63
The early morning sunlight spilled into the room through thin, cheap curtains, casting muted shadows across the dull motel walls. The lingering scent of stale air mixed with the faint aroma of Dominic’s cologne. For a moment, everything was still, as if the world held its breath. But the tension crackling between us shattered any illusion of peace.
Dominic stood near the window, his profile sharp against the sunlight, arms crossed tightly across his chest. His usual composed demeanor was long gone, replaced with a simmering frustration he didn’t bother to hide. Across the room, Bunny sat slumped in a worn chair, absently tossing his car keys between his hands. His jaw was set, his eyes shadowed with a mixture of regret and determination.
“I have to head back,” Bunny finally said, breaking the heavy silence.
His words hung in the air like an unwelcome guest. I froze, sitting up straighter on the edge of the bed.
“What do you mean, head back?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
Bunny didn’t meet my gaze as he continued to toy with the keys. “Back to Adeline. To my daughter.”
The room went still, as if the air had been sucked out of it. Dominic turned from the window, his brows furrowed in disbelief.
“You’re leaving?” His voice was low, dangerous, as though he were daring Bunny to confirm it.
Bunny sighed heavily, finally setting the keys down on the table beside him. “I don’t have a choice, Dom. She’s my kid. She needs me.”
“She’s the one who threw us out,” I snapped, rising to my feet. “And now you’re running back to her? What about us? You’re just going to leave us stranded here?”
“It’s not like that,” Bunny said, his voice steady but edged with irritation. “I’m not abandoning you. I’ll be back.”
Dominic took a step closer to Bunny, his shoulders tense. “We’re in the middle of nowhere. We don’t even know if it’s safe here, and you think it’s fine to just leave?”
“What would you have me do?” Bunny countered, standing now to meet Dominic’s glare. “Stay here and let Adeline think I’ve abandoned her? She may not want to see me right now, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying to make things right with her.”
“You think running back to her is going to fix anything?” Dominic shot back, his voice rising. “She’s made it pretty clear where she stands.”
Bunny’s eyes narrowed, his posture rigid. “You don’t know the first thing about what it means to be a father, Dominic. This isn’t up for debate.”
I folded my arms tightly over my chest, trying to keep the frustration bubbling inside me from spilling over. “So that’s it? You’re just going to leave us here to fend for ourselves?”
Bunny’s gaze softened slightly when it met mine, but his resolve didn’t waver. “You’ve got Dominic. You’ll be fine.”
“Oh, sure,” I said bitterly. “Because he’s been such a pillar of stability so far.”
Dominic shot me a sharp look, but I ignored him. Bunny sighed, running a hand through his graying hair.
“Look,” he said, his voice gentler now, “I’ll come back as soon as I can. But I have to go. She’s my responsibility.”
Without waiting for a response, he grabbed his coat and headed for the door. Dominic followed him to the threshold, their voices low and tense as they exchanged final words. I couldn’t hear what they said, but whatever it was left Dominic with a clenched jaw and a dark expression as Bunny disappeared out the door.
The silence that followed Bunny’s departure was deafening. Dominic stood by the door for a moment, his hand still on the knob, as if he were considering going after him. But then he let out a harsh breath and turned back toward me.
“This is a disaster,” I muttered, more to myself than to him.
Dominic’s head snapped up, his blue eyes blazing. “You think I don’t know that?”
“Well, you sure don’t act like it,” I snapped, standing to face him. “You’re the one who got us into this mess in the first place.”
His brows pulled together, and his jaw tightened. “Don’t start with me, Eleanor.”
“Don’t start with you?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You dragged me into your chaos, Dominic. You lied to me, manipulated me, and now we’re stuck here because of your mistakes.”
He took a step closer, his voice low and dangerous. “You think I wanted this? You think I enjoy putting you in danger? I’m doing the best I can.”
“Well, your best isn’t good enough,” I shot back, my chest heaving with frustration.
For a moment, we just stood there, glaring at each other, the air between us thick with unspoken tension. Then, without another word, Dominic grabbed his jacket and stormed out the door, slamming it behind him.
I flinched at the sound, the sudden silence that followed almost worse than the shouting. I sank back onto the bed, running a hand through my hair as I tried to calm my racing thoughts.
The minutes dragged by in heavy silence. The room felt suffocating without Dominic’s presence, his absence amplifying the oppressive stillness. I stood, pacing the length of the room in an attempt to burn off the restless energy buzzing under my skin.
Finally, I decided to take a shower, hoping the hot water might help clear my head. Stripping off my clothes, I let them fall in a careless heap on the bed before making my way to the bathroom.
The faucet squeaked as I turned it on, the pipes groaning in protest before a steady stream of water began to flow. I stepped under the spray, letting the heat wash over me, trying to scrub away the lingering tension.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop the thoughts racing through my mind. The fight with Dominic replayed in my head, every word sharp and cutting.
I closed my eyes, leaning my forehead against the cool tile. The water pounded against my back, drowning out the world beyond the bathroom. For a moment, it was almost enough to calm me. Almost.
Then, through the rushing water, I heard it.
A loud, sharp crack that pierced the air like a knife.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Another crack followed, louder this time, echoing through the walls.
A gunshot.
My heart leapt into my throat as the realization sank in. I turned off the water, straining to hear past the blood roaring in my ears. The silence that followed was deafening, oppressive.
Wrapping a towel around myself, I stumbled out of the bathroom, my feet slipping on the wet tile. My clothes were still scattered across the bed, but I didn’t have time to put them on.
“Dominic?” I called, my voice trembling.
No answer.
The cold certainty in my chest grew, spreading through me like ice. I stepped toward the door, my breath coming in shallow gasps.
Another shot rang out, closer this time, and my heart stopped.
“Dominic!” I screamed, my voice breaking.
But the only response was the suffocating silence that followed.
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