Chapter 8

We sprinted toward the east wing.

Vanessa had driven a stolen SUV directly through the reinforced glass of the sunroom doors. She stumbled out of the wreckage, her red dress torn, her hair wild.

She held a lighter in one hand, and a gasoline canister in the other.

“If I can’t have this life, nobody can!” she screamed, pouring gasoline over the expensive rugs.

Dominic stepped in front of me, shielding me.

“Vanessa, it’s over,” Dominic said calmly. “The police know about the wire transfers. They know about the diamonds. They’re coming for you.”

Vanessa froze. The lighter trembled in her hand. “You’re lying.”

“I gave them the banking logs ten minutes ago,” Dominic said. “You have nowhere to run. Thorne knows you failed to get the child. He’ll kill you before the police even catch you.”

Vanessa looked around, realizing she was completely trapped. The gasoline fumes filled the air.

“Put the lighter down,” Dominic ordered, his voice dropping to a command that demanded absolute obedience.

Vanessa looked at the lighter. Then she looked at me, standing safely behind the most powerful man in the city.

She burst into tears, dropping the lighter to the floor. It didn’t ignite.

Marcus and the guards rushed forward, pinning her to the ground and zip-tying her wrists.

“Take her outside and wait for the police,” Dominic said, turning his back on her in final dismissal.

As they dragged Vanessa away, Dominic turned to me.

The chaos had finally settled. The mansion was quiet again, save for the rain outside.

“I’m sorry about your sunroom,” I said, a breathless laugh escaping me.

Dominic smiled, stepping close and taking my hands. “I never liked those rugs anyway.”

He pulled me against him. “Claire. This started as a way to protect you and Maisie. But I want to make this real. I want to be a father to her. And I want to be a husband to you. If you’ll have me.”

I looked up into his dark, beautiful eyes. I didn’t see a mob boss. I saw a protector. A father. The man I loved.

“I will,” I whispered.

He leaned down and kissed me, a soft, lingering promise that sealed our new life together.

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t scared of tomorrow.

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