Chapter Sixty-Four

**

“You gonna stick by me?”

“Maybe….”

**

I couldn’t believe Letty’d just gone off like that. Couldn’t believe she didn’t see that this was the last step in protecting ourselves from Johnny, that she thought I liked having the skanks at the races hanging all over me. Couldn’t believe she didn’t get why I didn’t want to confront Johnny…. She should’ve realized protecting my family was worth giving in to him, no matter how bad I wanted to just beat the shit out of him.

“What the fuck did you say to her, dawg?” Leon asked.

“Nothing!” I shot back, defensive.

“He told her to go on a date with Miguel,” Mia threw in. I just turned and glared at her - she always had to get herself involved in everything, still does.

“What?” Vince said, sounding confused.

“Think, V,” I said. “This’ll really convince everyone that we’re not together anymore. Besides, she needs to go out and do shit like that. It’s not good for her to always be hanging out with us all the time! She needs to hang with people her own age once in a while….”

“I thought that’s what Jamie was for….” Vince said, still confused.

“Man, you have everything all fucked up Dom, you know that?” Leon said. “Letty isn’t a little girl…she can decide for herself whether she wants to hang out with us or not. And when the hell did it start mattering how old she is? Not like you haven‘t already been fucking her for a year….”

“That’s not how it is, Leon…” I started.

“You know what? Forget it, Dom. I don’t wanna hear it,” he interrupted me, turning to walk out of the garage. “All I know is, I just saw my baby cousin get hurt, and if you hurt her anymore, I swear to God, I’ll fuckin’ kill you.”

And with that, he stormed out of the garage just like Letty had, leaving us all to stare after him.

“Dom….”

“Don’t start, Mia,” I glared at her. Last thing I needed was someone else yelling at me.

“Okay, fine, whatever,” she said. “But when you decide you’re ready to try to fix this, come talk to me.”

I just rolled my eyes as she walked back into the office. You know, for someone that’s never even had a long-term relationship, Mia sure thinks she knows a hell of a lot…. Cosmo can’t be that helpful…least it never has been for me.

“So,” I said, looking over at Vince, “you gonna leave me too?”

“Nah, bro,” he answered. “We’re cool.”

“God, V,” I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face, “I’m losing her, aren’t I? I’m losing her, and it’s all my fault.”

“She loves you,” Vince said after a minute. “And you love her. Anyone could see it, if they’d only pay attention. You guys’ll be okay, trust me.”

And somehow, I believed him.