Dominion by Melody Manful Read Free Book Online Page B

camera’s flash reflected on the chandelier hanging between the double staircase, reminding me of all the cameras that were probably about to invade my space.
    “ Stop saying that, Ben,” my mother teased. “Abby still thinks she’s ugly.”
    “ Abby, you know beautiful doesn’t just mean having good looks,” he said. “You’re brilliant and caring. And that makes you beautiful.”
    “ I have the media talking about everything I do all the time. At school, it’s like I’m parting the Red Sea when I walk down the hall, and kids keep showing me magazines and asking for beauty tips.” I hated being a part of the chaos, but my mother and Ben just laughed.
    “ They do that because you inspire them,” my mother said, just like she always did when the topic snaked its way into our conversations. Couldn’t someone else inspire them? Why me?
    I wasn’t surprised my mother said this, even at the age of forty-two she looked like she was thirty. She had dark, wavy hair that cascaded down her shoulders and golden brown eyes like mine. She’d always been the cool, beautiful mother. She graced the covers of a lot of magazines. I’d lost count long ago of how many times she’d been named the most beautiful or one of the most beautiful women alive. Each year her name was at least mentioned in that category.
    “ I just want to come home and be Abigail, not a beauty queen…just me.”
    “ So innocent, so adorable.” My mother posed for one last picture with me.
    I wasn’t innocent or adorable. As a matter of fact, I was sometimes the opposite of the loving, caring, role model Abigail that everyone knew. The public loved me because I was charitable. My fans loved me because of my mother—it didn’t hurt that I’d inherited her sense of style and her friendly nature. My family and friends loved me because I was Abigail.
    And by my friends’ and family’s definitions, Abigail meant a clumsy, loving, caring, awkward, and selfless young lady who would do anything for those she loves. Yes, that was the Abigail everyone knew. However, there was another Abigail, too—one who liked the rush of danger and playing with guns. I didn’t quite understand her because she was nothing like the Abigail that everyone loved. That other, secret Abigail was lethal.
    —–
    J ump—don’t jump—jump—don’t jump—jump—don’t—
    “ Abigail!” my best friend Sarah shouted my name, jerking me back from my reverie.
    Damn, I should have jumped.
    I looked around, only to realize I was in a restroom. I could hear music booming in the background. I knew I was at the party, I just didn’t remember how I arrived.
    “ You weren’t planning on sneaking out through the window, were you?” Sarah walked toward me.
    “ Do you have a ladder?”
    Although my friends and I were close, they didn’t know about my training. To them I was the luckiest girl alive. I had a mother who loved me, and we were rich as well.
    I didn’t tell them about our past; after all, what was I supposed to say? “Hey, by the way, my father isn’t dead, he’s not allowed to see me because he’s a secret agent, and he has to stay away from my mother and me because his presence would put us in danger.”
    Yeah, I was pretty sure that conversation would be a shock. So, I did the only thing I could—kept half of my life hidden.
    “ If you make me miss this party, I’m going to kill you.” Sarah frowned, snatching my lipstick and bag away from me. For the first time, I noticed her beautiful, gold, strapless, satin Cells dress. Sarah looked gorgeous as always with her hair fanning out around her shoulders. I’ve always admired her beauty, her big brown eyes, and her flawless dark skin. Black was indeed beautiful.
    “ You can go have fun, and I’ll join later.”
    My lie did not convince her. “Abby, let’s go,” Sarah ordered, clutching my hand and pulling me along.
    Sarah managed to get me out of the restroom despite me dragging my feet. When we came