Eva

9

_____

The room feels smaller tonight, the walls pressing in as if they’re closing the distance between Dominic and me. His piercing blue eyes are locked on mine, his jaw set with a tension that radiates control—barely. But this weight didn’t start here. It started at the waterfront.

When Dominic appeared at my apartment tonight, shaken wasn’t the look I expected. He’s always in control—ice-cold and composed, no matter the chaos around him. But tonight, something about him was off. A shadow of unease.

“Start talking,” I said, crossing my arms as he lingered just inside the doorway. “You don’t look like someone here for small talk.”

He didn’t answer right away. His eyes swept the room, lingering on my scattered papers and open laptop before settling on mine.

“There was someone at the industrial site,” he said, his tone clipped. “Adrian and I thought we were alone, but we weren’t.”

A chill ran down my spine. “What do you mean by ‘someone’?”

“Watching us,” he replied, his voice low but steady. “They were careful. We didn’t see a face. Just a shadow.”

“And you came here because…?”

“Because whoever it was didn’t follow me,” he said, his blue eyes narrowing. “They followed you.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. “How do you know that?”

“I don’t,” he admitted. “But if this is about the leaks—and it is—you’re not just a target. You’re bait.”

Now, standing in the suffocating closeness of my apartment with Dominic looming nearby, his words cling to me. Someone followed me. Someone is watching. If Dominic hadn’t shown up tonight, I wouldn’t have known.

I toss the folder onto the table between us, the papers spilling out in a chaotic mess of reports and emails. “This isn’t just some random hacker, Dominic. Whoever’s behind this is close—inside your company.”

He doesn’t flinch. His expression is unreadable, his face carved from stone. “Do you have proof, or is this another one of your theories?”

“It’s not a theory,” I snap, my voice sharp. “Look at the patterns. The access points, the timing of the leaks—none of it makes sense unless someone on the inside is feeding them information.”

He crosses his arms, leaning against the counter with infuriating calm. “You’re assuming a lot, Ms. Stone. Maybe you’re just seeing what you want to see.”

“I’m not ‘seeing things,’ Dominic!” My anger boils over, hot and unrelenting. “This isn’t just about your company anymore. It’s about me. Someone broke into my apartment, erased my files, sent me threats—and you think I’m imagining it?”

He exhales sharply, guilt flickering across his face. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to,” I shoot back. “But let me spell it out for you: Someone inside Kane Enterprises is behind this. And if you keep pretending otherwise, you’re going to let them win.”

His eyes narrow, and for a moment, I think he’s going to lash out. But instead, he steps closer, his voice dropping an octave. “Why do you care so much, ? Why does this matter to you?”

The question stops me cold. Not because I don’t have an answer, but because the answer feels too personal, too raw to admit. But he’s looking at me, waiting, and for once, I feel like he actually wants to understand.

“Because I have something to prove,” I admit, my voice quieter now. “To myself. To everyone who doubted me. My divorce…my career—it all fell apart. This is my chance to rebuild. To prove I’m not just some failed journalist or a woman who couldn’t keep her life together.”

The confession feels like a crack in my armor, leaving me exposed in a way I hate. But Dominic doesn’t pounce. He just watches me, his gaze softer, less guarded.

“I get it,” he says after a moment. “You want to fight back. Prove you’re stronger than what’s happened to you.”

His words surprise me, and I search his face for the mockery I’m expecting but don’t find. Instead, there’s something else—understanding. Maybe even respect.

“You’re right,” I admit, my voice steadying. “I’m fighting back. But I’m also trying to uncover the truth, Dominic. And that truth is somewhere inside Kane Enterprises.”

For the first time since we started talking, he looks away, his gaze shifting to the folder on the table. He picks it up, flipping through the pages with practiced efficiency.

“Let’s say you’re right,” he says finally. “Let’s say someone inside my company is behind this. Do you have any idea what that means? The damage it could do?”

“It means you have a choice,” I reply. “You can either keep protecting whoever’s behind this or start working with me to stop them.”

His gaze snaps back to mine, sharp and assessing. “And what’s your stake in this, ? Besides the story?”

I take a step closer, closing the distance between us. “My stake is the same as yours. We both want the truth. The only difference is, I’m not afraid to face it.”

The tension shifts again, crackling like static electricity. His expression softens, just a fraction, and I realize how close we’re standing. Close enough that I can feel the heat radiating off him, see the flecks of silver in his blue eyes.

“You’re reckless,” he says quietly, his voice low and almost…admiring. “But you’re not wrong. You’re more right than I’d like to admit.”

Before I can respond, his phone buzzes, shattering the moment. He curses under his breath, pulling it from his pocket and glancing at the screen.

“It’s Adrian,” he says, his tone snapping back to business. “He’s found something.”

“What kind of something?” I ask, my pulse still racing.

“I don’t know,” he replies, already heading for the door. “But it’s big enough to warrant a midnight call.”

The words linger in the air as Dominic strides to the door. I grab my bag, ignoring the warning glance he throws over his shoulder.

“I told you, I’m coming with you,” I say firmly, cutting off whatever protest is forming on his lips. “I’ve already got a target on my back. Sitting here alone won’t change that.”

He hesitates for half a second before giving a sharp nod. “Fine. But stay close, and don’t get in my way.”

The city races past us in a blur of glowing streetlights and the muted hum of midnight activity. Dominic’s hands are steady on the wheel, but his jaw is tight, his focus razor-sharp. The tension between us feels heavier now, like it’s taken on a life of its own. I don’t dare break the silence. He’s already wound too tight, and I’m too lost in my own spiraling thoughts to form a coherent sentence.

Instead, I watch him, my gaze tracing the hard lines of his profile. There’s something about Dominic Kane—something I can’t quite figure out. He’s relentless, calculating, and impossible to ignore. But beneath that polished armor, I sense a flicker of something raw. Something human.

The car slows as we approach Kane Tower. Its sleek glass facade looms against the dark sky, a monolith of power and precision. The sight sends a chill down my spine. This building isn’t just a symbol of Dominic’s empire—it’s ground zero for whatever storm is brewing.

We park in the underground garage, the echo of our footsteps bouncing off the concrete walls as we make our way to the elevator. Dominic doesn’t speak, his expression unreadable as he swipes a key card and punches in a code. The elevator hums to life, carrying us up to the top floors in tense silence.

When the doors slide open, Adrian is already waiting. His dark eyes flick to me briefly before locking onto Dominic.

“It’s bad,” Adrian says without preamble, his voice clipped. “Worse than we thought.”

Dominic’s expression doesn’t change, but the air around him seems to shift. “Show me.”

Adrian leads us down the corridor to a conference room, the tension in his posture mirroring Dominic’s. Inside, the room is bathed in the cold glow of monitors displaying lines of code, surveillance footage, and detailed reports. My stomach twists at the sight of one of the images—a street corner I know all too well.

“That’s my building,” I say, stepping closer to the screen.

Adrian nods grimly. “This was taken less than an hour ago. Same figure we spotted at the industrial site. They didn’t stay long—just enough to make their presence known.”

I glance at Dominic, but his gaze is fixed on the screen, his eyes narrowing as he studies the grainy footage.

“Anything else?” he asks, his voice cold.

Adrian nods, pulling up another file. “We traced the breach from earlier tonight. The server logs were wiped, but not completely. Whoever did this was careful, but they left a trail. And it leads back to one of the internal access points.”

“Conrad?” Dominic’s tone is sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

“It’s possible,” Adrian replies. “But there’s no definitive proof. Not yet.”

Dominic curses under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair. His composure is fraying, and it’s both unsettling and oddly reassuring. Maybe he’s not as untouchable as he seems.

“What about the shadow?” I ask, forcing my voice to steady. “Do we have anything else on them?”

Adrian hesitates, his gaze flicking to Dominic before answering. “Nothing concrete. They’re skilled—military or black-market trained, maybe both. They avoided almost every camera except for the two we managed to capture. This isn’t amateur work.”

The weight of his words sinks in, pressing against my chest like a physical force. Whoever this is, they’re not just playing games. They’re orchestrating something deliberate, something dangerous.

Dominic leans against the table, his expression unreadable as he processes the information. The silence stretches, heavy and suffocating.

Finally, he straightens, his gaze cutting to Adrian. “Lock everything down. I want every access point monitored, every system double-checked. No one moves without clearance.”

Adrian nods, already typing on his tablet. “Understood.”

“And you?” Dominic turns to me, his blue eyes colder now. “If you’re serious about helping, it’s time to stop playing reporter and start following orders.”

The condescension in his tone ignites a spark of defiance in me. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he says, his voice like steel. “This isn’t a story anymore, . It’s a fight. And if you’re not ready for that, you’re going to get yourself killed.”

His words sting, but they also fuel the fire burning in my chest. I take a step closer, refusing to back down. “Don’t talk to me like I’m some liability. I’ve been neck-deep in this since the first threat landed in my inbox. I know the risks.”

“Do you?” he counters, his voice low and dangerous. “Because this isn’t just about you anymore. It’s about everyone connected to this mess. Every step you take, every choice you make—they all have consequences.”

The tension crackles between us, electric and volatile. For a moment, I think he’s going to say more, but Adrian interrupts.

“There’s one more thing,” he says, his tone cautious. “The chatter on the dark web—it’s escalating. Whoever’s behind this, they’re not just targeting Kane Enterprises. They’re targeting you.”

“Me?” My voice comes out sharper than I intended, but the thought sends a chill racing down my spine.

Adrian nods, his expression grim. “Your name has come up in several threads. They’re watching you, waiting for you to slip.”

Dominic’s jaw tightens, his fists clenching at his sides. “We won’t give them the chance.”

His words are firm, resolute, but they do little to calm the storm raging inside me. The walls feel like they’re closing in again, the weight of the situation pressing down with relentless force.

“What’s the plan?” I ask, my voice quieter now.

Dominic turns to me, his gaze softening just enough to be noticeable. “We keep moving. We stay ahead of them.”

“And if we don’t?” The question slips out before I can stop it.

His eyes darken, a flicker of something dangerous passing over his face. “We don’t have that option.”

The drive to Dominic’s penthouse is silent, the tension between us simmering just below the surface. I stare out the window, my mind racing with everything we’ve learned—and everything we still don’t know. The shadowy figure. The internal sabotage. The growing threats.

By the time we reach his penthouse, exhaustion has started to creep in, but the adrenaline keeps me upright. Dominic unlocks the door, gesturing for me to step inside. The space is as sleek and cold as I remember, all sharp lines and muted tones.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he says, his voice neutral. “I’ll set up a secure line to Adrian.”

I nod, dropping my bag on the couch as he disappears into another room. The silence that follows is oppressive, and I find myself pacing the room, my nerves refusing to settle.

My phone buzzes, and I grab it without thinking. The message waiting for me sends a jolt of fear straight to my core:

“You’re safe for now. But not for long.”

I stare at the words, my breath catching in my throat. My hands tremble as I reread the message, the cold realization sinking in. They know where I am. They’re watching.

Dominic returns, his expression immediately sharpening when he sees my face. “What is it?”

Wordlessly, I hand him the phone. He reads the message, his jaw tightening, his eyes darkening with a fury I’ve never seen before.

“They’re taunting us,” he says, his voice low and lethal. “But they’ve underestimated me.”

The cold, unrelenting determination in his tone sends a shiver down my spine. For the first time, I realize just how far Dominic Kane is willing to go to protect what’s his.

And for better or worse, that now includes me.