Dom’s POV
“So she explains a lot…” Brian trailed off as he stared at Letty who suddenly realised the questions were about to start.
“She doesn’t explain anything.” She stated as she packed up the files and then took Ava back off Gisele who had her.
“Oh no she explains how you managed to stay off the radar for so long. As she said she’s good at what she does and she doesn’t get caught, hence why the FBI did hire her to help on the Braga case.” Brian voiced and Letty glared at him.
“If this is your way of trying to make me talk you’re wasting your time.” She said tensely as they stared at each other.
“Mia told me what you said the other night.” He said and I frowned looking over at Mia who mouthed later to me.
“I know I heard.” She muttered casting a look at Mia who looked away from her suddenly.
“What’s the deal on this girl?” Roman asked.
“Other than she has the hots for you Roman… nothing.” She said staring at Brian daring him to say otherwise.
“So that’s what that whole warning thing was about?” he asked grinning as Tej and Brian sent him glares.
“Something like that.” She said tiredly.
“So why was she here other than delivering these?” I asked gesturing to the files.
“I told you I had a house organised, Lotty dropped off the keys and organised the cars.”
“Cars?”
“For Leon and I.”
“So where’s the house?” I asked quietly.
“Five minutes from your place, number three seeing as yours in number five I take it its two houses up the beach.” She said quietly. Everyone must have realised she’d said all she was going to and started dispersing and going off on their own.
“So Hobbs is taken care of, she’ll let us know when he moves or if he gets too close?” I asked clarifying and she nodded.
“Yeah we don’t have to worry for the time being.” I nodded satisfied but curious as to what Brian knew about the girl.
“Kitchen.” Mia mumbled to me and Brian as she walked past us when Letty wasn’t looking.
“What did you mean before? What did she say the other night?” I asked the minute we were out of hearing range. They explained what she’d said and I frowned as I heard about Letty not remembering anything.
“I vaguely remember Leon ranting about something like that when we found out about Letty. So how does what she’s told you tie in with this Charlotte woman?” I asked Brian.
Letty’s POV
I ended up creeping off to the lounge room without being noticed as I placed Ava down to crawl around. I watched her carefully as I sat down trying to rid my mind of painful memories that surfaced with Brian’s guessing and questioning.
“Sorry I don’t mean to disturb you but I wanted to talk to you.” I looked up as I heard Elena’s voice and the photos immediately came rushing back but I nodded anyway knowing this was going to happen at some point.
“I know you don’t like me and in all honesty I can understand why. If I was in your position I’d be pissed as well.” She started and I eyed her as she walked further into the lounge sitting on the opposite end of the lounge.
“Those pictures…I know what they look like but it wasn’t like that to begin with. We used each other, we understood what the other was going through. He was running from his past and I was running from mine. My husband a police officer was murdered nearly three years ago right outside the door of our apartment, it was the worst thing I ever had to deal with. I became a police officer six months later. When I met Dom, he and I had a connection because I could see what he was going through by losing you.” I turned to face her.
“You love him.” She looked startled before nodding once.
“That may be so but I’m backing off. You two belong together, it’s not the end of the world for me.” She said quietly.
“I don’t blame you really for falling for him like you did. After all how can I? I fell for him too. He has this aura about him, it just sucks you in and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. No matter how much you try or pretend otherwise.” I added quietly.
“You still love him…” I smiled sadly.
“The Dom you know now and the one I fell in love with are the same people, the difference is the one in between… The one that hurt me over and over again. This Dom didn’t lie or cheat on you, he didn’t leave when you needed him the most. He didn’t tell you he loved you for the first time and then just a week later tell you it was all a lie… he didn’t leave saying that it wouldn’t work because it was too dangerous but then just months later find out he made it work with another woman and his pregnant sister while on the run. I know he’s changed, I can see that but he can’t go back and fix the pain he caused me either and for that I can’t let myself involved again. You’re lucky, he’d never think about hurting you.” I said trying to keep the harshness out of my voice.
“He regrets everything he ever did to hurt you, we often spoke about it. How hetreatedyou is a huge regret he carries” She said quietly.
“We all have regrets Elena. This won’t change my mind, if you want him Elena…he’s yours.” I said shakily cursing my voice as it wavered in parts.
“You don’t mean that…and I wouldn’t do it to him or you even if you did. You can try and pretend you don’t care but deep down you and I both know you do. You love him, even if you can’t admit it out loud to yourself it’s the truth.” I stayed silent as she got up and left going back out with the rest of them leaving me on my own again.
I sniffed and quickly wiped away the tears I had let escape shakily standing as I reached down to pick up Ava as she sat on the floor playing with a bear of Alexis she’d found. Not bothering to say goodbye or pick up the files I left with Ava and walked up the road a little where a silver Nissan was parked along with a car seat in the back. I buckled Ava in as she stared up at me blankly and I tried to force a smile for her as she seemed to sense the tension around us.
“Let’s go see our new house baby, we’ll come and see daddy and everyone else later.” I said quietly to her as I placed a kiss on her cheek and got out shutting the door before getting in the front starting up the car.
1st November- Canary Islands, Spain
Letty’s beach house
I found the house easily enough and briefly looked over the house from the outside as I sat in the parked car before I got out going around to get Ava out locking the car behind me.
I dug through my pockets looking for the key to open the door which was a task and half with Ava wriggling in my arms. As I walked in though I couldn’t help but smile and shake my head as I took in the furniture and all mine and Ava’s things from Berlin I hadn’t had a chance to get before things went bad. Count on Lotty to remember. Placing Ava down on the floor I watch as she crawled eagerly towards her toys in the corner of the room. I shut the door and locked it, just for safety measures, before I joined Ava in the lounge room.
“Eh ba…yaya eee.” I laughed and shook my head at my daughter as she excitedly played with her toys as I laid down on the lounge and watched her.
She really was a perfect mix of Dom and I, which had made it hard to forget him when it was just the two of us. She had a temper to match Dom’s and mine as well if I was being honest. I couldn’t wait until she unleashed that in front of Dom, he’d be in for a shock. She was a good baby though I rarely had trouble with her which I was glad about, life had been hard enough for us already.
Beep beep
I frowned and dug around in my pocket pulling out my mobile as I read the text message shaking my head seeing it was from Leon.
Charlotte ‘forgot’ to tell everyone they were free to leave and go back to where they came from minus Han and Gisele obviously, saying she’d be in touch if anything came up. The rest of the money is in the safe she said, Ana’s share too. We both thought she’d want you to have it.
Sending back a quick reply I looked down as Ava tried to pull herself up using the lounge to stand but she couldn’t quite get there.
“You’re growing up too fast baby girl, you’ll be walking before mummy knows it.” I said quietly as I discarded my phone and picked her laying her on my chest as we stayed there quietly having cuddles. She yawned and I looked briefly at the time noticing it was getting close to her nap time but I figured she’d fall asleep on me so I stayed where I was enjoying the silence and the solitude as I held my daughter close.
I rubbed her back and smiled softly as she fell asleep on me. Laying my head back properly I finally let my guards down now that there was no one else around and let my tears flow. I cried for everything: for Ana, the fact that I shot Demetri, for the beatings… for Dom. Elena’s words had hit home but I wasn’t ready to address them yet, I knew one day soon I was going to give into him I’d come close last night with Mia. The thought alone was enough to make me wonder what I was doing by staying so close but the little girl in my arms told me the answer. I was doing it for her, I was putting my hurt and feelings aside and I was doing it for her so she’d have a chance to know her father.
1st November- Canary Islands, Spain
Brian and Mia’s beach house
Dom’s POV
“Her full names Charlotte Henderson, I found her mixed up in a drug bust I did. She was used as a tracker... to keep an eye on their runners. I thought she’d be useful in the Braga case so we offered her a deal similar to the one Letty was offered, they both got into the race. We were surprised because we didn’t think they would but I found out later that Compos took a liking to them put them both in. They ran the same deal that night, we put tracking devices on them but they killed them much like I had to when they swept the cars for bugs.”
“So what happened?”
“That was the last thing I heard until I got the news that the car Letty had been using was found burnt out with two bodies in it. We did DNA tests and they came back as the two of them, we weren’t going to second guess the facts.” He said as he ran a hand through his hair.
“Do you think she did something?” Mia asked quietly and he nodded.
“She had to have, the bodies obviously weren’t them. There was small blood trails at the scene and a couple of shells from fired bullets… all the blood belonged to both of them. When we found out about Letty I never once thought of the possibility of Charlotte being alive as well but the minute I saw her on the beach I just knew she had played a part in it. I don’t how, I don’t know why I just know she had something to do with it.” I nodded and silently agreed.
“Before you said it made so much sense as to how she stayed off the radar for so long, what do you mean?” I asked.
“Charlotte’s good, she’s obviously been working with Letty for a long time if not the whole time. If Letty and Leon were working alone we would have picked up on them a long time ago.” Again I nodded.
“So what does this mean now?” Mia asked quietly as we looked at Brian.
“I don’t know but if Letty leaves she’s right we’ll never find her or at least not for a long time.”
“Charlotte’s that good huh.” I stated sadly.
“Yeah man she’s that good. You can’t let her leave.” He said softly and I nodded.
“Where is Letty? I haven’t heard Ava for a while.” I frowned and walked out of the kitchen with Brian and Mia in tow but I couldn’t see her with the rest. Spotting Elena I asked if she knew and she pointed to the lounge room but it was empty when I walked in and the front door was open and I cursed.
“She’s not here.” I said quietly and I caught the guilty look on Elena’s face. Looking at her questioningly she came clean about her chat with Letty and I sighed before I signalled for Elena to come with me.
We headed down to the beach and sat in the sand watching the waves roll in slowly neither one of us talking.
“I’m sorry I never meant to upset her, I just wanted her to know I wasn’t planning anything.” I smiled and nodded at her words.
“About you and I…” I started.
“It’s okay Dom I know, I don’t blame you I’d do the same if my husband was back.”
“I don’t regret what we had Elena but I know it wasn’t fair on you either. I should have stopped it when I realised you had feelings for me but I didn’t because I was selfish. I care for you but I’m sorry I don’t…” I stopped myself saying the words. She looked away and I caught the sadness and hurt that was etched on her face.
“Sorry.” I said gently and she turned back and smiled slightly shrugging at me.
“It’s okay, I always knew you wouldn’t. Even if she had never of came back you never would have felt the same way.” We paused for a moment and she turned to look at me not long after.
“Ava’s yours.” It was more of a statement then a question but I nodded anyway.
“Yeah, yeah she’s mine.” I said softly and she smiled softly at me.
“She’s beautiful.” I nodded and we were silent again just staring at one another.
“Thank you, for everything Elena. I know it’s not fair to ask you but I want you to stay so I can at least make sure you’re alright and safe.”
“I’ll stay for the moment but I can’t promise I won’t leave at some point.” I nodded in understanding. My gaze was still on her as she watched the waves roll in and I brought my hand up to her face as my other held her hand as she turned to look at me questioningly. Leaning down I kissed her softly one last time waiting until she kissed back just as softly before pulling away leaning my head against hers as I spoke softly.
“If she hadn’t of come back over time I’m sure I would have fallen for you too.” She laughed quietly but I could feel her tears against my hand and I placed another kiss on her head before pulling away all together as I stood, still holding her hand giving it one last squeeze before we let go and I walked back to the house to join the others leaving her to her thoughts.