Dom's POV
"Find myself at your door,
Just like all those times before,
I'm not sure how I got there,
All roads they lead me here...."
I rested my head against the scuffed door of Letty's apartment clutching flowers in my left hand. No matter how many times we'd broken up I always wound right back up where I'd always been. Letty's place. It was the place I always wanted to be. Her apartment in LA, holding her in my arms. Where she belonged.
Do I knock?
Let myself in?
I couldn't let myself in. Not after our last break up. Not after seeing the anger in her eyes after I'd said, "we're through." I definitely couldn't, especially not after she threw the glass vase at me. It had missed as I'd slammed the door behind me. I'd heard the glass smash and knew it has splintered everywhere. Shattered into pieces like the shards of my heart.
No matter how many times we'd said we were over I always ended up back at her door. I couldn't be without her. Everything led me back here. In a way I knew it always would.
I mean, it was Letty. She was the love of my life. In more ways than one. She was the one I wanted all the time. Beside me, always. I'd been with her on and off since she was sixteen and that was coming up on five years ago now. I would never gave that kind of history with another person nor would I want to.
On the other side of the door, she was likely sat with a Corona in her hand and a mindless film on the TV. I knew her well. If not she was working on her sketches for the modifications to be done to her Plymouth.
"...I imagine you are home,
In your room, all alone,
And you open your eyes into mine,
And everything feels better..."
I raised my hand to knock the door. A lump rose in my throat. This was hard. It never got easier. The breaking up and fighting needed to end. Thus was the last time I could do this to her. To me. To us. It was harmful to everyone's well being. Mia still hoped Letty would be her sister some day but every time I came home and grumbled that we were over I hurt her as well. It wasn't fair to everyone around us.
Yet we continued to repeat this toxic pattern.
This was our last shot. The last chance I could ever give us. The last attempt.
My last chance to be happy....
So I knocked on her door. Then I waited.
I promised myself. This was the last time I would do this to her, to me, to us. I wasn't going to inflict this hurt on her again.
Letty's POV
"....You find yourself at my door,
Just like all those times before,
You wear your best apology,
But I was there to watch you leave..."
I opened my door to find Don standing there. A bouquet of white lilies and red rises in one hand wrapped in deep blue cellophane with our necklace around his neck. Before I could stop myself I locked eyes with him for a split second and saw the hurt and regret there and I knew why he was here.
Without thinking I slammed the door between us. Giving me space. Some distance to think. I knew what was coming. He was going to ask me to take him back and I was going to say yes as I always did.
I mean, it was Dom. The guy I'd been crazy about since I was ten years old. The only man I'd ever love. We'd had one hell of a ride. Ups and downs. I'd never have this connection with anyone else. Someone who understood me completely and who loved me for me. Who knew what made me tick, what made me angry. How to look at me to name me melt, how to build me up and how to make me blush.
Without thinking I leant with my back against the door and slid to the carpeted floor. I didn't cry. Letty Ortiz did not cry but I wanted to break. I usually applied a bend don't break policy but when it came to Dom I always broke. One look in those dark brown eyes and I was lost. He was the one thing that made me uncertain in so many ways but in other ways I was so certain there was no knew else I'd ever want this kind of passionate, heated relationship with. No one in the whole world.
He'd come bearing gifts and wearing the necklace. He knew how to play me. For once I wanted to say no. Go. Leave! I wanted to yell. He'd hurt me last time. Really hurt me. Letting some racer chaser feel him up in front of everyone... Letting them think I was no better than her. That I was just some racer chaser. That had hurt me and I wouldn't lie that I was hurt.
I'd watched him leave after he'd been confronted. Watched as he'd shot out the door after almost getting knocked out by my sole vase. The vase had shattered everywhere and took forever to clean up. The little splinters scattered all across the floor.
I heard Dom sigh from the other side of the door.
"Letty, please just hear me out!" Dom pleaded. I could hear the pain in his voice. My eyelids fluttered closed and I clenched my fists. Could we really do this again?
"...And all the times I let you in,
Just for you to go again,
Disappear when you come back,
Everything is better...."
Yet knowing he was there made everything better. The hurt vanished. I just wanted him. His arms around me. Lips pressed to my neck. I wanted to be curled into him.
Yet could we really do this again?
Back together. That's when I was happiest. When I was with him. When we were together. Wrapped up in his arms knowing that was enough. That I was safe. That he was mine.
We'd do this a dozen times before. We fought and broke up. It was our routine. Was I ready to cause myself more heartache.
"Letty, just open the door..." Dom trailed off. His voice softening at the edges. No longer so firm but remorseful. It was pleading. Begging.
My resolve shattered. I rose to my feet and slowly opened the door a fraction.
My eyes locked his again and everything inside me wanted me to throw my door open and wrap my arms around him and say all was forgiven.
"This is the last time I'm doing this to you..." Dom began. He didn't falter for a second. "I'll never hurt you again ever, I promise. What I did was stupid and immature and low. I became the kind of bastard I despise. The cheating scum of the world. If I could take it back I would but I can't. If there's ever anything I can do to make it up to you I will. Name anything and it's yours. You can have the world. The stars. The cars. Anything... I have nothing to hide and everything to lose. I need you back."
"Dom.." I said softly. I opened the door wide so we were stood face to face. "You broke my heart, like you always do. How can I even believe you anymore?" Even as I said the words my heart broke.
"You can, it's me. I love you Let. I won't ever do it again!"
"I've heard this before and yet every time it's me who ends up hurt and you who end up unscathed."
Tears welled up in my eyes. Everything was still so raw. It hurt. I hurt. My heart ached. My throat was heavy with a lump. I wanted to scream, cry, rage, hit him. Anything but I didn't know which would be best. What would give me the outcome I craved.
Dom stepped in closer so we were pretty much chest to chest. I looked up into his eyes. His hand came to cup my cheek and without thinking I leant into his embrace.
"I hurt myself every time. I promise you Let I won't do it again."
"This is the last time though Dom, the last time you're allowed in my door."
"It's the last chance I'll ever need. I'll never hurt you again."
His eyes were full of sincerity. His lips begged against mines so gently I thought I'd imagined it but it was all I needed to know he was there and enough to assure me he was all I needed. He was Dom and I was Letty. That was enough for now.
"I love you Letty."
"I love you too."
