The Story of the Trees - Sword, Ring, and Crown Book One

Chapter Four

As we stood outside the restaurant, I barely registered the laughing girl who ran past us, her monarch butterfly wings bouncing as she screamed, "I'm a fairy! I'm a fairy!" Her parents hurried behind her, jostling a man holding a grande-sized coffee in the process. The scalding liquid sloshed out of his cup, nearly hitting me, but before I could react, Dominic swooped in. He picked me up, spinning me out of the way just in time.

The man cursed as he wiped his scalded hand on his jogging suit, glaring at the parents as they hurried on. Meanwhile, Dominic still held me suspended in the air, his hands firm around my waist. "Are you okay?" His voice was tight with concern, and his stormy gray eyes widened behind his chunky glasses.

I blinked, disoriented not only by the near miss but by how he was holding me, like I was a child on his hips.  I had never seen Dom from this angle. His gray eyes were the color of a calm sky before a storm, soft and concerned.  My heart skipped a beat, caught off guard by how close we were.

"I'm fine," I managed, nodding, and he finally let me down, running a hand through his spiky auburn hair. I still felt the warmth of his hands around my waist.

Dom's expression turned more serious as he scrubbed a hand over his face. "What just happened in there, Matt? Did you... do that?"

I bit my bottom lip, unsure of how much I should tell him. My gaze dropped to the sidewalk, avoiding the weight of his question. "I should check on Franco," I muttered, deflecting, and turned toward the red door.

Luis growled softly at the door, sitting on his haunches like a guardian. His posture made it clear he wasn't letting me go back inside. I must have looked ridiculous arguing with a dog, but I started anyway. "I was one of the last people to see Franco. If something happened to him, people will blame me."

Dominic misunderstood, clutching my arm gently. "Why would anyone blame you, Matt? You didn't make my dad accuse you or pull a gun. None of this was your fault."

I hesitated, glancing back at him. "Do you really trust me?" I searched his face, looking for confirmation. Dominic had just seen a flicker of my abilities back there. Did he really trust me, after all that?

I wanted to trust him. Dominic had defended me, stood by me even when his own father had turned against me. No one had ever done that for me before. But if Mike, who had been like a father to me, could betray me after years of loyalty, how could I be sure Dominic wouldn't eventually do the same?

And yet, in this moment, he had chosen me. I wasn't used to that—to someone standing up for me, choosing me over their own self-interest. It felt like a fragile thing, something that could break at any moment. 

Dominic's soft gray eyes blinked in hurt behind his glasses. "Why do you even ask? Matt, you're the one that doesn't trust me."

Guilt tightened my chest. I had no explanation ready. I was going to make a break for it that night, when I was sure the change would happen. A pang of realization hit me. Today, the first day of spring, was the day everything was supposed to change, and here I was, with everything unraveling.

"I was planning to leave," I muttered, trying to come up with something more to say, but the sight of three women passing by in bright spring dresses distracted me. They were laughing, holding shopping bags, their bright colors reminding me that this was supposed to be my fresh start.

I sighed. "Meet me at Bertha's Diner, Dom. It's too busy to talk here." I needed to grab my things from Aisa's before I could meet him, before everything spiraled further out of control.

Dominic tugged on the ends of his neatly trimmed beard, a telltale sign that he was feeling insecure. Then, with a sigh, he pulled me into a hug. It wasn't unusual for Dom—he hugged when he was upset, and today had given him plenty of reason. "Promise me you'll show up. If you disappear on me, I'll spend all my money finding you."