Light Gathers Darkness | 18+

71.

*DOUBLE UPDATE-READ 70 FIRST*

My eyes focus on Daisy, and Daisy only.

Her fingers brush my cheeks reassuringly, our chests touching. "You can do this, Nicky. I believe in you."

My eyes close in desperation. Up until two months ago, I thought I was ready for this moment. But now? God, I feel like I'm about to collapse.

My knees are weak, and I feel like I'm as white as a ghost. I walk over to where Daisy was sitting and sit down, burying my head in my hands.

"I-I can't take him, Daisy. Fuck, I'm so much weaker than him," I whisper,  hearing my own voice crack. 

She cups my face, looking at me sternly. "You are not weak, Dominic. I think it's time you let yourself and him see that. If you were weak, you wouldn't have stayed all those nights at your brothers' hospital rooms. If you were weak, you wouldn't have survived his torture. If you were weak, Dominic, then you wouldn't feel the need to kill him right now."

I look down. She knows me too well.

I do feel the need to kill that fucking bastard, to make him suffer for all those years he made me suffer. For everything he did to me and my brothers.

My fists clench. "I'm not saying I don't want to kill him, kitten. I'm saying I can't kill him."

She snorts. "If you believe that, then I'm really disappointed in how you handled this."

Pain jolts in my chest like a sting. My eyes immediately heat, threatening to spill tears. Did she just say that? 

Her eyes soften. "I'm only saying this because I know you. You're not unable to kill him, you are afraid to do so."

I avert my eyes again. "If I go there, I'm getting killed."

She kneels next to me, forcing me to look in her eyes. I see nothing but faith in them, and it breaks me. She believes too much.

"The only person who's getting killed is that ass of a Father. Now, you are with Michael—" "Yeah, 'cause that turned out great last time," I comment.

She sighs. "He didn't handle this well, we both know that. But he helped you to escape, didn't he?"

I hesitantly nod. She's kinda right, if it weren't for him, I'd still be there now.

She nods too. "I suppose your brothers will go too?" I nod again. 

A slow smile spreads on her lips. "Well then. And you don't think the second your Father as much as snaps at you, they'll have your back?"

I grit my teeth. "Yeah. I guess."

She cups my cheeks again, a loving gaze in her eyes. "Dominic, you have to trust other people with this. This is not a you problem anymore. You'll have to work together to beat him, but you're still stronger than him if you go over there right now and kick his ass."

I doubt that. She senses it.

"You're stronger than him, because you're not letting him decide your life, or your personality. I mean, look at you! You're the sweetest man a girl could ask for, and yet you're doubting you came out stronger? Babe, I am sure."

I sit up a little. "Well, uh, I guess I can try to do it quick, you know?" I don't wanna disappoint her.

She bites her lip. "I don't think you should do it quick, but that might just be my opinion. Won't you regret it if you just hot him? After everything he made you go through, after that torture, after the torture in the hospital . . ."

My eyes narrow and my blood starts to boil, the fear leaving my veins a bit. 

She goes on talking. "He taught you how to torture men. I think you should use everything he though you against him, make him break. Don't stop until you have him begging. You deserve seeing the fear flashing in his eyes."

Her eyes are narrowed.

"Don't you think you'd regret it, if you just sliced his throat over? If you just got over with it, and didn't have him at your mercy?"

My hands itch. I nod, surprised with this turn of events.

She cups my cheeks harder. "I don't want a doubt in year head when you step in that room he's in, Dominic. I want you to be fearless. I want you to win, to scare him senseless."

She's giving me the exact amount of confidence I need.

"And when he's dead, I'm home for you. With open arm and all the support you need. For tears or laughs, I'll be there."

I stand up and hug her to my chest. "I love you so much. I can't—I can't even tell you how much I love you, you're just too good."

And for once, she doesn't joke around. She looks up at my face with a soft smile, because she knows how much I need her. 

"Go, Dominic," she whispers. "Go kill your Father."

I press one long, last kiss to her forehead before I let go of her. "You'll be at home?"

She nods. "I'll be home."

I run out of our office, knowing she'll tell my brothers. I dial Michael's number, needing to know if he's okay.

"How long until you get here?" he pants when he picks up. My eyes close.
That's never good.

"I'm three minutes away, Mike. Hold on," I tell him. My hands grip my steering wheel as soon as I get in my car. I speed away.

His breathing is ragged. "I'm—not sure I can," he pants. "Please, Dominic, you have to know I only worked with him to help you. I didn't betray you or mean any harm." He's straight up sobbing right now.

Some of the tension in my shoulders leaves. Before I can say that I understand, he goes on crying to the phone. "Y'all mean too much to me to do such a thing, okay? And Daisy too."

"Michael, you're fine. I understand. You got me out of that hell, and I'm fucking grateful for that. I'm gonna get you away from there now too, yeah? How badly are you injured?"

There's only his hard breathing for a second, and then a pained groan.

"Michael?" Something occurs to me. "Michael, do you have him or does he have you?"

Silence. Then, "Both?"

I curse and park my car outside the building they're in. I open my mouth to ask where in the deserted house he is, but then I hear Father's voice.

"There you are. Calling your bosses? I'm sure they're not coming to help you," he snickers through the phone, at Michael.

I release my breath and walk to the house, then hide under a window. Texting my brothers where they are, I listen to what's happening inside.

My body goes rigid as I hear a shot. The line goes dead. Just like Mike?

Easton: 30 seconds away. Do not go in alone

But Michael got shot. Fuck it, I think and put off the safety of my gun.

And then I go in the fucking house, determined to kill my own Father.