Chapter 15: Acceptance
Matty groaned softly, as her hand found the side of her face. She could clearly feel the raised bumps from the fists that had collided with her. Matty shifted in the bed, trying to find a more comfortable position that didn't put pressure on her body. Although the room was dark, the moonlight flooding through the basement's small window allowed a little clarity into the dark, damp room. She froze, catching an outline of a body in the room with her, her hands grasping at the sheet separating her from him. "Relax," a deep baritone voice said.
She instantly eased, her mind relaxed at the thought of it being Dom. "We need to have a little chat," he said, stepping out from the corner and walking over to her. Dom pulled up a chair next to the bed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Jesse spilled the beans about your father and who he is. Vince told me about the meds. Is there anything that you need to tell me?' He said.
Matty glanced over at him and rolled her eyes. She swallowed a few times, her mouth dry and sour from the meds. "Is there anytime when you're not a complete asshole?" She replied, reaching for a bottle of water on the nightstand. Dom scoffed and passed her the bottle after noticing her wincing. "Vince is out there pulling his hair out by the roots. It's up to me to keep my family together. What exactly happened that night?"
She opened her mouth to offer another quirky remark, but when she began to process what she could remember, tears sprung to her eyes. Dom shifted from the chair over to the bed and motioned for her to sit up. With his assistance, she did, placing herself in his arms. She placed her head on his shoulder and cried softly as he rubbed her back.
After she had quieted down a bit, they separated staring intently at each other. "Don't tell, Letty. She thinks it's genetically impossible for me to be even remotely nice," he whispered, a small smirk on his face. Matty grinned softly, glancing down at the floor. "I wasn't speeding, Dom. They pulled me over and the rest you know," she whispered, wiping the tears from her face.
"I know how you feel, Matty. Everyone will try to show compassion and understanding, but I know how you feel firsthand. It wasn't easy being locked up for two years like a caged animal," he replied. Matty glanced up and they locked stares. "My dad used to beat us like a dirty rug. He would sexually abuse me and my mother. That's why Hector left. That's why he always had a last name he couldn't remember- he couldn't even bear the fact that he was related to any of us. That's why I left. My father is a man that gets away with everything because he has connections. My mother would file reports and they would disappear mysteriously."
She took in a deep breath and sighed softly. "And the racing?" Dom said, placing a soft hand on her knee. "Ever since little, Hector showed an interest in cars. When he grew up he fell in love with them and when he left he dedicated his life to them. My father found out one night when the cops picked him up for street racing down by the piers. They took him home and they went at it. That was the last time they ever spoke. Cops would keep picking Hector up on purpose, even when they didn't have any reason to. They would lie and make up shit and my father would sit back and not defend him," she replied.
Dom nodded and stood up from the bed, stretching his weary body out. "After a couple of bad experiences in jail, he decided that he was going to hit the circuit. He was going to make it big so that no matter how much our dad tried to keep him down he couldn't, because the public would have his eyes on him."
He stared down at her, his eyes slit. Although he was hiding what he was thinking from her, she could tell by his demeanor that it wasn't good. "Just give me a couple of days, Dom. I'll get better and I'll move out. I don't want to bring any more drama to the team. I won't let my father ruin another life."
Dom neither denied nor confirmed her assumptions. He simply nodded some more and exited the room, leaving her alone with her vengeful thoughts. Matty felt her heart drop at the thought of leaving the same haven she had called home for the last couple of months.
Sorry it took forever to update. School has been kicking my ass. But expect more updates soon!