Chapter 9
Dom left Liz in bed on Sunday morning and drove back to the house to find it in its usual state . total chaos. He was glad that he had talked to Liz last night because this was what he was trying to get away from. Was he the only one who cared that it looked like a pack of wolves lived there?
Obviously, he thought as he walked through the living room kicking beer bottles as he went.
Dom heard the shower running as he passed by the bathroom so he went into his bedroom and started packing. Mia found him in his room a little while later.
"What are you doing? Planning on skipping town?" she joked.
"Something like that. Do me a favor? Call the guys, will ya?" he asked.
"Dom, what's going on," Mia asked in a worried voice. "Has something happened with Letty? Is that why you're leaving?"
"No, nothing's changed. Just call them and I'll explain everything when they get here."
Mia looked at her brother and tried to figure out what was up. Deciding she wasn't going to worry about anything just yet, she called Vince and Leon.
An hour later, Dom was actually nervous about talking to everyone. He never discussed his feelings with them and this was going to be a first.
"Alright dawg, what's the deal? What's going on?" Leon asked.
"Yeah man, if this ain't about Letty, why the meeting?" Vince chimed in.
"Come on guys. Let Dom talk and then we'll all know what's up," Mia offered.
Dom stood in front of them, hands in his pockets, trying to figure out how to tell them what he was about to do.
Vince started laughing. "Come on Dom, just spit it out already."
"I'm moving out," Dom stated, causing everyone's mouths to drop open.
"What in the hell do you mean you're moving out?" Vince angrily asked.
"I'm moving in with Liz."
Everyone was speechless.
"Which means?" Mia asked.
"Which means that I won't be around."
"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it. What's going on with you two? I know that you've been seeing her off and on, so what's changed?"
He couldn't tell them that he wanted a different life, something totally different from what he has right now. Telling them the truth would destroy them. So he told them the next best thing.
"This shit with Letty. She's already showed up at her house once and I'm afraid that she might pull something else. I don't want Liz caught in the middle of it when it's me she's pissed at."
"Yeah, but you moving leaves Mia here by herself," Leon pointed out.
Dom smiled. "Well, here's what I'm thinking. Why don't the two of you move in here, rent-free. That way she won't be alone in case Letty decides to try something else."
Everyone looked at Dom like he had just grown two heads. They knew he wasn't telling them the whole truth.
"What's the real reason, Dom? And don't blow smoke up our asses," Mia admonished.
Shit, Dom thought.
Taking a deep breath, he told them. "Ok, here's the other part. I want to see if me and Liz can make a go of it. And by me moving in with her, it would be just the two of us. If she moved in here with us, it wouldn't be the same. Mia lives here and you guys are always over. It wouldn't be just me and Liz, it would be all of us."
"And what happens when it falls apart? You move back and boot our asses out?" Leon asked.
"The only reason I want you guys to move in is because of this shit with Letty and Tran. Once that's over with, you can do whatever. Move, stay, doesn't matter to me. I just want to make sure nothing happens to Mia."
Vince spoke up. "Count me in. I'll move in until this shit with Tran is done. I don't have a problem with it."
Dom looked at Leon. "What about you? You moving in or not? We got plenty of room."
"Yeah, I guess I could do that. Mia's a better cook than Vince," he joked.
Mia looked at Vince and Leon. "If I cook for you, you two get to do the cleaning. And I don't want to walk into the bathroom and find dirty underwear lying around. You do your own laundry."
Dom laughed. "She straightened me out so guess what . it's your turn now," he said, walking over and hugging Mia.
"Thanks for understanding about all this," he said.
"Yeah, well, I still don't believe it all, but if this is what you want us to do, we'll do it," she says, hugging him back.
He shook hands with Vince and Leon. "Thanks for doing this guys. I just don't want to take a chance that Letty or Tran might try something."
"No problem," Vince said walking him to the door.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow at the shop," Dom said as he picked up his bag and walked out the door, looking forward to starting his new life.
*****
Dom pulled into the driveway of Liz's townhouse to find her washing her car, desire instantly running through his veins. She was wearing her bathing suit top and a pair of cut off shorts that left very little to the imagination. He climbed out of the car and grabbed his bag. He'd only brought some of his stuff over and would get the rest later.
"I take it things went well?" Liz asked as she leaned over and washed the hood of her car.
"Yeah, the guys are moving in until this shit with Tran is over."
She stopped and turned to him, soapy rag in hand. "What exactly did you tell them, Dom?"
He laughed. "That Letty and Tran was the reason I was moving in. I didn't want to take a chance of something happening to you."
She just looked at him.
"Well, that's PART of the truth."
"Dom," Liz said sternly.
"I also told them that I wanted to see if we could make this work between us."
"And?"
"Liz, I couldn't tell them everything. What would you think if your brother came in and announced that he was moving out because he hated his life, hated the way he lived? You'd take it personally, get pissed and hate him. I don't want my family to hate me, so I left that part out."
"What did Mia say?"
"She thinks there's something else I'm not telling her."
"Very smart woman," she commented as she picked up the water hose to rinse off the car. "Wanna do yours next?" she asked.
"Nah, I'll take care of it some other time," he said, putting his bag in the garage. "Give me that hose," he said, walking around the car to where she was at.
Liz turned the spray nozzle towards him and he stopped.
"This hose? You want this water hose?" she teased, shooting a stream of water towards his feet.
Dom jumped back. "Liz," he said, warning in his voice.
"Tell you what, Dom. You want this water hose, you come and get it," she said, shooting another stream of water towards him again.
This time he didn't move. She looked up at his face and knew that the fun was about to begin. He slowly started walking towards her as she walked backwards around the car, shooting streams of water towards his feet every few seconds. She decided that since that wasn't working, she'd try something else. She looked him in the eyes and smiled . and then shot him square in the chest with the water.
That's all it took. Dom lunged for her but missed as she snaked her way around the car, dodging him each time. He had the strength but she was smaller and moved quicker. He had chased her around the car and now she was standing by the bucket of soapy water. Deciding that she was going to get it anyway, she picked up the bucket of water and acted like she was going to douse him with it, so when he ducked to the left to avoid it and then stood up, she nailed him. He was covered from head to toe with suds.
Liz started laughing at the expression on Dom's face, dropping the bucket in the process. He quickly yanked the hose back to him and grabbed the sprayer, slowly picking it up and holding it.
Liz knew what was coming, but knowing that you're about to get nailed with the spray and standing there for it was two different things. She ran to the other side of the car as Dom stood in one place, spraying her until she finally gave up.
Knowing that he had won, he dropped the sprayer to the ground, looked at his clothes, and laughed. He'd never been able to do anything like this with Letty. It felt good to finally have fun. Not that he and the guys didn't cut up every now and then. This was different. And it felt good.
Liz walked around the car and stopped in front of Dom.
"Bet that's the first time that ever happened to you. Am I right?" she asked.
He wrapped her in his embrace and kissed her. Liz thought that she'd melt right then and there from that kiss. It held so much tenderness and passion that she never wanted it to end.
He reached down and picked her up, never breaking their kiss. Liz wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her through the garage and into the house, where he finally broke their kiss and slowly put her down, passion blazing in his eyes. Liz took off running up the stairs with Dom close behind. He tackled her onto the bed and they lost themselves for several hours.
They never saw the black Honda 2000 sitting on the corner of the opposite street.
Dom left Liz in bed on Sunday morning and drove back to the house to find it in its usual state . total chaos. He was glad that he had talked to Liz last night because this was what he was trying to get away from. Was he the only one who cared that it looked like a pack of wolves lived there?
Obviously, he thought as he walked through the living room kicking beer bottles as he went.
Dom heard the shower running as he passed by the bathroom so he went into his bedroom and started packing. Mia found him in his room a little while later.
"What are you doing? Planning on skipping town?" she joked.
"Something like that. Do me a favor? Call the guys, will ya?" he asked.
"Dom, what's going on," Mia asked in a worried voice. "Has something happened with Letty? Is that why you're leaving?"
"No, nothing's changed. Just call them and I'll explain everything when they get here."
Mia looked at her brother and tried to figure out what was up. Deciding she wasn't going to worry about anything just yet, she called Vince and Leon.
An hour later, Dom was actually nervous about talking to everyone. He never discussed his feelings with them and this was going to be a first.
"Alright dawg, what's the deal? What's going on?" Leon asked.
"Yeah man, if this ain't about Letty, why the meeting?" Vince chimed in.
"Come on guys. Let Dom talk and then we'll all know what's up," Mia offered.
Dom stood in front of them, hands in his pockets, trying to figure out how to tell them what he was about to do.
Vince started laughing. "Come on Dom, just spit it out already."
"I'm moving out," Dom stated, causing everyone's mouths to drop open.
"What in the hell do you mean you're moving out?" Vince angrily asked.
"I'm moving in with Liz."
Everyone was speechless.
"Which means?" Mia asked.
"Which means that I won't be around."
"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it. What's going on with you two? I know that you've been seeing her off and on, so what's changed?"
He couldn't tell them that he wanted a different life, something totally different from what he has right now. Telling them the truth would destroy them. So he told them the next best thing.
"This shit with Letty. She's already showed up at her house once and I'm afraid that she might pull something else. I don't want Liz caught in the middle of it when it's me she's pissed at."
"Yeah, but you moving leaves Mia here by herself," Leon pointed out.
Dom smiled. "Well, here's what I'm thinking. Why don't the two of you move in here, rent-free. That way she won't be alone in case Letty decides to try something else."
Everyone looked at Dom like he had just grown two heads. They knew he wasn't telling them the whole truth.
"What's the real reason, Dom? And don't blow smoke up our asses," Mia admonished.
Shit, Dom thought.
Taking a deep breath, he told them. "Ok, here's the other part. I want to see if me and Liz can make a go of it. And by me moving in with her, it would be just the two of us. If she moved in here with us, it wouldn't be the same. Mia lives here and you guys are always over. It wouldn't be just me and Liz, it would be all of us."
"And what happens when it falls apart? You move back and boot our asses out?" Leon asked.
"The only reason I want you guys to move in is because of this shit with Letty and Tran. Once that's over with, you can do whatever. Move, stay, doesn't matter to me. I just want to make sure nothing happens to Mia."
Vince spoke up. "Count me in. I'll move in until this shit with Tran is done. I don't have a problem with it."
Dom looked at Leon. "What about you? You moving in or not? We got plenty of room."
"Yeah, I guess I could do that. Mia's a better cook than Vince," he joked.
Mia looked at Vince and Leon. "If I cook for you, you two get to do the cleaning. And I don't want to walk into the bathroom and find dirty underwear lying around. You do your own laundry."
Dom laughed. "She straightened me out so guess what . it's your turn now," he said, walking over and hugging Mia.
"Thanks for understanding about all this," he said.
"Yeah, well, I still don't believe it all, but if this is what you want us to do, we'll do it," she says, hugging him back.
He shook hands with Vince and Leon. "Thanks for doing this guys. I just don't want to take a chance that Letty or Tran might try something."
"No problem," Vince said walking him to the door.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow at the shop," Dom said as he picked up his bag and walked out the door, looking forward to starting his new life.
*****
Dom pulled into the driveway of Liz's townhouse to find her washing her car, desire instantly running through his veins. She was wearing her bathing suit top and a pair of cut off shorts that left very little to the imagination. He climbed out of the car and grabbed his bag. He'd only brought some of his stuff over and would get the rest later.
"I take it things went well?" Liz asked as she leaned over and washed the hood of her car.
"Yeah, the guys are moving in until this shit with Tran is over."
She stopped and turned to him, soapy rag in hand. "What exactly did you tell them, Dom?"
He laughed. "That Letty and Tran was the reason I was moving in. I didn't want to take a chance of something happening to you."
She just looked at him.
"Well, that's PART of the truth."
"Dom," Liz said sternly.
"I also told them that I wanted to see if we could make this work between us."
"And?"
"Liz, I couldn't tell them everything. What would you think if your brother came in and announced that he was moving out because he hated his life, hated the way he lived? You'd take it personally, get pissed and hate him. I don't want my family to hate me, so I left that part out."
"What did Mia say?"
"She thinks there's something else I'm not telling her."
"Very smart woman," she commented as she picked up the water hose to rinse off the car. "Wanna do yours next?" she asked.
"Nah, I'll take care of it some other time," he said, putting his bag in the garage. "Give me that hose," he said, walking around the car to where she was at.
Liz turned the spray nozzle towards him and he stopped.
"This hose? You want this water hose?" she teased, shooting a stream of water towards his feet.
Dom jumped back. "Liz," he said, warning in his voice.
"Tell you what, Dom. You want this water hose, you come and get it," she said, shooting another stream of water towards him again.
This time he didn't move. She looked up at his face and knew that the fun was about to begin. He slowly started walking towards her as she walked backwards around the car, shooting streams of water towards his feet every few seconds. She decided that since that wasn't working, she'd try something else. She looked him in the eyes and smiled . and then shot him square in the chest with the water.
That's all it took. Dom lunged for her but missed as she snaked her way around the car, dodging him each time. He had the strength but she was smaller and moved quicker. He had chased her around the car and now she was standing by the bucket of soapy water. Deciding that she was going to get it anyway, she picked up the bucket of water and acted like she was going to douse him with it, so when he ducked to the left to avoid it and then stood up, she nailed him. He was covered from head to toe with suds.
Liz started laughing at the expression on Dom's face, dropping the bucket in the process. He quickly yanked the hose back to him and grabbed the sprayer, slowly picking it up and holding it.
Liz knew what was coming, but knowing that you're about to get nailed with the spray and standing there for it was two different things. She ran to the other side of the car as Dom stood in one place, spraying her until she finally gave up.
Knowing that he had won, he dropped the sprayer to the ground, looked at his clothes, and laughed. He'd never been able to do anything like this with Letty. It felt good to finally have fun. Not that he and the guys didn't cut up every now and then. This was different. And it felt good.
Liz walked around the car and stopped in front of Dom.
"Bet that's the first time that ever happened to you. Am I right?" she asked.
He wrapped her in his embrace and kissed her. Liz thought that she'd melt right then and there from that kiss. It held so much tenderness and passion that she never wanted it to end.
He reached down and picked her up, never breaking their kiss. Liz wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her through the garage and into the house, where he finally broke their kiss and slowly put her down, passion blazing in his eyes. Liz took off running up the stairs with Dom close behind. He tackled her onto the bed and they lost themselves for several hours.
They never saw the black Honda 2000 sitting on the corner of the opposite street.
