Eva

33

_____

The first light of dawn spills across the city skyline as I stand by the window in Dominic’s penthouse, clutching a steaming mug of coffee. The soft orange glow bathes the buildings in warmth, but it does little to thaw the chill that’s settled deep in my chest. I take a slow sip, hoping the bitter liquid will steady the chaos swirling inside me. It doesn’t.

The last twenty-four hours have been relentless—a hurricane of explosions, gunfire, and revelations that keep replaying in my mind. Reyes’s trap, Conrad’s escape, and the flash drive now in our possession. It feels like we’re teetering on the edge of something much bigger, and the ground beneath us is crumbling.

Behind me, Dominic’s quiet, focused energy fills the room. I turn, my gaze falling on him. He’s at the dining table, surrounded by papers, screens, and coffee cups. His sleeves are rolled up, his tie discarded, and his jaw is tight with unrelenting determination. He looks like a man on a mission—a man who refuses to let the world burn down around him.

But even Dominic Kane has his limits.

“You’re staring,” he says, his voice low and steady, without looking up.

I blink, startled, and try to cover my embarrassment by taking another sip of coffee. “You need rest,” I say instead. “You’ve been at this all night.”

“So have you.” His reply is matter-of-fact, though when he finally looks at me, there’s a flicker of concern in his piercing blue eyes. “Did you sleep at all?”

I shrug. “A little.” It’s a lie, and we both know it. There’s no point pretending when exhaustion weighs on both of us like a second skin.

Dominic pushes back from the table, crossing the room with the same controlled precision he uses for everything. He stops in front of me, taking the mug from my hands and setting it aside before gently cupping my face. His touch is warm, grounding, and it threatens to undo the fragile hold I have on my emotions.

“You need to take care of yourself,” he says softly, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “You can’t keep going like this.”

A lump forms in my throat, and I have to look away. I don’t want him to see the cracks forming inside me—the fear, the doubt, the overwhelming sense of being in over my head. “What about you?” I counter, my voice trembling slightly. “You’re running on empty too. You can’t rebuild your company overnight.”

“I don’t have a choice.” His voice is quiet, but there’s steel beneath it. “Reyes wants me to fall apart. He wants Kane Enterprises to be another one of his casualties. I won’t let him win.”

The fire in his words tugs at something deep inside me. Dominic Kane is a force of nature—unyielding, determined, and unrelenting. But I know the weight of it all is crushing him, even if he refuses to show it.

“You don’t have to do this alone,” I whisper, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

His gaze softens, and for a moment, the hard edges of his expression fade. “Neither do you,” he replies, his voice a gentle contradiction to the storm in his eyes.

The raw truth in his words leaves me breathless. I’ve spent so long fighting my own battles, never asking for help, never trusting anyone to carry the weight with me. But Dominic’s strength is different—it’s steady, unshakable, and it feels like something I can lean on.

“,” he says, tilting his head slightly, his voice firm but kind. “Talk to me.”

I hesitate, wrapping my arms around myself as if it will hold me together. “I don’t know where I fit in all of this,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “Everything that’s happened—it’s because of me. Reyes targeted me to get to you, and now I’m stuck in the middle of a war I never asked for.”

“Who says you need to walk away?” he asks, his tone calm but resolute.

“Dominic, you saw what he did. He’ll keep using me as leverage. He’ll—”

“Stop.” The single word carries the full weight of his authority, cutting through my spiraling thoughts. “Reyes dragged you into this, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a choice. You stayed, . You fought back. And I don’t regret a single moment of having you by my side.”

His words hit me like a wave, knocking the air from my lungs. I stare at him, stunned, as his thumb traces a slow, soothing pattern over my shoulder.

“You’re not just caught in the middle,” he continues, his voice steady and deliberate. “You’re the reason I’m still standing.”

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I look away, blinking quickly. “I don’t feel like I’ve done anything,” I whisper.

Dominic’s fingers tilt my chin back up, forcing me to meet his gaze. “You’ve done more than you realize.”

The conviction in his voice sends a warmth spreading through my chest, chasing away some of the doubt that’s been eating at me. For the first time in days, I feel like I can breathe again.

“Come here,” he says, gesturing toward the table.

I frown, unsure, but I follow him. He picks up a sheet of paper—a neatly outlined plan—and hands it to me.

“What is this?” I ask, scanning the page.

“A roadmap,” he replies. “A plan to rebuild Kane Enterprises. To take Reyes down. To fix everything he tried to destroy.”

The list is meticulous, just like Dominic. It’s a step-by-step strategy that covers everything from locking down the company’s security to tracing Reyes’s financial network.

“And you’re doing all of this yourself?” I ask, looking up at him.

“No.” He meets my gaze, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I’m doing it with you.”

The words send a jolt through me. “With me?”

“You said you don’t know what to do next,” he says simply. “Stay with me. Help me finish this.”

I stare at him, torn between disbelief and a deep, undeniable pull to say yes.

“Okay,” I say finally, my voice soft but certain. “I’m with you.”

Dominic’s smile widens, and for a moment, the weight of everything feels a little lighter.

The intercom buzzes, shattering the fragile peace between us. Dominic strides to the panel and presses the button. “What is it?”

“Mr. Kane,” a voice crackles through. “A package just arrived. It’s addressed to Ms. Walker.”

My stomach twists.

Dominic’s jaw tightens. “Bring it up,” he says, his voice like steel.

Minutes later, the package is delivered—a simple manila envelope with my name scrawled across the front. Dominic grabs it before I can, inspecting it carefully before slicing it open.

Inside is a single flash drive.

Dominic plugs it into his laptop, his expression darkening as a single file appears:

“FOR EVA.”

He clicks it open, and the screen fills with text. My breath catches as I read through the file—a web of names, accounts, and evidence that ties Reyes to a global conspiracy.

“This is everything,” I whisper.

“It’s a confession,” Dominic mutters. “Or a trap.”

His gaze meets mine, and I see the fire in his eyes. Reyes thinks he can control this narrative, but he’s underestimated us.

I straighten, resolve hardening in my chest. “Then let’s make our next move.”

The moment feels suspended, the words “FOR EVA” glaring back at me like a taunt. My pulse pounds in my ears as I glance at Dominic. His face is a study in tension—his jaw clenched, his shoulders rigid, his piercing blue eyes locked on the screen.

“Reyes is playing with us,” Dominic says finally, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. “He wants us to act without thinking.”

“But why?” I whisper, my fingers gripping the edge of the table. “Why would he send this to me?”

Dominic leans back, his expression grim. “Because he knows you’re the key to this. He’s counting on you wanting to end this quickly—on both of us being desperate enough to make a mistake.”

I swallow hard, the weight of his words settling in my chest. Dominic is right. Reyes’s moves are always calculated, always designed to exploit vulnerabilities. He knows exactly how to twist the knife.

“Then we don’t give him what he wants,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. “We don’t play his game.”

Dominic’s lips twitch in the faintest hint of a smile. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

Adrian arrives an hour later, his entrance punctuated by the sharp clack of his shoes against the marble floor. He’s carrying a slim black case, his suit slightly wrinkled, but his focus razor-sharp. He doesn’t bother with pleasantries.

“Let me see it,” Adrian says, striding straight to the laptop.

Dominic steps aside, allowing Adrian to take his place. The screen still displays the file’s contents—a labyrinth of names, accounts, and connections. Adrian’s eyes narrow as he scans the data, his fingers moving quickly over the keys.

“This is… extensive,” he mutters, almost to himself. “It’s not just Reyes’s network. It’s everyone he’s worked with, every deal he’s brokered, every account he’s funneled money through.”

“Can we trust it?” Dominic asks, his voice cold.

Adrian exhales sharply, leaning back in the chair. “That depends. On the surface, it looks authentic. But Reyes is too smart to hand over something this valuable without a catch.”

I step closer, unable to ignore the knot tightening in my stomach. “What kind of catch?”

Adrian looks up at me, his expression grim. “It could be disinformation—designed to mislead us. Or worse, it could be a trap. If we act on this without verifying it, we could walk right into his hands.”

Dominic’s jaw tightens. “How long will it take to verify?”

Adrian hesitates. “Days. Maybe weeks. The encryption alone will take time to untangle, and we’ll need to cross-reference every piece of data against independent sources.”

“We don’t have weeks,” Dominic snaps, his frustration flaring. “Reyes is already moving. If we wait too long, he’ll disappear, and we’ll lose everything.”

Adrian nods, his expression unreadable. “Then we prioritize. Start with the most actionable pieces—accounts, locations, high-value targets. If there’s a weak link in his network, we’ll find it.”

“Good,” Dominic says, his voice like steel. “Start now.”

Adrian doesn’t waste another second, his attention returning to the laptop as he begins to dissect the file. The room falls into a tense silence, broken only by the faint click of keys and the hum of the air conditioning.

I glance at Dominic, who is pacing near the window, his hands shoved into his pockets. His movements are sharp, precise, but I can see the strain in his posture, the weight he’s carrying.

“You should sit,” I say softly.

He pauses, turning to look at me. For a moment, I think he’s going to argue, but then he sighs and crosses to the chair opposite me. His shoulders remain tense, but he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“,” he begins, his voice low, almost hesitant. “You’ve been pulled into this because of me. Reyes is using you as a pawn, and I… I can’t forgive myself for that.”

I reach across the table, placing my hand over his. “Don’t. Don’t do that. This isn’t your fault.”

His gaze meets mine, and for a moment, the walls he keeps so carefully constructed crack. “I should have protected you better.”

“You did,” I say firmly. “You’ve done everything you can to keep me safe. But I’m not some damsel in distress, Dominic. I’m in this with you. By choice.”

His lips press into a thin line, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, he turns his hand over, intertwining his fingers with mine. The gesture is small but grounding, a silent acknowledgment that we’re in this together.

Several hours later, Adrian straightens abruptly, breaking the stillness of the room. “I’ve got something.”

Dominic and I both rise, crossing to stand behind him. Adrian points to the screen, where a string of numbers and letters is highlighted.

“This account,” Adrian says, tapping the screen. “It’s tied to a shell company in Dubai. Reyes has been funneling money through it for years. But here’s the interesting part: the account was accessed less than an hour ago.”

Dominic’s expression sharpens. “Where?”

Adrian pulls up another screen, his fingers moving quickly. “A private terminal at JFK Airport. Whoever accessed it is still in the city.”

My stomach twists. “Reyes?”

“Possibly,” Adrian replies. “Or one of his operatives. Either way, this could be our chance to intercept them.”

Dominic’s jaw tightens. “Get me a team. Now.”

Adrian nods, already pulling out his phone to make the call. Dominic turns to me, his gaze fierce. “You’re staying here.”

“Dominic—”

“No.” His tone leaves no room for argument. “It’s too dangerous. I need to know you’re safe.”

I clench my fists, frustration bubbling in my chest. But I know he’s right. Whoever accessed that account won’t go down without a fight.

“Fine,” I say, my voice tight. “But you’d better come back.”

He steps closer, his hand brushing against my cheek. “I will.”

Dominic’s team moves like a well-oiled machine, their dark tactical gear blending seamlessly into the shadows of the terminal. The private terminal is quiet, the hum of fluorescent lights the only sound as they approach the gate where the account was accessed.

Adrian stays back, monitoring the operation from a secure location, his voice coming through Dominic’s earpiece. “The account holder is in the VIP lounge. Two security personnel are with them. No sign of Reyes yet.”

Dominic nods, signaling his team to fan out. They move silently, their weapons drawn, their eyes scanning every corner of the lounge.

As they breach the room, chaos erupts. One of the security guards fires a shot, but Dominic’s team is faster. Within seconds, both guards are disarmed, and the account holder—a man in his late forties with sharp features and a nervous expression—is restrained.

“Who are you working for?” Dominic demands, his voice icy.

The man trembles, his eyes darting wildly. “I… I don’t know his name,” he stammers. “He only contacts me through encrypted messages.”

Dominic’s jaw tightens. “You accessed the account. Why?”

“I was instructed to transfer the funds,” the man says quickly. “To a new account in Hong Kong. That’s all I know, I swear.”

Dominic exchanges a glance with his team, his mind racing. Reyes is moving fast—too fast. If they don’t act now, they’ll lose him again.

“Adrian,” Dominic says into his earpiece. “Trace the Hong Kong account. Now.”

Back at the penthouse, I pace anxiously, my phone clutched tightly in my hand. Dominic’s updates have been sparse, and the tension in my chest feels like a vise.

When the call finally comes, I answer it immediately. “Dominic?”

“It’s me,” he says, his voice steady but taut. “We’ve got a lead. Reyes is shifting his operation to Hong Kong. Adrian’s already tracking the account.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, my heart pounding.

“It means this isn’t over,” he replies, his tone heavy with determination. “Not by a long shot.”

As the line goes dead, I stare out at the city skyline, the weight of his words settling over me. Reyes is slipping further away, but Dominic won’t stop. He won’t let him win.

And neither will I.