The Plan

Chapter 15: Rage

Dominik's mind raced as he gasped for air, Rhea's unrelenting grip on his throat making it almost impossible to breathe, let alone answer.

He managed a choked whisper, his hands instinctively reaching for hers, but he dared not try to pry her off.

This was the side of Rhea he had always admired but never thought he'd see directed at him. Dominik took pride in being the only person that could calm her down, but that was because he was never the one she was angry at. He helplessly searched her face, trying to find any hint of the woman he loved, but all he saw was pure, unfiltered rage.

"R-Rhea...I didn't know!" He croaked, forcing the words out despite the crushing pressure around his neck. "I swear...I had no idea...about Raquel..."

Her grip didn't loosen. If anything, it tightened, her fingers digging into his skin. "You expect me to believe that?" She hissed, her voice trembling with anger.

"You're gonna look me in my eyes and just lie to me!?" Rhea demanded through gritted teeth, yanking him forward to slam into the door again.

"No!" Dominik rushed out, wincing through the pain searing at the back of his head. "I-i...I don't lie to you Mami please." He begged.

Rhea stepped closer to him, their faces mere centimeters apart. "Do not. Call me. That."

She stared at him, her eyes manic and unrelenting, she could practically smell the fear seeping from his pores. Dominik squeezed his hands around her arms tighter in a silent plea to let him go, which she found herself obliging as she released him with another hard shove into the door.

Dominik immediately grabbed his neck, coughing and gasping for air. As terrified as he was right now, there was still a small part of him that was intrigued at the idea of Rhea taking her frustrations out on him. God he needed to get his priorities in order.

Maybe once he figured out a way to stop her from wanting to bloody murder him, he could work on the other part.

"Rhea please, just listen—"

"No you listen!" She sneered. "You think I'm a fucking idiot? You think you can pull one over on me?" Rhea began to chuckle. "That's what this is huh? Trying to outsmart me? What are you trying to prove Dom?"

She took a step closer to him, Dominik's back pressed against the door with nowhere to go.

"Trying to prove you're not your dad? Trying to be your Uncle Eddie instead huh!? Lying to me, cheating, keeping secrets from me?"

"I didn't lie!" Dominik whined. "And I'm not trying to be Eddie."

"Oh that's funny cause you sure as hell looked like him grinning like a narcissistic fucking cunt in your low rider like him! Which by the way you failed to ever mention to me." Rhea's stare was unwavering and despite the fact that she was looking up at him, Dominik never felt so small in his life.

"Something so important to you, and you didn't even bother to tell me," She scoffed. "But you love me right?"

He wanted to reach for her, he wanted to comfort her but he knew that in her current state of rage that would just make things worse.

"Rhea I do love you! I didn't know about the low rider until today I swear! It was Liv's idea."

Rhea had to take a moment to collect herself at the sound of Liv's name, gripping the bridge of her nose with a deep sigh.

"Liv's idea? Oh even better! Your little girlfriend that just knows you so well and takes such good care of you with your chicken tendies and your stupid fucking video games!" Rhea snarled. "You turn your back on me for her!?"