The Dog, The Baby and The Criminal

Chapter 26

Please be aware all of the chapters from this point on are first drafts. I will be editing this story in full when all chapters have been released

Dominic

I never had any issue concealing my emotions. My face was always a mask, never giving my true feelings away.

I had never had an issue keeping it that way. Years of careful practice had ensured my enemies, even my friends wouldn't know what I was thinking, or anticipate what I was going to do or say next.

That was until I was faced with a terrified Evangeline, clearly so traumatised by a man I had once called an acquaintance, a business associate. I lost control. I let the mask slip, I let my rage get the better of me.

I much preferred for my enemies not to see what was coming, even having them believe we were 'good' before I tore them down. I had never lost control before, until I met Evangeline, a woman who seemingly makes me lose control all the fucking time. The first time we met, although Nathaniel was thought to be in danger so I suppose that doesn't count, however every other time I had lost control was a lack of discipline on my part.

I couldn't bring myself to regret losing control in this moment though, Leon knew he had pissed me off. He knew it wouldn't be long before I ripped everything he knew and loved away from him, before I'd drag him kicking and screaming to the pits of hell, before he would die at my hands.

I hadn't wanted to kill again since having Nathaniel, I'd only ever do it for him from now on to keep him from harm. However, in that moment, with Evangeline crying silently, thinking I couldn't see her wet cheeks in the reflection of the window, the need to kill was like an itch that just wouldn't go away. It wouldn't go away until I felt his heart stop beating in my hands, until I seen him on the floor in a pool of his own blood, an unrecognisable lump of flesh.

The things I will do to him, I'll-

I hadn't even realised how hard I was gripping the steering wheel until I felt Evangeline soft hand covering my own. I turned to look at her, a gentle smile on her face, she had stopped crying now. Not long ago had I been comforting her and now she was comforting me. She shouldn't be comforting me at all.

I smiled back at her, once again masking the rage.

"How far away are we?" Her sweet voice asks.

I had to look around, having gone into complete auto pilot. "Five minutes or so" I tell her.

"Five minutes? We're in the middle of no where on a country lane, are you finally getting rid of me Dominic?" There is a glint of humour in her eyes that I admire, in the face of everything she's still so full of happiness. Although the thought of getting rid of her is not something we should be laughing about. The world is a much better place with her here lighting it up.

"I don't like this talk of getting rid of you, Angel, I can't imagine a world without you in it" my serious tone throws her off, her cheeks staining red as she mumbled "I was only joking".

"Joke about anything else Evangeline, the thought of losing you pains me too much to joke about" I tell her.

I know she doesn't feel anywhere near as strongly for me as I do her, but I don't mind telling her how deeply I do feel for her every day. I doubted she would ever feel the same way after all I'd put her through, I wasn't naive enough to believe she put up with me for anything other than Nathaniel.

Her bond with Nathaniel was extraordinary, you could see the maternal love she felt for him, although he wasn't her own flesh and blood she loved him as her own. I knew she felt guilty for loving him, fearful that she had replaced her own child after his death. I hoped that one day she would forgive herself enough to open herself up to Nathaniel and I completely, after all Alexander's death was not her fault.