I told you that you were good for Dominic. Wasn’t I?”

I swallow. “Yeah. And if it were up to me, I’d invite you in and you could talk to Dom. But…”

“It’s all right.” Dominic’s voice comes from behind me. “Let him in.”

I turn around to find Dom sitting on the bottom step, staring at his brother. His hair is mussed, but other than that, you’d never guess he’d just slept for two days.

“Are you okay?” I ask softly. He glances at me, and there’s something so potent in his eyes… something powerful and shining.

He loves me. He hasn’t said it, but I know it’s true. I swallow as he nods.

“Yeah, I’m fine, babe.” He glances at his brother. “I ignored your texts for a reason, Sin. I didn’t want to talk to you.”

Sin swallows, then nods. “I figured. But I take no for an answer as well as you do. Dom, this shit happened six years ago. Think of everything that happened over the past six years. Now think of who has been with you that whole time. Me. I swear on my life that I will never fuck up like that again.”

Dom sighs, rubbing his face, then looking up at his brother. “I know. I know, Sin.”

I exhale the breath I’d been holding, and Sin stares at him.

“You know?”

Dom nods. “Yeah. I know. I’m still pissed at you, but I know.”

Sin stares at him hesitantly. “When you say you know, what do you mean?”

Dominic sighs. “I know that it was one night. You were both drunk and she wasn’t thinking clearly. You were nineteen and you were thinking with your cock. You didn’t know she got pregnant. You didn’t know that I made her get an abortion. You didn’t know any of it. It was a huge, fucked-up mess, but I can’t dwell on it any longer. I’ll get over it. I’m not over it yet, but I’ll get over it.”

“You will?” Sin sounds hopeful, yet nervous. Dom nods.

“Yeah. Eventually. I can’t believe you fucking did it, but I’ll try to get over it. We’re brothers, and I know you’d never do it now. Right?”

Sin immediately shakes his head. “Fuck no. I’ve grown up, Dom. I would never try to take what’s yours. I didn’t try to take what was yours then, I was just too young and stupid to rein in my hormones. I won’t make that same mistake twice.”

Sin lifts Dom to his feet and pulls him into a hug. He practically clings to Dom as he murmurs into Dom’s hair.

“I didn’t know, dude. I swear to Christ I didn’t know that I was to blame for fucking you up. I swear to Christ. If I knew, I would’ve told you long ago.”

Dom doesn’t respond for a minute, but then wraps his arms around his brother, hugging him back. He’s reluctant, but it’s still a hug. It’s something.

“I’m sorry, man,” Sin tells him again, and I can honestly hear the sadness in his voice. “You know I loved Emma… but not like that. That night was just a mistake. Neither of us meant it.”

“I know,” Dominic nods. “I know.”

I can see from his face that he means it. He does know. And that’s a far cry from the Dominic that I saw two days ago. As we wind our way out to the veranda, I turn to him.

“That must’ve been some sleep you had.”

He smiles ever so slightly. “I don’t think I’ve slept a full night since Emma died. So, yeah. It was pretty good. I’m thinking more clearly now.”

Sin stops and turns to Dom, his dark blue eyes unsure. “Dom. I didn’t come alone. Cris is in the car. He’s in a bad way. Can you talk to him?”

I freeze, watching Dom. He knows that Cris was trying to protect his relationship with Sin, but knowing it and knowing it are two different things, because he also knows that Cris could’ve spoken up years ago.

“Fine,” Dom sighs. “I’m going to have to someday. It might as well be now.”

I breathe a sigh of relief as Sin and I watch him duck around the side of the house and head out to the car. In a minute, we see them through the windows of the house, sitting at the kitchen table and talking earnestly.

“Do you think they’re okay?” I ask Sin nervously. He eyes them, glancing at the way they’re angled toward each other, still talking.

“Well, there’s no blood yet, so that’s a good sign.”

I roll my eyes. “Oh, that’s helpful.”

They’re in there for what seems like forever, and when they come out, they’re both quiet.

“We have to do something,” Dom says to me, his voice serious and dark. “We all have to do something so that we get closure. But to do it, we need to go home.”

We’re on the jet within an hour.