One finger on my chin, he gently brings my head back around. “Don’t torture yourself like this. You couldn’t have done that even if you could see the future. That isn’t you.”
“No, I’m the kind of person who lets a monster go…”
“You couldn’t have known how it would turn out, or that his parents couldn’t control him. Listen to me, Liza.” His forehead touches mine, and his intense blue eyes bore into mine. “When the Titanic sank, men stayed on board and let the women and children take the lifeboats, even though they knew they would die. Do you think they didn’t want to live? They were adhering to their moral principle.
“If you looked the other way, knowing Tolyan would kill Andy, then you would have been abandoning your humanity for safety. And you aren’t like that. Andy’s an adult, and he chose to do those terrible things. They have nothing to do with you. You did everything you could to ensure he didn’t hurt more people.”
Tears prickle, and I shudder, my breath catching in the start of a sob. “But…”
Dominic wraps his arms around me and rocks me gently. “Ah, my angel, I’ll never let anything happen to you. Andy’s going to pay for what he’s done. I promise.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Dominic
The rest of the morning passes in strained silence as
we get ready to return to L.A. Although Liza flashes a smile at me every time she sees me, shadows darken her eyes.
Liza blamed herself for not having done more to stop Andy. She doesn’t know I blame myself for not having recognized the kind of monster he is. If I’d been more vigilant, Kristen never would’ve spoken with him or given him our location. Then we could’ve stayed here until Tolyan and Antoine take care of Andy.
But now, I have to drag her into the battle zone because our paradise is no longer safe.
I’m so deep in my thought that I start when she places a hand over mine and squeezes four hours into our flight.
“You’re pretty grim.”
“I was just thinking about some meetings,” I lie, not wanting to remind her what’s waiting for us back in the city.
“You’re a terrible liar.” She giggles. “How did you bluff anybody when you were doing your deals?”
“I’m a fantastic poker player. It’s just that you know me so well.”
Giving me a quick grin, she places her head on my shoulder and uses her thumb to trace the lines on my palm absent-mindedly. “Then cheer up and have faith in fate.”
“Do you?”
“Uh-huh. I do. Fate wouldn’t have brought us together if it didn’t want us to be together. Even if this is the end of the road, I don’t want to waste our time worrying, stressing and scared. That’s giving him the win he wants. I’m not going to let him deprive me of what happiness I can have with you. And I’m not wasting my time and energy on fretting when we already lost ten years and have so much to make up for.”
Her wise, brave words fill me with gratitude and pride. I bring her hand to my lips and kiss the back. “I love you so much.”
“I know. So focus on that.”
“When we are back in L.A., I’d like it if you move in with me.”
“It took you this long to decide on that?” she teases. “I thought it was already a done deal that I move in with you. Where else am I going to stay? Unless you’re going to move in with me in Virginia.” She grows more serious. “I’ve been staying with my brother, Ryder, and even though his mansion’s like a fortress, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to stay there anymore. His wife’s pregnant, and I don’t want to cause her any stress or put them on Andy’s radar.”
I vaguely remember hearing about her brother and his pregnant wife. I agree one hundred percent with Liza on not putting them in harm’s way.
When we finally land and deplane in L.A., Antoine’s waiting for us on the tarmac. His mouth is set so flat that his lips are barely visible. I don’t need to see his eyes behind dark sunglasses to know he’s irritated. Despite the warm weather, he’s wearing a blazer over his white T-shirt and black jeans.
“Finally,” Antoine cries out, his arms spread wide.
“Our plane landed on time,” I say.
“I know. But I got twenty-six texts from that Russian in the last thirty-five minutes. If he’s that antsy, he should’ve come here himself. But instead, he sends me out here because he has ‘some things to do’ at the penthouse.”
I can feel the eye-roll.