Thirty Four

“Grace. Wake up.” I felt slight slapping against my cheek which got me coming out of my long sleep gradually. As my lashes fluttered, I felt a strong familiar hand grab mine.

“D… Dominic?” I swallowed some gathered moisture to try to get rid of the parchedness down my throat. I felt him squeeze my hand again and instantly my eyes came wide open.

“Oh, thank God. You are okay.” Still having a hazy mind, my eyes watched him as he took my hand and peppered it with kisses. “I am so glad you are okay.”

As soon as everything came back to me fully, my eyes widened at the squatted figure of Dominic and I asked, “Dominic, is Ruby okay? Please tell me she is not hurt.”

My eyes trailed him as he got up slowly, leaned in, dropped a kiss on my cheek. In reaction, my eyes closed to relish the feel of his skin against mine as our cheeks supported each other. “Don’t worry my love, she is fine. Ruby is fine.”

Wait a minute, Dominic Powers is not always so fluid with the use of darling words and he never, he has never used such words sounding like a broken man. “Are you okay Dominic? Did something happen?”

I made to lift my hand to caress his hair but it wouldn’t move at all. Once, twice, I struggled to lift it to no avail. As I looked down, I finally noticed the state I was in. Not only were my hands tied, there were strange marks that looked like I had been cut severally, but crazily there was no sign of blood.

“Dominic, what is going on?” Slowly he left my cheek and his eyes met mine.

“Grace…”

“Finally you are awake.”

“Sam? What are you doing here? Oh, you must have helped Dominic in looking for me.” I gave her a grand smile of appreciation. “Did you know, this crazy person after me, knocked me unconscious? And apparently… wait, have you guys found out who this person is? Because it is not Diane or Regina.” My eyes flickered between the duo as I talked on. At the end of my rant, their expressions were not hard to notice.

Dominic was looking like a guilty man and Sam, well… she was looking like a teenage who doesn’t care about shit. “Okay! Can someone freaking tell me what is going on?” I screamed into the room. “I am fucking tied to a chair right now, you guys are looking like someone died, well Dominic is, but would someone *please* tell me what is going on!”

“Dominic, it is not too late to come with me. You can always…”

“You just shut up! Shut up!” With that, I became more confused. Samantha eyed him and reached for the back of her trousers, bringing out a remote- like thing.

“Well, you asked for this.”

“Someone please tell me what is going on.” I winced.

“Dominic Powers, I am asking you for the last time. Will you come with me right now? Or should I just blow you up with this freak?”

“Dominic… what is she saying?” His eyes met mine and they looked sadder than they were earlier. “Why is she asking you to come with her?” I whispered.

“Grace, your friend is…”

“Don’t stress yourself Dominic. I will tell her myself.” My lips ajar, my forehead creased, I watched as she walked her way towards Dominic and I.
“Hey Grace. So, what Dominic is trying to say is, I am the person after you and I am about to bomb you and Dominic together since he has refused to be with me.”

“Is this some joke?” I chuckled nervously. “This is a joke right?”

“Grace…” Dominic gestured towards my stomach area and there it sat, the device that was set to blow me up. Set to blow Dominic and I up. And the person triggering it is Samantha. Am I dreaming? Crazily shocked to the bones, I looked up at Samantha who flashed me a fake smile and sincerely I wished I did not see it at all.

For this to be happening now means that… Oh my God! My heart squeezed as I thought everything over and over. So, our friendship has been nothing but lies? But… “Sam, why is this happening?”

She heaved a heavy sigh. “Grace, I wish I didn’t have to do this but, I’d rather have the both of you die than have you live a life with the man I love.”

“You never told me you knew Dominic, Sam. If I knew that, I would have not…”

“Oh, cut the crap. Do you expect me to tell you that I love him, but he doesn’t know or remember that I exist? Would that have made any sense?”

“So, you are going to throw away our friendship and have me killed because you can’t stand my relationship with Dominic?”

She gave a light shrug, “I did ask Dominic to come be with me, but he refused me. If he had said yes, you won’t even be dying very soon. But Dominic made his choice, so death for the both of you.”
Dominic removed his eyes from the explosive and made eye contact with Samantha whose hardened eyes turned soft due to the contact.

“You do know that if you do this, you will be jailed forever right?” Dominic asked with his firm voice. “Do you want to spend the rest of your life in jail because you can’t have me?”

“No one else but me can have you Dominic, that’s why I am killing Grace. I don’t care if I go to jail! As long as you guys don’t end up together while I am alive, I will be happy!”

My heart broke for Samantha who looked like she had been possessed by a raging demon. “Samantha please you don’t want to do this.” I pleaded.

“Grace,” she moved even a bit closer, her scent slapping my nose. “,if you don’t want either you or Dominic to die right here, tell him to be my husband. Tell him we are meant to be together Grace. You are my friend right?” She held onto my hand lovingly. “Tell him you want the both of us together.”

“Dominic…” He shook his head as he knew what I was about to suggest. It was the only way to ensure no one’s life is destroyed.

“Don’t be crazy Grace. I can’t be with her.”

“It is the only way Dom. If we both have to walk out of this place alive, that means you have to decide to go with her. So, please, just…” I completed my statement by jamming my forehead with his gently. Tears poured as the situation we were in seemed more real as seconds passed by.

His hand trailing through my hair, he said, “I love you Grace. No one else is going to be in my life but you. So, no, I can’t leave you here to be with her. I just can’t.”

“Dominic…” My body shook slightly as the tears fell some more. My eyes closed I relished his touch as his hand moved randomly to knead every part they could. My head shaking slightly, my composure gained a bit, I continued, “Think about Ruby, Dominic. She needs her father.”

“And she needs you too. Trust me we are going to walk out of this place alive.”

“No you are not.” A click followed Samantha’s statement and soon, a loud ticking filled not only the room, but resonated through my system.

“Sam, don’t do this please.” The tears in my eyes blurred my vision as I pleaded with her.

“Too late, Grace. You can both go to hell.”

“Dominic…” I cried as the ticking became louder.

“I am getting help right now Grace. Dave is around, he will get a bomb squad in right away, just stay calm Grace. You will be fine.”

I nodded rapidly, wishing I had my hands free to wipe my tears, so I can gain so composure all together. “Wait, free my hands please.”

“Definitely.” Soon, my hands were free and more voices filled the room.

“Thank you Dave. You guys please hurry, we don’t have much time left. Has Samantha been arrested?” I rubbed the tears off my face after rotating my hands to be as comfortable as possible.

“Let’s just say she won’t be bothering you guys anymore,” came the subtle response.

My line of sight landed straight on Dominic who looked so tense you would be afraid he would burst at some point. “Hey you,” I called his attention and he came closer, trying not to interfere with the men who were trying to diffuse the ticking bomb.

“Grace, this will be over soon, okay? Just stay calm.”

“Dominic…” I stretched my hand carefully for him to hold. And as though it was a priceless artifact, he held it, his eyes deep into mine. A short smile drew across my lips as I recalled my reaction the first time I saw those mesmerizing eyes of his. I was so afraid I would be caught drooling and get tagged as a weirdo.

“Grace, are you okay?” His brows creased as I remained quiet.

“No, I am not. I sort of have a bomb strapped to my stomach. A ticking bomb. But then you are with me,” I smiled softly. “,so I am sort of okay. Dominic, you do know that I love you right?” His eyes instantly closed as I spoke those words and his lips went onto add more love to my hand.
“I love Ruby too.”

*‘Sixty seconds left.*’

I gulped as it seemed that death was closer than I thought. Squeezing Dominic’s hand I continued, “If I don’t make it…”

“Are you okay at all, Grace? You are going to be fine. Don’t speak such nonsense.”

I chuckled carefully so as not to disturb the diffusers. “Okay Mr. Powers, I am going to make sure I stay alive. ”

“Better.”

*‘Thirty seconds left.’*

“I just want you to know that I love you. I don’t really know how you did it, but Mr. Powers, you waltzed your way into my life and I am so much in love with you.”

“Well, you waltzed into my life, remember? As my daughter’s babysitter.” He kissed my hand again, his eyes making contact with mine with the softness of a baby’s. “I am glad you came into my life Grace. I also don’t know how you did it, but you made this loner feel loved again. I am indebted to you.”

*‘Ten seconds left.’*

My body shook as death seemed even more closer. “You guys have to leave.”

“We have few seconds more Grace, let us do this,” Dave persuaded.

“Just keep calm Grace.” Dominic reassured me.

“No, no. You guys have to leave. I can’t bring you into this. Dominic, go, get out! Ruby needs you.”

“I can’t leave you here dumbass! Don’t be crazy!”

I glared at him. “I will be crazy!” The ticking became louder and slower. “I need you to leave right now. Run while you can! I love you, and if you truly love me you will leave, right now!”

Looking more distressed, Dominic watched as the squad took their steps back. “I am sorry, but I can’t leave you here.”

“Dominic!” I screamed as he jumped on me to partake in the after result of the device being triggered. My eyes tightly closed, I awaited the inferno, the burning, the pain, but nothing came. All I could feel was the weight of the hovering man on me.

“Grace? Grace? We are fine?” My eyes followed him as he stood erect. “We are actually fine.” With loud laughter, he scooped me off the chair and into his arms. Still in shock, I held on to him like he was my lifeboat, his whispered cheering sounding so distant as time went by.

“It was a dummy bomb. God!” I heard someone say.

“Oh God.” I whispered in relief as it all dawned on me. “My God. Sweet, sweet God. Dominic...”

“Yes baby, we are okay.” My eyes all soft and partially teary, looked up at the man in my life and I just couldn’t help but give an hearty laugh. I actually thought I was going to die that too with Dominic.
Suddenly realizing something, I pulled back from his embrace and my hand immediately went to smack his hard chest. “Ouch. What is that for?”

“Why would you jump onto the bomb like that, are you crazy? What if it was a real bomb? You would have died and left Ruby alone. Why would you just think like that? Stop looking at me that way and give me a response.” I glared at him, his look of amusement annoying me.

“What way?”

“Stop smiling like a freak.”

“I can’t help but look that way, it is you after all.” His hand went to my chin and he brought my eyes to his. “And I don’t joke with you at all.” And his lips devoured mine to punctuate his statement.

There was just something about every time he kisses me. Each event just seems different in a way. Not only did his lips on mine feel better with time, it also carried this emotion with it that made it just so amazing, I just don’t want it to ever end.

“Hey,” he broke the kiss. “,let’s run away. We will go somewhere far away from here.”

“Will Ruby be running with us?”

“Definitely. Family stays together after all.” I smiled, grabbed his t-shirt by the hem and played with it. “What do you say, my love?”

Feeling coy all of a sudden, I dived into his chest, my nose gathering his scent, “Yes.” I answered into his top.

“Did I hear a no just now?”

“I just said yes!”

He chuckled. “I know. And I am glad.” His chin went on to rest on my head and I went on to enjoy the moment, I am just so lucky to be so loved by Dominic Powers. “I am so glad.”

*********
***Damn! One more chapter left and this story will be over. It has been quite a journey***.