Blackstone Inc. (Book 2)

Part 58

My mind was running 90 miles a minute to try and decipher all that I had just heard and at the moment there was nothing but a jumbled mess up there. No rational thoughts...only feelings.

Feelings like the love I had for him for holding all of this in, like the guilt I felt because maybe he thought he couldn't come to me because I had my own problems to deal with, like the regret I felt for not being attentive enough to have seen it before having to be told about it, like the relief I felt that while he used me to anchor himself to the most pleasant level of him, I used him as security and comfort as well.

I might not have all the levels he has, but I do have layers that only a few know about and I'm grateful that Preston is one of the people I've trusted with all of me.

I just wished he would feel like he could trust me with all of him...

"Thank you for telling me this, Dominic," I said sincerely in a whisper. I couldn't manage much more than that.

I still wanted his help though and knowing all that Preston was fighting through at any given time really made me want Dominics help now more than ever.

"Please help me. Please help me to help him, Dominic. I'll be there to drag him out, to drag him back...please," I pleaded and all I could do was hope that he would understand why it meant so much to me.

I couldn't and wouldn't ask Dominic to help as he had his own priorities set and I would hate myself if anything were to take him away from his tiny family.

No, it was up to me and me alone to help Preston this time. Especially seeing as this was my issue.

Dominic sighed and drug a hand through his hair, "I'll do this, but I hope you know what I'm doing for you, Daisy, what I'm potentially sacrificing. I could lose him over this. He will be so angry, but I get where you're coming from. I wouldn't let Genevieve do this, and I'd kill Preston if he was me, but Genevieve hasn't gone through what you have and I'm nothing like Preston...so I get your reasoning."

I nodded as relief flooded through me mixed with a bit of numbness, "I won't let him find out that you're helping me. I won't throw you under the bus. This will be all on me."

"And if he does find out somehow?"

"Then I'll fix it. This is me making you do this, Dominic. This is my past coming to bite me, this is my problem that my multi-layered, hitman boyfriend is trying to fix, but I won't let him do it alone. He will forgive you if he finds out...I'll make him," I promised.

And I meant every word. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I was the reason their newly rekindled brotherhood was disrupted because of me. Preston might love me and he might need me for his own reasons...but he obviously doesn't feel secure enough to divulge all that he is to me and while I understood that and wouldn't press the matter with him, I still believed he needed someone to talk about all of this with and that someone was obviously his brother.

I still had so many questions and hearing all that Dominic had told me only gave me a million more but when my mouth opened to ask one the front door opened and out walked Preston who stopped in his tracks the moment he saw Dominic and me.

"Hey, babe," I said to ease the tension.

I hadn't meant for him to even find out I wanted to talk to Dominic. I didn't want him to think I had some type of relationship with him, even a friendly one.

I wanted to act as if we were indifferent towards each other, but that went out the window with the way Preston's eyes traveled from me to Dominic and the way we were standing.

We had been clearly in the midst of a conversation so I couldn't even say that he had just come out here for air too.

"Hey," he answered back in an unsure tone, "What's going on?"

So I decided to say the one thing I knew would help ease his mind, "I was asking him about Genevieve."

His face instantly lit up, "Really? I'm...I'm proud of you, Flower."

The pride in his tone tightened my chest but the guilt I felt about lying knotted up my stomach.

I was doing this for him.

I had to remember this, to remember that I was going to help him. I wouldn't let him go at this alone. This was my battle to fight even if he wanted to act like a fucking general with an army of only himself.

"Yeah, I'm feeling closer to her already," I lied again.

I could feel dinner trying to come back up, but I pushed it down. I hated lying to him, hated it with my whole being, but it was for his own good.

He couldn't retreat into himself again.

′He won't be the same for a little while.′

Well, I won't let him get lost in himself. I'll be right there to bring him back.

If I can't leave him then he damn sure doesn't get to leave me, even if it's to go into his own mind.

He chuckled, "The next step is to actually talk to her," he teased.

And I suddenly realized that the teasings, the jokes, the playfulness...it was all just coating for his mask. He was wearing a mask.

This wasn't him through and through and at any given time he had a million thoughts running through his head that could probably knock the breath out of me.

And that thought chilled me to the bone.

"Oh sure, yeah. Dominic, you know where she is," I asked as I looked up into his eyes.

I took his silence as he was at least okay with my lies.

He nodded, "I do. I'll take you."

Preston smiled and came to place a kiss to my cheek, "I'll meet you inside, I just have to make a quick phone call. Somethings need cementing into place and you know how meticulous I am."

"Who are you calling," I pressed. Maybe if he said it out loud then Dominic could tell me if it was a threat or not.

"His name is Bradley, sweetheart. He's just a work friend. Nothing to worry about," he smiled and kissed me once more before walking to the edge of the front porch, looking through this phone and then placing the phone to his ear.

I turned to Dominic and saw his eyes on mine, "Bradley?"

His lips formed a tight line, "Yeah...not the 'work friend' he says he is."

I looked back at Preston who was talking quietly with this 'Bradley' person over the phone.

"So...Who is Bradley?"

I looked back at Dominic who was looking at Preston as well, "He holds many titles, does many different...jobs, but for the upcoming situation? Body disposal."

And I instantly knew that the battle, the fight, whatever Preston was gearing up for was coming soon...very soon.