What Makes a Man? (Sensible Hearts #1)

by H. Q. Frost

  "You call me when you two wake up. I want to know what that was all about."

  "Okay, Dad, later." Impatiently waving her hand at him, she didn't want him to wake Dom. "Let him sleep." Maleek watched her roll back over and cuddle into Dom, who was softly snoring.

  Upon waking, Nyla played nurse until Dom couldn't take it and insisted he was hungry.

  "Thanks, La." He kissed her temple as she set an empty bowl in the sink. "I'll call you when I'm off."

  "What?" she snapped and he cocked his eyebrow. "You're going to work?"

  "You want me to lose my job because of that fucker? I'm going to work and I'll be back in two hours to take you to the theater."

  "No!" she belted, making both his eyebrows rise. "You need to be in the fucking hospital."

  "No I don't. It was a fight. And not my first." He kissed her forehead and turned for the front door.

  "If you walk out, don't fucking come back!" she shrieked emotionally as she fought back tears.

  His hand sat on the doorknob and he dropped his head, needing to calm down before a fight escalated. It wasn't that he blamed her for being concerned, but she still didn't comprehend who he was or what he was accustomed to.

  "Dom." Her hand went to his back, and the minute he heard she was in tears, he went stiff. "You're hurt."

  "I'm sore. Not hurt. I have a job. And I'm not going to lose it because you want me to go to the doctor or keep me hostage here." He turned to face her. "I love you, Nyla, but you're not going to control me."

  "I'm not trying to control you." She grabbed his shirt. "I'm scared! You had a seizure! What if you get to work and have another one? My fucking dad wouldn't let me get you to the hospital!"

  "I didn't want to go to the hospital and I'm glad he didn't let you take me. I've been in dozens of fights, Nyla, I'm fine. I'm bruised but fine. I have to go to work. I have to get out of this city! I have to be able to take care of us, and to do that, I have to go to work." He pulled the door open.

  "Dom," she blurted before he walked out. "I love you."

  Turning back, he pressed his forehead to hers before kissing her nose. "I love you too. I'll see you in two hours. Be ready 'cause I'll only be on my break. When I leave, deadbolt and chain the door."

  "He's at work, Dom."

  "Do what I said." He walked out and tugged the door closed behind him.

  Jogging across the job site, he found Boney.

  "Remember when I talked to you about Nyla's neighbor?"

  Boney squinted trying to remember, but Dom knew if he couldn't remember a week prior, he wouldn't remember over a month before.

  "He's a dead man. I asked you to scare him."

  "He was fuckin' with her or something?" Boney asked.

  "Yeah. Anyway, can you take care of that?"

  "What're you thinking? Jump him or somethin'?"

  "No, that won't work. He only leaves to go to work or some shit."

  "Drive by?"

  Dom looked him in the eyes then walked away, confirming the silent agreement.

  ***

  Maleek accepted Marilyn's invitation for dinner and bragged about her boy the entire time.

  "He's a good kid. I like him." Marilyn grinned at Dom who shook his head, almost unable to take the praise he was receiving, especially after what he had planned with Boney.

  "Dom, can you take me to Boney's?" Jeff spoke up.

  "Jeffery, we're eating dinner right now." Marilyn smiled at him.

  "I'm not hungry." Jeff stood.

  "Jeff, sit down," Dom said. "Eat your food."

  And just like that, Jeff was sitting back down and picking up his fork. Nyla smiled across the table at him.

  "Myra, Dom said when you smile he knows the whole world isn't fucked."

  "Jeffery!" Marilyn gasped while Nyla snorted, trying to control her laughter.

  "Jeff." Dom laughed. "Shut up and eat, man."

  "Still a compliment... I think." Maleek smirked and shook his head before taking another bite.

  While Dom and Nyla did the dishes he asked, "Want to watch a movie tonight?"

  "Yeah, here?" She glanced at him.

  That was the night Boney was set to deliver on his promise to scare Austin. Dom wanted to be at her house to make sure Maleek or Nyla didn't get hurt.

  "Your place."

  ***

  Their bodies were wrapped around each other's. Their mouths sucked and licked at any flesh it came in contact with. Just before Nyla pulled her shirt off, Dom stopped her.

  "Wait," he whispered. "I want to make sure your dad's sleeping."

  When he left the room, his cellphone that was discarded on her bed having fallen out of his pocket, beeped. Grabbing the phone, she opened the text from Boney.

  Dom walked into the room with a grin and closed the door, but when he looked at her, his smile dropped as she held his phone out.

  "Boney," she mumbled. "He wants to know if you want to get into trouble tonight."

  He read the text that read exactly what she'd said then placed it on her nightstand. When she wouldn't look at him, he got into bed next to her and gave her a tug.

  "I'm not going to respond."

  "Why would he even ask you that?" Her eyes landed on his before drifting down to the cleft in his chin.

  "Because he wants to hang."

  "Dom, I'm not dumb. When Boney says get into trouble, he literally means it. Have you been hanging out with him doing things like that still?"

  "Like what?" With a chuckle he rolled to his back.

  "Whatever kind of trouble he's looking for."

  "La, you don't even know what that is." He grinned over at her. "He could just mean drink some beers and smoke some pot."

  "That is not what he means and you know it."

  "No I don't." He rolled on top of her. "I know we were about to take your shirt off though."

  "Dom." Giving him a shove, she sat up.

  "Nyla, why are you making a big deal about this?"

  "Because," she snapped before dropping her head to her hands in stress. "Because you worry me. Your friends worry me. I... I'm not trying to change you, but I don't want you getting into trouble anymore. I don't want you fighting or... or fucking killing people!"

  "Shh, lower your voice." He sat up and put his hand on her back. "I'm not doing any of that. I work two jobs and my free time is spent with you, Jeff, or baseball. You know I haven't hung out with Boney in a while."

  "Boney is going nowhere, Dom. I have dreams and goals for us and if you're not onboard with that, then..." The grief on her face made him sit up straighter to prepare for what she was trying to say.

  "Then what?"

  "I don't know. I love you. I want to be with you but if you're not going to focus on bettering your life, I can't focus so much on you."

  "Nyla, are you breaking up with me?" An annoyed snort slipped as he incredulously stared at her.

  "No. I'm asking what your focus is."

  "You fucking know what it is. Work, you, and Jeff. Getting the hell out of this city. Those are my focuses."

  "Then why is Boney texting you that shit?" She reached over and grabbed his phone, freely opening their text exchange.

  "What the fuck, Nyla." He snatched his phone. "You don't trust me."

  "I don't trust Boney."

  "So what're you looking for in my phone? Why are you going through my shit like you don't trust me?"

  "I trust you, Dom." Stress huffed from her as she got off the bed and gestured to his phone saying, "But what if you want that?"

  "What?" he barked. "What if I want what?"

  "That! The stupid shit you used to do. All the drugs and partying and hurting people and God knows whatever else!"

  Pissed, he chuckled and got off the bed. "So you want to break up with me because you don't believe my focus is you now?"

  "I don't want to break up, Dom. I just need your promise that you won't one day leave me for jail."

  "Nyla." He laughed.

  "
I'm serious. That's what it'll come down to. You know that, right? You choose prison over your girlfriend because, Dom, you killed a fucking guy and the only reason you didn't get caught is 'cause he was a worthless drug addict and the police in this city don't care enough and his family didn't either. Your mom may have, but she knew it too. Was he the only one, Dom?"

  "What?" he snapped.

  "Have you killed anyone else?"

  "God." Frustration drove his hands to his face and he frantically rubbed as stress controlled him. "No." With a tight jaw and a menacing stare, he looked into her face.

  "Have you ever shot someone?"

  "Yes," he responded and she exhaled a shaky breath.

  "Why."

  "Protection! I was protecting myself or my friends. Fuck, Nyla." He shoved his hair back. "I haven't done anything like that since I've met you! I'm trying not to be a product of how I grew up. Where I grew up. You can't walk around here without something to protect yourself with! You know that."

  "At night, Dom. And if you're out at night, you're up to no good."

  "This is stupid." He grabbed his keys. "I can't convince you of shit. When you figure out if you trust me or not, you let me know."

  "Dom, don't leave."

  Turning to look at her before storming out, he calmly said, "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

  When he was in the living room, she latched onto his arm and planted her feet. "Let's talk about this."

  "There's nothing to talk about, Nyla. I told you what you wanted to know and you want to sit here and pick and pick until you find something. Anything that'll hurt you and make you pissed at me. I'm walking away." He pulled open the front door and saw a dark figure heading toward Austin's.

  Gritting his teeth, he was pissed at the idea Austin was creeping around in the dark.

  "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. I trust you. I love you and I can't lose you."

  "Stop trying to get r—" Rapid gun fire halted his words and he jumped on top of her, pulling her to the floor.

  "Dom!" she shrieked, unsure what the shots were aimed at, but it sounded like it was them.

  "What's going on?" Maleek bolted from his room.

  In a shout, Dom said, "Maleek, get down!" and yanked him to the floor.

  He knew what it was and knew Boney wouldn't intentionally fire at their house, but a stray bullet couldn't be controlled. When all seemed calm, Dom carefully removed himself from shielding Nyla and slowly moved to the door.

  "Call the police," he told Maleek to secure his alibi.

  "Dom! Don't go out there!" She lunged for him but Maleek grabbed her.

  The sounds of someone groaning was the first thing Dom heard when he stepped out onto the porch. The dark figure that was headed up to Austin's house was laying in the lawn. He didn't want to help, but after the fight with Nyla and her reading Boney's text, he didn't want her putting it together so he flipped on the porch light and headed for the body.

  "Dom!" Nyla cried but was afraid to go out the door in case the war wasn't over.

  Knowing it was, Dom moved closer to the body and called out, "Austin?" not wanting to get too close in case he had a gun.

  "Dom," Jeff groaned.

  "Jeff!" Bolting for the body, he grabbed his brother and pulled the beanie off his head. "What the fuck, man!" Unzipping the black jacket, he tried to find gunshot wounds. "Were you hit, Jeff?" he screamed. "Nyla! Call a fucking ambulance!" Staring at his brother, he wondered why he was there.

  "Dom," Jeff groaned again pulling him away from his thoughts.

  "What're you doing here, man?" he whimpered. "What the fuck are you doing?"

  When Jeff's eyes closed and he started making wheezing noises, Dom picked his brother up and ran to his truck.

  "Dom!" Nyla dashed out the front door assuming it was Austin he was carrying.

  "Open the truck door! Open the fucking door!" he urged.

  "Who is that? Austin?" She moved around him frantically, pulling open the truck door.

  "Fuck, I'm so sorry," Dom said laying his brother's body across the bench.

  "Dom!" She wanted answers to whom the body was, but he didn't have time.

  Knowing he wasn't going to tell her anything, she jumped into the truck, standing hunched over the body because there was no room. She had to help him move the lump so he could get in.

  "Nyla!" Maleek yelled out the front door but as soon as Dom started the truck, he punched the gas.

  "Nyla, check for a pulse." The truck whipped around corners at speeds that sent her slamming into the door and seat. "I'm sorry, La, I'm sorry. Oh shit, check for a pulse."

  When she heard Dom's tears, she grabbed the body and adjusted it so she could see who it was.

  "Jeff," she whispered. "Oh my god." Breaking down in tears, she reached for his neck at the same time as pulling him up and against her chest. "Oh my god, Dom. What the fuck happened?"

  "I don't know." He slammed his hand on the steering wheel. "Fuck, fuck. Is he alive?" he screamed.

  "Yes! There's barely a pulse. Drive faster, Dom!"

  "Sit down!"

  "Shut up and drive faster!" she screamed at him in hysterics. "Where's the wound?"

  "I don't fucking know!"

  Lifting Jeff's shirt, she couldn't see anything but blood. Pulling up to the emergency doors, Dom picked his brother up like he didn't weigh more than a child and rushed him inside.

  "Please help me!" he screamed dropping to his knees as Jeff's size and weight overpowered him while he was breaking down. "Someone, please!"

  He was stopped from following the gurney Jeff was being rushed through the hospital on and he looked around helplessly.

  "Oh fuck." He cried running toward Nyla who was on her cellphone by the front desk.

  Unprepared, she got hit with him throwing himself into her arms and she stumbled back but didn't lose her footing, holding him tightly.

  "Shh, he'll be okay." She didn't believe it, but she wanted it to be true.

  "I don't know what the fuck happened." He cried. "What the fuck was he doing?"

  Maleek jogged into the hospital still in his pajamas and robe but he found the bloody couple balled together while Dom cried in her arms.

  "Dom, have you contacted your mother?"

  "I did," Nyla spoke up and Dom pulled back, looking her in the face as if what she did was wrong. "She has to know, Dom, that's her son."

  "Jeff," Dom whimpered, shaking his head and dropping it between his knees.

  He needed to call Boney, find out what the fuck happened. Jeff was not supposed to be anywhere in the equation and Boney had mowed him down with eighteen shots that were meant for Austin.

  "Dom." Nyla grabbed his hand before he walked away.

  "I have to make a call." Tears were still flowing but he was speaking rationally now.

  On his way out of the hospital, his mother was running in. "Dominic!" she shrieked grabbing his bloody arms. "What happened?"

  "I don't know, Mom. I don't fucking know."

  "Are you hurt? Where's Jeff?"

  "They took him." He glanced back into the hospital and his eyes landed on Nyla who had her face in her hands and her dad at her side rubbing her back.

  Everything she said in her bedroom started to replay in his head, and regret for what he let happen to his brother slammed him, almost taking him to the ground. If he didn't ask Boney to do it, Jeff wouldn't have been shot. If that wasn't his life, Jeff wouldn't have been shot. How Jeff got shot was still a mystery, and when thoughts of murdering Boney came to mind, he pulled away from his mom.

  "Dominic!" she yelled but Nyla walked outside and ushered her into the hospital, knowing Dom needed a minute alone.

  "Sup, brother?" Boney answered. "I took care of that shit and now I'm up at the hill. Meet up and let's party."

  "What the fuck happened?" Dom growled.

  "I took the ride you asked me to."

  "Why was Jeff there?" he screamed through the phone, making it reverberate and crackle in Boney'
s ear.

  "He went home. Him and Jesse were at my place but they left before I text you. I wasn't sure if you wanted to ride along."

  "Jeff was at the fucking house. You fucking shot Jeff!" He quickly looked around the dark parking lot. "You fucking shot him, Greg." He slumped between two cars as his tears started.

  "What?" Boney asked. "Jeff was where?"

  "What the fuck was he doing at that house?"

  "Fuuuuck." Silence sat on the line until he said, "He heard me telling Mark. Shit, Dom. He fucking wanted to come but I told him to get lost. Then he started his shit that he was your brother and had to protect you and your girl so he was going. I didn't even know he was listening when I explained it to Mark. He was there? At her neighbors?"

  Pushing his pointer and thumb into his eyes he responded, "He was walking up to the house for some reason and you just fucking shot him, Greg. You fucking shot him."

  "I didn't see him! I didn't see no-one! Mark drove and I fired. I fucking did what you asked me to!"

  Hanging up his phone, he laid back on the concrete, trying to breathe but a weight sat on his chest. 'I fucking did what you asked me to!' The words replayed over and over.

  "Dom?" Nyla yelled, roaming the parking lot for him.

  He struggled to his feet. "Nyla." His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "Nyla," he repeated and she ran for him.

  "What're you doing out here?"

  "Trying to breathe."

  She pulled him into a hug and started walking back toward the hospital.

  "Dom, what the hell happened. Why was Jeff out there and what was the gun shots?"

  "I really don't know," he numbly responded while his eyes stared toward the ground.

  "Was that a drive by? Or was there someone out there?"

  "I don't know," he whispered, not able to admit to anything.

  "Dom, why'd you go out there? You could have been shot," she snapped.

  "Because I saw someone on the lawn."

  Her grip tightened and they approached his mom who was calm until she saw him and broke down into tears, pulling him into a hug.

  Washing his hands and arms, he stared in the bathroom mirror hating himself. His eyes studied every bit of his face, picking out every flaw that only made him hate himself more. In a fit of rage, his fist blasted into the mirror, shattering the glass and he let out a scream; not from his bloodied knuckles but from internal pain. Squatting down in the corner, he kept his back to the room, to the mirrors, and cried.