“That’s the damn truth.”
The gravelly voice comes from behind me, and I’m not even sure why I’m surprised that Dom is here. Of course he is.
I pivot and face my father, who, despite having the same voice, looks as though he’s aged a few years since I last saw him at the hospital. His ability to show up when I least want him to hasn’t changed at all, though.
“You checked out of the hospital against medical advice?”
He nods, his eyes narrowed. “They gave me that whole spiel while I was walking out the door. Like I need a doctor to tell me when I’m ready to go. They don’t know jack shit, and I don’t take orders from anyone.” He scans the room, his gaze landing on Memphis. “I knew you’d look better as a brunette.”
Memphis seems to be holding her breath, and I put an arm around her. I honestly don’t know how much Dom knows or overheard, but I’m not telling him shit about the fact that Memphis is likely Alessandra Rossetti. It doesn’t matter to me, and therefore it doesn’t affect him. I also don’t give a shit that he’d say the opposite, given the opportunity.
“How she looks as a brunette isn’t any of your damn business, and it sure as fuck doesn’t impact the situation we have at hand. The Rossettis have her mother, and they want to trade her for me.”
Dom’s expression doesn’t change, and it reminds me of all those times in my childhood when I thought he was a Spartan. So fucking stoic, even when all you wanted to see was a tiny bit of humanity. Since then, I’ve seen it on his face, like when he sees his granddaughter and he suddenly morphs into a human who lives and breathes and can be hurt.
But not right now.
Right now, he’s rock solid.
Dom pins me with a look that would incinerate a lesser man. “The only way they’re getting you is over my dead body.”
To say that his harsh words surprise me would be a vast understatement. I’ve never mattered much to my father, and I don’t know why he would start caring now. It would take more than a brush with death to change him, because he’s had plenty of those over the years.
“Good, because that’s what I said,” Memphis says, and Dom’s gaze dips to her face.
“You have a better idea, girl?” he asks.
“Not yet, but I’m sure we can come up with one. Why does anyone have to be traded? Why can’t the cops take them out and rescue her?”
Dom’s attention moves to me. “You got a cop who’ll get involved?”
His question shocks me, because as far as I’ve always known, Dom has avoided cops like the plague. He only kept a few on his payroll as a dire necessity.
“I might.”
“They got anyone undercover? Inside the Rossettis?”
His question is eerie, and I remember the meeting I had in the club in my office.Dom has it bugged, and he wants to see if I’ll lie to him.I don’t know it for certain, but there’s a damn good possibility that he had Primo check the tapes.
“Yes. They’ve got a man inside.”
Dom replies with a sharp nod. “Good, then we let them do the dirty work. I’m not losing you now that Enzo’s dead. You’re my heir, Cannon. You aren’t dying today.”
The matter-of-fact reporting of Enzo’s death hits us all hard.
“What the hell happened?” I ask as Memphis stiffens beside me.
“Tore some shit open when he tried to leave. Dumbass didn’t know how to listen to his body. They got him back on the table, but he didn’t make it out of surgery. Why the hell do you think I didn’t want to be in the hospital any longer? I wasn’t going to give them another chance to try to cut me open.”
“What about Creighton?” Cav asks.
“He’s being sprung as we speak. He and Holly aren’t part of this.”
“Good. They don’t need to be.”
Dom glances at Cav. “You and your woman need to go to Creighton’s penthouse. Take Eden and Bishop. I don’t want you in the line of fire if shit goes sideways.” He looks to me. “Your woman comes with us.”
“No. Fuck no.” I bite out the reply.