BREAKING POINT
CHAPTER 1
Dominic got up early to drive over to the garage -- he was working on a new car and couldn't wait to get his hands on it. He peeked in on his sleeping daughter's -- Daisy was almost two and Glory was almost a year. They were exactly one year apart by two days. Dom and his wife, Nikki, hadn't planned it that way, but it was pretty cool. They were such amazing gorgeous little girls and he had never been happier. Dom looked in on Nikki again before he left. They had been together now for three years and she had never looked better to him, even after two babies. She was sleeping so soundly and he smiled, knowing it wouldn't last long -- Daisy and Glory would be up soon. Dom had an almost overwhelming urge to crawl back in bed with her -- knowing how good the bed felt and how warm her body was .... but he resisted, knowing the work on this car had to be done soon. He had bought it and was restoring it to its original racing beauty -- putting everything in it that would make it an incredible machine that would beat everything on the streets. He already had offers to buy it and was waiting for the best offer to come in on it when word got out. In the kitchen Dom turned made sure the coffee pot was ready to go off on time so Nikki would have something to give her strength to deal with his two rambunctious daughters. Full of life didn't begin to describe them. They were wicked little spoiled angels and he couldn't imagine one second of his life without them. He never thought he'd be a father, especially not to two little girls, but with Nikki, all things seemed possible. He never knew that love could be like this -- not one couple he knew were as happy as he and Nikki were. They were still like newlyweds, still discovering things about each other, still talking all the time, still making love whenever they had an opportunity. With the two girls he would have thought it would have slowed them down, but somehow it didn't -- they had somehow managed to make love in one way or another every single day since they met, even on the day that Glory was born -- that was actually what brought on Nikki's labor. It was amazing -- she was his dream queen. Dom walked out of the house, locking the door behind him and walked over to his truck. There was a large manila envelope sticking out from under one of the windshield wipers and he figured it was some marketing agent trying to get him to hustle parts out of his shop. He picked it up and noticed it was addressed to him with just his name -- not DT Performance or even their address. Dom opened it and what spilled out into his hands made his perfect little world shatter into a thousand pieces.
CHAPTER 2 Three months later
"Nikki, please don't cry." Mia held her sister-in-law in her arms, watching as their children played in a playpen in her living room. Nikki was absolutely wrecked with sadness and Mia understood why. "Mia, I can't live like this anymore. I don't know what's wrong with him. He's changed -- totally. I mean, you know how he treats the guys at the garage -- is anyone even left there?" "Just Brian and he's ready to quit. Leon and Jesse opened their own shop, which I hear isn't doing too bad, Vince works for Harry, Letty is working at the store with me, doing inventory and stuff." "Is she talking any more?" "A little more -- it's difficult. Vince is so great, though -- he is so tender with her. And she still loves you and Dom and the girls. She asks about you once in a while but she's afraid of Dom now." "I still love her, you know? I couldn't even be angry at her for all that stuff -- she's had such a hard life and I'm no one to judge. I just want her better and back to that spitfire she was." "She loves you, too, Nik, but she is really afraid of Dom." "Who isn't?" "Brian said if Dom blows up at him once more, he's out." Mia got Nikki another tissue. "What the hell happened?" "I don't know -- we were all fine -- everything was going so good and then suddenly, it was like he just lost who he was. At least who he was since I've known him. The only time he isn't angry is when he is with the girls -- he won't even talk to me -- unless it is about the girls or about sex -- that's it and even that's changed." Nikki didn't explain further and MIa didn't ask. The sex between Dom and NIkki had always been so hot and so explosive -- now the difference was Dom seemed to use her body as a release for his built up tension -- there was very little tenderness or passion. He never hurt her but he didn't seem overly concerned about her pleasure either. "He works out to the point of exhaustion, he's drinking a lot .... shit Mia, he's been in fights. A couple of nights ago he came home with his knuckles all cut up. He won't tell me what's wrong and almost dares me to ask him again once I've asked so he can blow up at me. I don't know what to do and I'm worried about him and what will come next." "Listen, honey, Brian and I are going to go to visit his mom in Texas -- she hasn't seen Alexander yet and is really eager. How about if we take the girls, too? Then you and Dom can be alone and maybe you can get some answers out of him." "He'll never agree to that." "You let me take care of my big brother. Watch the kids and I'll be back after I convince him."
CHAPTER 3
Mia left and drove to the garage where Dom always was. Dom may have raised her, was older and certainly more street smart than she would ever be, but he respected her opinion and her own wisdom. He would listen to her, she was sure of it. He might pretend not to, but deep inside, he'd hear her. She'd stayed out of all this going on for the past three months because she knew that whatever it was was deep inside him. Something had struck her brother right to his core and she had to leave him alone to work though it but she didn't know that he was going after Nikki with his temper now too. She saw her husband looking infuriated. He walked over to Mia in a rage. "I quit, honey, I'm sorry. After we get back from vacation, I'll find something else." "I'm not worried -- we'll be fine. Nikki is at our place with the kids -- will you go and keep her company? She's just so upset. I think we need to take our nieces with us on this vacation and let Dom and Nikki find their way back to each other." "Shit, I don't even know if it is safe to leave her alone with him." Brian was kidding but part of him wasn't -- Dom was a totally different person. "Do you think he'll let us take the kids?" "He won't have a choice. I'm going to make him." Mia walked into the garage while Brian drove his car back home. "DOM!" She made her way through the few cars -- he had lost most of his business because of his temper. "DOM!" "WHAT?" He slid out from under a car he had been working on constantly. "Mia, I don't have enough time to bullshit with you, especially not now that your husband fucking quit on me, just like everyone else." "Maybe it's the way you treat them." He looked at her and she stared back. She certainly wasn't afraid of him and if he thought he could scare her, he was wrong. "Get up -- we are going to talk right now." She walked over and sat on the small table in the back. She glanced at the invoice wall -- nothing had been collected on, there was an enormous degree of outstanding bills in the in-basket. Dom walked over to her slowly, wiping his hands on a towel. "What?" "Brian and I are going on vacation to Texas to see his mother and we're taking your kids with us." "Bullshit." "We are -- Dom, you need a rest or something. Every single person that you love has walked away from you -- do you realize that?? Letty finally gets out of the hospital, isn't supposed to have any extra stress and you are screaming at her within a week and both she and Vince quit? She's afraid of you, Dom -- is that what you wanted -- AFRAID." He looked down, unable to meet Mia's eyes. "Then you chase Leon and Jesse out of here? Your wife is at my house crying right now. You won't let anyone close to you, you won't let anyone know what is wrong with you, Dom, so no one can help you. I'm taking your kids -- look inside your heart if you can still find it -- you know that I'm right." Dom was furious at her. She had no right to talk to him like that even if everything she was saying was the truth. Maybe it would be better if the girls were gone for a little while -- he had already made the decision he was going to race this new car and he didn't want Nikki bringing them up to him -- they wouldn't even be home. "Wanna take my wife, too?" He half-smiled at her and she glared at him. "Fuck you, Dom. Why are you treating her like shit?" "I'm not -- is that what she told you?" "No, but it's obvious. I know her and she doesn't cry easy. Things were great about three months ago -- now everything is a mess. Look at your hand -- you've been fighting again." "Big fucking deal -- some guy got in my face and I put him down." Mia got up. "Grow up in a hurry, Dom -- you've got two little girls to raise and I doubt very much that they want an asshole for a father. We're leaving in two days. Maybe you can talk to your wife." Dom muttered something under his breath and Mia ignored him totally.
CHAPTER 1
Dominic got up early to drive over to the garage -- he was working on a new car and couldn't wait to get his hands on it. He peeked in on his sleeping daughter's -- Daisy was almost two and Glory was almost a year. They were exactly one year apart by two days. Dom and his wife, Nikki, hadn't planned it that way, but it was pretty cool. They were such amazing gorgeous little girls and he had never been happier. Dom looked in on Nikki again before he left. They had been together now for three years and she had never looked better to him, even after two babies. She was sleeping so soundly and he smiled, knowing it wouldn't last long -- Daisy and Glory would be up soon. Dom had an almost overwhelming urge to crawl back in bed with her -- knowing how good the bed felt and how warm her body was .... but he resisted, knowing the work on this car had to be done soon. He had bought it and was restoring it to its original racing beauty -- putting everything in it that would make it an incredible machine that would beat everything on the streets. He already had offers to buy it and was waiting for the best offer to come in on it when word got out. In the kitchen Dom turned made sure the coffee pot was ready to go off on time so Nikki would have something to give her strength to deal with his two rambunctious daughters. Full of life didn't begin to describe them. They were wicked little spoiled angels and he couldn't imagine one second of his life without them. He never thought he'd be a father, especially not to two little girls, but with Nikki, all things seemed possible. He never knew that love could be like this -- not one couple he knew were as happy as he and Nikki were. They were still like newlyweds, still discovering things about each other, still talking all the time, still making love whenever they had an opportunity. With the two girls he would have thought it would have slowed them down, but somehow it didn't -- they had somehow managed to make love in one way or another every single day since they met, even on the day that Glory was born -- that was actually what brought on Nikki's labor. It was amazing -- she was his dream queen. Dom walked out of the house, locking the door behind him and walked over to his truck. There was a large manila envelope sticking out from under one of the windshield wipers and he figured it was some marketing agent trying to get him to hustle parts out of his shop. He picked it up and noticed it was addressed to him with just his name -- not DT Performance or even their address. Dom opened it and what spilled out into his hands made his perfect little world shatter into a thousand pieces.
CHAPTER 2 Three months later
"Nikki, please don't cry." Mia held her sister-in-law in her arms, watching as their children played in a playpen in her living room. Nikki was absolutely wrecked with sadness and Mia understood why. "Mia, I can't live like this anymore. I don't know what's wrong with him. He's changed -- totally. I mean, you know how he treats the guys at the garage -- is anyone even left there?" "Just Brian and he's ready to quit. Leon and Jesse opened their own shop, which I hear isn't doing too bad, Vince works for Harry, Letty is working at the store with me, doing inventory and stuff." "Is she talking any more?" "A little more -- it's difficult. Vince is so great, though -- he is so tender with her. And she still loves you and Dom and the girls. She asks about you once in a while but she's afraid of Dom now." "I still love her, you know? I couldn't even be angry at her for all that stuff -- she's had such a hard life and I'm no one to judge. I just want her better and back to that spitfire she was." "She loves you, too, Nik, but she is really afraid of Dom." "Who isn't?" "Brian said if Dom blows up at him once more, he's out." Mia got Nikki another tissue. "What the hell happened?" "I don't know -- we were all fine -- everything was going so good and then suddenly, it was like he just lost who he was. At least who he was since I've known him. The only time he isn't angry is when he is with the girls -- he won't even talk to me -- unless it is about the girls or about sex -- that's it and even that's changed." Nikki didn't explain further and MIa didn't ask. The sex between Dom and NIkki had always been so hot and so explosive -- now the difference was Dom seemed to use her body as a release for his built up tension -- there was very little tenderness or passion. He never hurt her but he didn't seem overly concerned about her pleasure either. "He works out to the point of exhaustion, he's drinking a lot .... shit Mia, he's been in fights. A couple of nights ago he came home with his knuckles all cut up. He won't tell me what's wrong and almost dares me to ask him again once I've asked so he can blow up at me. I don't know what to do and I'm worried about him and what will come next." "Listen, honey, Brian and I are going to go to visit his mom in Texas -- she hasn't seen Alexander yet and is really eager. How about if we take the girls, too? Then you and Dom can be alone and maybe you can get some answers out of him." "He'll never agree to that." "You let me take care of my big brother. Watch the kids and I'll be back after I convince him."
CHAPTER 3
Mia left and drove to the garage where Dom always was. Dom may have raised her, was older and certainly more street smart than she would ever be, but he respected her opinion and her own wisdom. He would listen to her, she was sure of it. He might pretend not to, but deep inside, he'd hear her. She'd stayed out of all this going on for the past three months because she knew that whatever it was was deep inside him. Something had struck her brother right to his core and she had to leave him alone to work though it but she didn't know that he was going after Nikki with his temper now too. She saw her husband looking infuriated. He walked over to Mia in a rage. "I quit, honey, I'm sorry. After we get back from vacation, I'll find something else." "I'm not worried -- we'll be fine. Nikki is at our place with the kids -- will you go and keep her company? She's just so upset. I think we need to take our nieces with us on this vacation and let Dom and Nikki find their way back to each other." "Shit, I don't even know if it is safe to leave her alone with him." Brian was kidding but part of him wasn't -- Dom was a totally different person. "Do you think he'll let us take the kids?" "He won't have a choice. I'm going to make him." Mia walked into the garage while Brian drove his car back home. "DOM!" She made her way through the few cars -- he had lost most of his business because of his temper. "DOM!" "WHAT?" He slid out from under a car he had been working on constantly. "Mia, I don't have enough time to bullshit with you, especially not now that your husband fucking quit on me, just like everyone else." "Maybe it's the way you treat them." He looked at her and she stared back. She certainly wasn't afraid of him and if he thought he could scare her, he was wrong. "Get up -- we are going to talk right now." She walked over and sat on the small table in the back. She glanced at the invoice wall -- nothing had been collected on, there was an enormous degree of outstanding bills in the in-basket. Dom walked over to her slowly, wiping his hands on a towel. "What?" "Brian and I are going on vacation to Texas to see his mother and we're taking your kids with us." "Bullshit." "We are -- Dom, you need a rest or something. Every single person that you love has walked away from you -- do you realize that?? Letty finally gets out of the hospital, isn't supposed to have any extra stress and you are screaming at her within a week and both she and Vince quit? She's afraid of you, Dom -- is that what you wanted -- AFRAID." He looked down, unable to meet Mia's eyes. "Then you chase Leon and Jesse out of here? Your wife is at my house crying right now. You won't let anyone close to you, you won't let anyone know what is wrong with you, Dom, so no one can help you. I'm taking your kids -- look inside your heart if you can still find it -- you know that I'm right." Dom was furious at her. She had no right to talk to him like that even if everything she was saying was the truth. Maybe it would be better if the girls were gone for a little while -- he had already made the decision he was going to race this new car and he didn't want Nikki bringing them up to him -- they wouldn't even be home. "Wanna take my wife, too?" He half-smiled at her and she glared at him. "Fuck you, Dom. Why are you treating her like shit?" "I'm not -- is that what she told you?" "No, but it's obvious. I know her and she doesn't cry easy. Things were great about three months ago -- now everything is a mess. Look at your hand -- you've been fighting again." "Big fucking deal -- some guy got in my face and I put him down." Mia got up. "Grow up in a hurry, Dom -- you've got two little girls to raise and I doubt very much that they want an asshole for a father. We're leaving in two days. Maybe you can talk to your wife." Dom muttered something under his breath and Mia ignored him totally.