FIFTEEN

The team was already seated at the table when Dom led Kylie down stairs. She was still sleepy having been woken only a few minutes earlier. Dom had dressed before waking her, then pulled out some clothes for her. She was currently dressed in a snug fitting, light blue, long-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of navy blue sweats with the waist rolled down, and the legs rolled up to mid-calf. Dom had insisted she also wear a pair of white ankle socks so her feet didn't get cold.

Her hair was in a tangled mess from not combing it out before it dried, so she'd used a wide tooth comb to untangle the curls, and then pulled it up into a messy knot that she held in place with a large black hair clip. Stray curls hung loose here and there.

Dom turned around and pulled her close just before they entered the dining room. He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down, placing his forehead against hers.

"You ready to tell them?" he asked quietly.

Kylie looked up into his deep brown eyes. He'd convinced her in the shower, that he was indeed happy with her, and about the baby. Still, she wondered what the team would think. Would they think she was a skank? That she had set out to trap Dom? She could see the happiness in his eyes, could see that he wanted to tell them, and hated disappointing him.

"Could we wait, just until a doctor confirms it? Please?" she asked softly. Maybe then she'd feel better about telling the others.

"I don't think three tests are wrong, Little Girl," he countered.

"But what if I did something wrong? What if I did the same thing wrong, on all three tests?" Kylie queried, finally giving voice to her worst fear, now that she knew Dom wanted the baby, and was excited about it. If she had gotten Dom this happy for no reason, she would hate herself.

"I really doubt that's the case, Baby, but we can wait on one condition," Dom told her realizing he was pushing for something she wasn't ready for yet.

"What is it?" she asked, uncertainly.

"First thing tomorrow morning, we go down to the hospital, and get a test done. That way we'll know for sure, although I already believe the tests. So, yes or no?" Dom asked, tickling her side lightly and causing her to giggle.

She grinned up at him. "OK. OK. We go first thing in the morning, so I can be as certain as you are," she replied, then paused, her voice going soft and wavering a bit. "Are you, are you sure you really wants this? Me, I mean?" her eyes had changed quickly.

Dom's heart broke as he heard her question, and saw the fear in her eyes. She really doubted her own worth so much. He was going to have to work on that, helping her to value herself, to see herself as he, and the others, saw her.

"I'm sure, Little Girl. I want you, baby, or no baby." He leaned down and kissed her lightly before turning and pulling her into the dining room.

He led her to the table, then pulled her on his lap. A quick scan of the table told him everyone else was there. He wondered how Letty would take it when they finally told everyone. He hoped she would knock off all the bullshit and just accept that they were over.

He waited until after they said grace, and everyone had served themselves, before beginning.

"Hey!" he called out to get everyone's attention. "There's a coupla things we need to talk about."

"What's up, Bro?" Vince asked from his seat on Dom's left.

"First, I need you to talk to that auction guy you know? Uh, Jace?" Dom replied. He figured he'd start with the smaller issues first, then work up to the bigger ones.

"Yeah, Jace," Vince responded, "he does auto auctions. Which car are you selling?"

"The saleen."

"What? Why?"

"No way!"

"What about Race Wars?"

"Are you crazy, man?"

Dom waited until the team quieted down before responding. "It's simple, we need the money. Even with the cash Brian and Rome put in, we don't have enough to expand the garage the way we need to. Plus, the house is getting crowded. I'm not saying that I don't want you all here, but really we need more space, and more bathrooms. I thought we'd take the money from the saleen, add it to what the Buster and Rome have, and build a new garage, and a new house."

For a minute it was silent. Then the questions came hard and fast.

"What about the shop?"

"Where you thinking of building?"

"What about this house?"

Dom answered each one, between bites, keeping an eye on Kylie the whole time. So far she'd only eaten a few small bites of the Chicken Parmesan. Mostly, she was pushing it around her plate trying to make it look like she'd eaten. He wasn't fooled.

He leaned down and whispered to her while the others discussed his proposition amongst themselves. "Why aren't you eating?"

Kylie looked up at him, really not surprised he'd noticed. She shrugged her shoulders. "I, uh, just don't want it."

"You gotta eat, Little Girl," he replied, concern evident in his dark eyes.

"I know," she sighed ruefully.

"How about I get you something else, how about some chocolate ice cream?" He would worry about nutrition later, for now she just needed something in her stomach.

Her eyes widened and she grinned at him eagerly. Dom laughed and stood up with her in his arms. He set her on the chair and left the room.

While he was gone the excitement died down. Vince took the opportunity to ask Kylie the questions she'd been dreading.

"So, Girl, where'd you wander off to earlier? And why didn't you tell Dom where you were going? He was outta his head worryin' 'bout you."

"Yeah," Letty added with barely contained sarcasm, "it's not like Dom's 'Little Girl' to go off without telling him."

Leon frowned at Letty, as did several of the others. They'd all seen Kylie's reaction to Vince's queries, the way her head had snapped up and the deer-in-the-headlights look on her face.

"Don't be such a bitch!" Rachel spat at her.

Letty glared back at her, but Dom returned before anything else was said.

"I, uh, wanted some time alone," Kylie told the group, taking their attention off of Letty.

"So, you what? Went for a walk in the rain? In this neighborhood? Not smart, Girl," Rome responded shaking his head in disbelief.

A few of the others added similar comments and when Dom stepped beside her, Kylie looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Knock it off," Dom told the group as he set the bowl of ice cream on the table beside his plate. He picked Kylie up and sat back down with her on his lap again. She turned her face into her chest, embarrassed. "Kylie already knows what she did was dangerous, and she's not gonna do it again. In fact, Jesse, I want you to see if Ryder still wants to sell that old Fairlady Z he has. Then tomorrow I'm gonna take Kylie down and get her a permit, and a cell phone."

Kylie pulled back and looked at him confused. "What's a Fairlady? And a permit for what? And why do I need a cell phone? Can I get one like Angel has?"

Laughter erupted around the table.

"A Nissan Fairlady is a car. And if you're gonna have a car, you're gonna need to know how to drive it," Dom told her grinning at how quickly her face transformed as he spoke.

"You're going teach me to drive? I thought you didn't want to?" Kylie asked looking like a four-year-old who'd just been given a giant cupcake.

"Yeah, well I can't have you wandering around on foot, can I? Especially now," he told her smiling, his hand sliding over her lower stomach.

Kylie threw her arms around his neck and began kissing him over and over. "Thank you ..., thank you ...," she told him between kisses.

Everyone, except Letty, laughed at her enthusiastic gratitude.

"Are you kidding me, that's a sixty thousand dollar car?" she exclaimed angrily. "She'll wreck it within a week."

"Watch it, Letty. I bought you several cars, and Ky won't wreck it. I'm gonna teach her to drive, and when you learn from the best ..." Dom let that trail off, but everyone knew what he meant.

"Whatever, I still think you're crazy. How do you know you can trust her with a car like that? She just might run off again, and sell it behind your back," Letty countered.

"You bests back it on up, Girl!" Rachel yelled, standing up so fast her chair tipped over. Vince stood up as well, quickly grabbing his girl around the waist to keep her from going over the table and physically attacking Letty.

Around the table Jesse, Rome, Leon and Brian also stood up, ready to intervene if they needed to.

At the head of the table, Dom stood, the arm he had around her waist, taking Kylie up with him. He settled her on her feet and turned to the other two women.

"That's enough!" he yelled and the girls stopped hurling insults at each other over the dinner table. "Everybody sit down and shut up!"

Once everyone, except him and Ky had taken their seats, he continued. "I've had it with all this bull shit fighting! We are a family. We work together, we live together, we race together. Letty, you knew when you moved in here that Kylie's my girl. If you can't live with that, then you need to go. The decision is yours, but if you choose to stay, you gotta control your mouth."

"What the Hell? I wasn't the only one arguing!" Letty glared at Dom.

"No. You're the only one who's been taking pot shots at Kylie, and making insinuations, whenever you think nobody's around to overhear you," Dom yelled.

"Is that what she told you?" Letty queried. "She's lying. She's just insecure 'cause we used to be together."

"That's bull, Letty and we all know it! Kylie didn't say a word about it, I did," Mia interjected.

Letty stared at Mia, at first in disbelief, which rapidly turned to anger. How could Mia betray her like this, taking that skank's side?

"Mia's right," Leon muttered, not really wanting to join the argument. "Lydia and I've both heard you giving Kylie a hard time." He turned to Dom, obviously ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry, Bro. I shoulda said something, but ...,"

"Angel told me a few things she's overheard, too," Jesse added. "She also said Kylie didn't want you to know, didn't want any of us to know, 'cause she didn't want to come between us and Letty."

"So that's how it's gonna be?" Letty screamed at Leon and Jesse as she stood up again. "You gonna take that little skank's side against me?"

"Come on, Letty -" Jesse tried to calm her down.

"No way! I'm outta here!" She stormed out of the room and up the stairs. They could all hear her slamming around her room over their heads.

Kylie let out a soft cry, and everyone turned to see her standing beside Dom, but back a few paces, tears streaming silently down her face as she stared at the floor.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. "This is a-all my f-fault."

Instantly Dom was holding her in his arms, his hands caressing her back as he kissed her temple and whispered soothing words to her.

Kylie sobbed against his chest, her sadness overwhelming her. She hated that it had come to this, that she had come between Letty and the team. Finally, Dom scooped her up and carried her up stairs to their room, dinner forgotten.

Kylie sat on his lap, her face nuzzled into the space where his shoulder and neck met. Her hands were loped around his neck, and as she calmed she became aware of his rough five o'clock shadow scratching her left hand. She could feel his pulse beating at the hollow of his throat, and the warmth of his body surrounding her. Slowly, her tears stopped, becoming hiccuping shudders.

He tipped hear head back with one big hand cradling her cheek. She remained still under his dark penetrating gaze. She knew how she must look, red blotchy patches on her face, swollen red-rimmed eyes, and red runny nose.

Dom handed her a handful of tissues. She took them and blew her nose. When she finished Dom took the tissues and tossed them into the nearby trashcan. He stood up and stripped down, then leaned over and slipped off her clothes.

Kylie looked up at the man she loved. He was so beautiful, although he would hate that term. His chest was broad, his abs like a washboard, his thighs firm and muscular. She really didn't deserve him. He was strong and protective, generous and sweet.

Dom slipped into bed and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head. "Wanta talk about it?" he asked softly.

Kylie nodded, her curls rubbing his chin. She could hear his heart beating steadily in his chest. "I, uh, I came between the team and, and Letty."

"No you didn't, Baby," Dom argued.

Kylie pushed herself up on her arm and stared at him. "How can you say that?" she asked angrily. Surely Dom could see how the others would view this evenings events.

"Ky, you didn't do anything, Letty did. She chose to be a bitch and to say all that shit to you. She knew the others would be angry, that's why she only did it when she thought no one would overhear it. That's not you're fault," Dom insisted.

"Do you really think Jesse and Leon are going to believe that. Letty's like their sister, they've been through a lot together." Kylie argued.

"So are you!" Dom yelled, loosing his temper.

Kylie shook her head sadly. She dropped her eyes from his, and instead focused her gaze on his bare chest. "No, I'm not, Dom. I'm just some girl who showed up a few months ago."