𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒

𝟐𝟒 || 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 ☙

"No," he murmured.

I honestly didn't know who else. The only other man that was apart of his life that I remembered was Alec, but they seemed to have a good relationship, and the idea seemed absurd to me.

"I had a lovely childhood, if that helps," he hinted.

My heart dropped. "Did.." I struggled, "Did your father do this to you?"

The words didn't sound right in my mouth. How could someone do that to their son? To their child?

Dominic didn't answer, just pulled his shirt back over his head. I quickly took a step to stand in front of him to see his face. He looked serious, he looked unfazed, he looked nervous. His jaw was clenched, and he could barely even look me in the eyes.

"Oh my god," I whispered to myself. His silence was enough to confirm that the scars on his back were made by Antonio, his father, his blood.

He looked away, breathing deeply. "It doesn't really matter."

My eyebrows furrowed at him, disbelieving what he just said. "It doesn't matter? Dominic, he hurt you. He hurt you, and you're fine with it."

"It was a long time ago."

"What.." The simple word came out like more of a gasp. I reached for his arm, just barely skimming his muscle before he shifted away from me. "I don't expect you to understand."

Then he left. He walked away. He disappeared back into the house. He left.

I just kind of stood there, alone on the balcony, processing what just happened. Everything had happened so fast, he spoke faster than I could think, he left faster than I could think.

I didn't want him to walk away again. I trailed behind him, pacing through the house as quickly as I could. "Where the hell are you going?" I yelled, following him up to the top of the stairs, nearly out of breath. His place was too big for this type of chasing.

He didn't stop, and he didn't answer either. "Did I hurt you? If I did, I'm sorry— I didn't mean-"

"Stop apologizing," he waited at the last step, finally allowing me catch up to him. "You didn't do anything."

We were both standing in the hallway now, looking at each other with angst, nothing but dust between us. "Then why are you being like this?"

"I changed my mind."

"What?"

"I don't like what I feel between us anymore."

He couldn't be serious. He couldn't be.

He was the one who wanted me in the first place, wasn't he? He was the one who initiated everything between us. He was the one who told me he cared. He couldn't change his mind that quickly.

"Do you seriously think you're the only one here who feels something that they don't like?" I tried to remain calm, but my tone was cold.

"Don't compare us," his voice grew stern, a note of frustration lacing every word. "I feel you everywhere, and it's driving me insane. You're driving me absolutely insane, Violet. I have lost every piece of self-respect that I once had for myself because of you, and I hate it."