𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐎𝐟 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐨

Things Go Wrong Pt 1

Chapter Eighteen- Things Go Wrong Part 1

Dom walks into the back room of the shack—Nicole laid fast asleep on the small bed setup there for himself.

After their conversation at Letty's grave, Dom drove her back with him and let her stay.

With her jacket off; she slept peacefully as she held the pillow for comfort.

Back at the grave, Nicole had cried until she had nothing left to cry out. Years of pain built up that she couldn't let go of because he couldn't face her yet. Dom knew he caused her grief from leaving but at the grave he saw exactly how much damage he really had done.

When Dom called his sister and told her where he found Nicole, Mia wasn't so shocked of the 'where', but more so on how long Nicole had been doing this under her nose. Dom told Mia if she really wanted to, she could come get Nicole tonight but Mia said no. She made a point of how suspicious it would look at 2a.m.. There was a good chance a cop would follow if she left the house.

Walking to the bedside, Dom pulls the blanket over Nicole's shoulders. As he watched her sleep, he couldn't help but smile.

Just seeing her calm and safe—it made him feel better. It had been a while since he'd been able to be around her like this.

The eight year old Nicole he knew, and this one now.....they weren't the same.

Although her attitude changed and she grew, he still couldn't help but see the same little girl. The years he had to sacrifice by leaving—so her and Letty could have a more peaceful life. He started to wonder himself if it was really worth it all.

Dom's eyes caught the emptiness of Nicole's neck. His smile dropped, as his brows immediately furrowed when he noticed what was missing. Her cross chain....where did it go?

The one that he had gotten made and gifted on her 8th birthday. It was actually gone.

Letty told him that despite what happened, Nicole kept it around her neck no matter what. To now see her without it, was a bit shocking for him. Maybe she really did start to give up on him as her father.

Dom takes the tagged-chain off his neck. Stooping down in front of her, his eyes fell to the chain in his hand. A slight smile crosses his face—his dark brown eyes flickered up to his daughter.

The only person other than Mia that he truly had left.

Dom placed the chain right next to her and smooths her hair down.

"I should have taken better care of you and listened," Dom spoke low to himself. "-but I am going to take care of our daughter." The more he looked at Nicole, the more his heart ached with the thoughts of Letty. "....I won't leave her again. I promise you that." Taking his hand back, Dom stands up and leaves out of the room with a heavy mind.

Grabbing his beer and photos off the table, he sits in the wooden chair by the window.

Dom goes through the memories but stops on the one with him and Letty together. His lips tug into a brief smile that exited in a heartbeat. The weight growing heavier on his chest as his times with her went through his mind. It took him a while to look at any pictures of her. Seeing Nicole was enough of a reminder for him. The two of them were so much alike physically and mentally.

His eyes traveled out the window to the view as the night replayed through his mind.

Things just weren't right and something was going on.

It couldn't be more clear to him that Campos was trying to get close to his kid. For what reasons—Dom had no clue. He didn't even know what Letty was thinking when getting involved with someone like Braga and Campos. Letty stayed in trouble but she would never get in trouble like this with Nicole around, unless there were good reasons for it. A big piece lacked to this puzzle and he would figure out who was all involved. If Braga himself thought he was getting to Nicole too, then him and Campos were in for a rude awakening. Dom didn't want to leave her in anyway but this wasn't anything he could just walk away from anymore.