Brianna Acero and the Second One's Return

76. Friend or foe?

I struggle in my captor's hold, but he tightens his grip. I'm sure I will have bruises because of how hard he is holding onto my wrists. I don't want to ask, and I put up the walls that I have built around my heart, the ones I created to keep it from being broken again. And yet, a part of me needs to know, needs to finally understand.

"How do you know who my father was?" I ask, so quiet it is barely above a whisper.

But Dominic hears, and he leans in to tell me his answer, so close that I can feel his warm breath on my skin.

"Why, it was my dear older brother who sent him to hunt me down. "He says. "We stood in this very cottage," he points at the floor, "on this very square"

He sighs.

"It was such a pity he had to die, he was a good man. I asked him to help me, but he just wouldn't listen. Oh well, c'est la ville." He shrugs. "One less Elite in my way"

There go my walls.

"Monster!" I scream, and he backs away with that stupid smile still plastered to his face.

"How could you?" I cry, kicking and pulling with all my might. "He was innocent. You murderer!"

I don't even realize I'm crying until Dominic catches one of my tears on his hand, and I jerk my head away to avoid being touched by him. Just being in the same room as him appalls me.

I look at the only person I have any hope for, the only person I believe will still listen to reason, and find her looking away from me, staring out the window with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Diana, please, don't." Tears stream down my face, but I can see the glint in her eyes. It's the same one she had at the cemetery, when she told me and Kalen that she would be going to the children's home, even though she was putting herself at risk. That's how I know that her mind is made up.

She looks at me, really looks at me for the first time, and takes a step closer.

"Help us." She takes my face between her hands, wiping my tears away with her thumbs.

"We can make the world a better place. My uncle is right. Everyone would be happier without Gifts. I can finally use mine for good!"

I twist my head out of her hands and glare at her, watching her the same way I would a complete stranger.

"I will never help him." I spit at her, and her expression turns to stone.

"Very well then," she says, and steps behind me to walk out the door.

"I'll be waiting for you outside uncle," she says, and with that she disappears, closing the little door behind her.

Dominic laughs, watching our tortured expressions.

"You didn't think you could beat me, did you?" He asks, laughing again when we all just glare at him.

"How could you? When we knew every step you took before you took it."

My eyes widen, and I look at the boy. The strange boy with the strange eyes. Did that mean he was like me?

Dominic catches me staring and takes the boy by the shoulders, standing behind him like a father would his son.

"How did Diana know you were here, he told me he didn't get into her head?" I ask, jerking my head in the boy's direction.

Dominic laughs again, throwing his head back as if it were the funniest thing he had ever heard.

"Because he got into someone else's head. When we knew you wouldn't go to your dear director like we had hoped we knew we had to take other measures. Isn't that right Christian?"