The Dominator (The Dominator 1)

I knew after Mom died that Dad had dealings with less than desirables. Maybe he did before, too, I didn’t know, but then again my mom had probably protected me.

I remembered people coming to the door for money after she died. I remembered hiding in my room during the poker games in our apartment when things would sometimes get loud and out of control. More than once I’d seen Dad with bruises on his face and blackened eyes and vividly remembered his jaw being wired shut after one night when he left me alone the whole night and came back in the morning unable to talk. I’d also had guys bust in behind me when coming home from school one day and beat Dad up right in front of me, calling him a lowlife deadbeat. What was I in for here?

Dad had always been fascinated with the mafia. Like, crazy fascinated. He and I used to watch mob movies and he’d tell me facts throughout the movies about real life mobsters, about parallels, add additional facts about code of conduct, about hierarchies, and so forth. He watched mob movies, mob documentaries, and the mafia came up on conversation all the time. All the time. I never got the fascination but remember my Mother getting pissed about him letting me watch The Godfather when I was about 6. She screamed at him for like an hour that night.

I was here but not enjoying my graduation party. Despite the laughter and the fun everyone else was having, I was stuck in my own head, but couldn’t delve deep enough to ponder my fate because the reality might be too difficult to face. I just felt numb and disjointed.

I kept staring at the clock and time was flying. I knew he’d be back for me and I didn’t know what’d be in store for me tonight. How would I tell everyone I wasn’t going to the dance? Tomorrow was the day I was supposed to be moving into Nonno and Nona’s. My room was already almost totally packed.

“You okay, sweetheart?” Cal put his arm around me as Rose served everyone generous slices of the large beautiful cake with our three smiling faces on it. Susie was smiling at me with a sad look on her face. She probably figured Dad had disappointed me, too.

“Mm hmm.” I tried not to choke up.

“We are so proud of you. You’re always a part of our family, okay?” he kissed my temple and moved away. I nodded. He wasn’t usually the touchy feely sort. My heart sank. I stepped out onto the porch and saw that Tommy Ferrano was there, parked on the street, waiting for me. I didn’t know if he was just half an hour early or if he hadn’t even left. I didn’t know if I should go to the car or go back inside and enjoy what might be my last thirty minutes of freedom.

“Tia, come; open your graduation gifts!” Ruby called from the family room.

Tommy

Damn that douchebag Greg O’Connor! It pissed me off that he’d do this to his kid. Pop had already told me that he’d broken the news to Tia that she wasn’t just a marker to be held temporarily, like her father had said. She was now property of the Ferrano family. My property, if I wanted her.

When I’d seen her in my bedroom it took everything in me to not rip her clothes off, throw her on the bed, and take her. She’d been mine from the minute Pop had told me about her and I felt it in my bones. I hadn’t even been with anyone since seeing her face that first time. I had zero desire to touch anyone. Anyone but her. And because I typically had pussy at my disposal every single day and it’d been weeks, I was on fire for this girl. She was in big trouble if I couldn’t bring this need in me to heel. I thought about taking my frustrations out on someone else, to lock it down, save her from me, but I didn’t want anyone else. I didn’t even think I’d get hard for anyone else because I was looking forward to having her that much.

She’d stood there looking surprised, then confused, then a little bit defiant, and I couldn’t wait to get her back to my place, to my bed, where we could explore a variety of her emotions. Fear, submission, satisfaction…

Now she was on the porch of the Crenshaw’s house, staring at me sitting in my car outside. I tilted my seat back to show her I was in no hurry and she disappeared back into the house.

Tia

I told Rose, Cal, and Ruby that I had something to take care of and that I didn’t know when I’d be back. Rose and Cal assumed it was just to do with my Dad and, as usual, gave me space. Ruby pummeled me with questions.

“I can’t, Ruby. I can’t talk about it.”

“When will you be at the party? Nick texted me and he really wants to see you.”

“I don’t know. I’ll try. But if I don’t come, don’t worry.”

“If you don’t come? If you don’t come! This is the last hurrah before you become a grown up. What do you mean if you don’t come?”

She was in hysterics. It was time for me to leave.

“I have to go.” I said, pulling her into a quick hug, “I’ll be back ASAP. Okay?” Mia and Bethany were approaching so I decided to make my exit tout de suite before the questions started coming at me rapid-fire.

Ruby looked so confused. It wasn’t like me to leave her in the dark. I hated to walk away and I hoped she wouldn’t follow me. I just didn’t know what to say. I was confused, myself.

I left the porch and walked toward the car. Tommy brought his seat back upright and stepped out to open the passenger door. I got in and when he closed it, I glanced back over my shoulder at the house and saw Ruby and Rose watching me from the front door with confusion on their faces. Of course they were confused. I was getting into an expensive convertible with a man they’d never met.

I put my seatbelt on. Tommy started to drive. I sat, frozen, numb, not sure what to say or do. Then we approached Nick on the street; he was jaywalking, crossing the street, looking like he was heading toward Rose & Cal’s house. He made eye contact with me and then his jaw dropped because Tommy sped up and then swerved to miss hitting him, barely missing. My eyes shot to Tommy and I gave him a look like he was a crazy man but said nothing. He was staring straight ahead, a devious smirk on his face. Did he know who Nick was to me?

Tommy

When we got back to my house she followed me back upstairs to my bedroom without saying a word. Not until the door was closed. Then she dropped her purse on the floor and her fists balled up. Now she was shooting imaginary daggers at me from her eyes.

“Would you please tell me what’s going on?” she blurted at me, “The story my father told me is very different from what your father told me. And your father didn’t say much! You’ve gotta admit, this is not normal!”

I removed my suit jacket, dropped it on the bed, rolled up my sleeves, sat on the sofa that was in front of the bed and propped my arms on the back of it and stared at her, “Sit.”

“I’d rather not,” she said, staring at the ink on my left forearm. She swallowed hard. She was trying not to show me she was intimidated.