DOMINIC'S POV It felt like I'd been waiting for this moment from the day I learned about Ruby's ex husband.Gabriel's house was dead silent, except for the faint creak of his old armchair as I leaned back and tapped my fingers against the armrest. The window was open, letting the cool night air along with the soft glow of moonlight. This was unusual. I wasn’t usually the type to wait, because I preferred action. But tonight, patience was the key.The bastard deserved this. Every single bit of it.Julia’s call to Ruby had been the final straw. I couldn’t let him think he had any leverage over her. Gabriel Volkov needed to know exactly where he stood in this game, and it was miles beneath me. This was personal now.A car engine purred outside, its tires crunching against the gravel. I straightened in the chair and glanced at my wristwatch. Right on time. My source had told me Gabriel would be back from the club around now. A creature of habit, that one. Too predictable for his own good
DOMINIC'S POVI stepped into the house by nine that morning. The familiar quiet house greeted me, though I could feel someone’s presence before I even looked up. My eyes shifted to the foyer, and Ruby stood there.She stood barefoot, wearing an oversized blue button-up shirt that looked like it could swallow her whole. Her red hair was swept up into a messy bun, and for the first time since I’d met her, she looked soft. No dresses, no heels, no layers of carefully applied makeup. Just her. And damn, she looked good.The frown pulling at her lips was a clear warning. "Dominic, where have you been?"I shrugged off my coat, hanging it on the rack. "Out.""Out?" she repeated, crossing her arms. "That’s the best you’ve got? It’s nearly up to ten in the morning.""Good to know you can tell time," I said dryly, striding past her and toward the bar. I needed a drink, something to wash away the remnants of my anger of Gabriel.She followed me. "Dominic, I’m serious. Where were you?"I grabbed
RUBY'S POVI zipped up my suitcase two days later and stepped back, surveying the room one last time. It felt strange, leaving this space that had somehow become familiar in such a short amount of time.A bodyguard was already waiting at the door. Without a word, he reached for the bags.“Thank you,” I said quietly, handing them over.He gave a brief nod and turned, leading the way out. I followed, shutting the door behind me and stepping into the hallway. My steps slowed when we passed that particular door. The "Keep Out" placard was still hanging there like a challenge, daring me to ask questions I wasn’t sure I wanted answers to.Then the door opened.Dominic stepped out, closing it behind him. He wore a black shirt which was unbuttoned at the collar, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, as if he’d been working on something private.Ever since our conversation two days ago, I had been cautious around him. When he told me he’d gone to Gabriel’s house, threatened him, and nearly crossed
RUBY’S POVDominic opened the car door and stepped out first. The wind whipped his shirt against his chest as he turned and reached for my hand. I grabbed it and stepped out.I wore a short white bodycon halter-neck dress, and so the sudden cold made me shiver. But the sight before me made me freeze in place. The private jet was white with gold around its wings and nose, sleek and very massive. Its wings stretched out as if it could take over the whole sky. The initials of DR was painted along its side.“This is yours?” I asked.Dominic glanced down at me. “It’s actually the company's."I rolled my eyes. "So.... technically yours.”"If you say so." He muttered.Before I could respond, his hand moved to the small of my back. The feel of his fingers against my bare back was warm and distracting. A tingling sensation spread from where his fingers rested, and I shivered again. I tried to focus on the plane, the tarmac, anything other than the way my body seemed to react to his touch.He l
RUBY'S POV"Would you like to try something crazy?" He asked.A smile bloomed on my lips. "If it's skydiving, let me just say that—""No. Come here, Kitten." He murmured.It wasn't the nickname so much as the sound of Dominic's voice that forced me to really look at him. His blue eyes had gone dark with desire, and he was running a finger lazily up and down my hand.I shifted closer to him, and Dominic reached for his own glass of wine. He took a sip, then turned back to me. I waited for him to swallow that mouthful of wine, but he didn't.Wait, was he…I opened my mouth instinctively as he leaned closer to me. Dominic captured my lower lip in his teeth, tugging on it, silently begging me to open even wider for him. And open I did.As he kissed me, he poured a delicious mouthful of the liquid into my mouth. It was so unexpected and so hot, that I gasped in surprise.“Do you want more?” he whispered.I glanced down the aisle, half-scared that one of the flight attendants would see us.
DOMINIC'S POVHer confession had left me speechless. Ruby was staring up at me with those large green eyes, her dress undone at the front to reveal her boobs, her hair flailing out on either side of her face like an inferno. She was my gorgeous little secret."I shouldn't have said that." She apologized. "Shut up." I cut her off and kissed her again.Her tongue glided over the seam of my lips, then retreated, teasing, tormenting me further. My body was strung tight, had been since we'd kissed on the way here.I moved away from her, even as my body screamed in protest. Apparently, she felt the same because her hands immediately went for the snap on my jeans. Ruby unbuttoned my jeans and helped me push them, along with my boxers, down to the floor. I kicked the clothes aside and came back to her.Then kneeling on both sides of her chest, I held my dick ready."Squeeze your boobs together, Kitten." I ordered."Wait." Ruby reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of what looked like
DOMINIC’S POVRuby stayed curled up against me for the rest of the flight. I watched her; I was unable to look away, anyway. There was something about the way she relaxed in her sleep, like the weight of the world had finally slipped off her shoulders. There was a strange swell of something in my chest. It was strange but not unwelcome.It was affection.The thought came quickly. But as I looked at her, it felt right.The gentle chime of the overhead speaker broke the silence, followed by the pilot’s voice. “We’re beginning our descent into Milan, Mr Rutherford and Ms DanCliffe. Kindly ensure that all seatbelts are fastened.”I reluctantly nudged Ruby awake. “Hey, Kitten,” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “We’re landing. Wake up.”Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused for a moment before she realized where she was. “Already?”“Already,” I confirmed, smiling as she yawned and stretched.The jet touched down smoothly, and within minutes, we were taxiing to a stop. One o
RUBY’S POVDominic led me into his Milani home, gesturing toward the expansive foyer as though it were just another space in his day-to-day life. The walls were mostly glass, letting in a whole lot of sun. Like his house in Seattle, every detail was part of a strict palette of white, gray, and black. It was minimalist, but in that intentional way that made me know that someone put a lot of effort into decorating this house.It also made me want to add a bit of colour to it.I glanced at the gray leather sofas in the living room. They were shining like they’d been polished moments before we arrived. The few solid walls were white at the top, blending into a muted gray at the bottom. Even the glass walls seemed impossibly clear, reflecting everything so perfectly that I caught my own startled expression as I looked around.At the far end of the room, a massive television dominated the space. It was at least three times the size of the one I had in my condo.Dominic glanced at me. “I kn
Ruby's POV“Ariel, stop moving! I can’t fix your hair if you keep squirming!”Ariel groaned dramatically, tossing her head back. “I swear, Lilac, if you pull my scalp one more time...”Lilac scoffed, not even looking up from the curling iron in her hand. “Then what? You’ll go out there with lopsided curls? Please.”Ariana snickered from where she was wrestling with a stubborn zipper on a garment bag. “She has a point, Ariel. Just sit still and suffer through it like the rest of us.”I laughed as I stood in front of the mirror, carefully stepping out of my wedding gown. The dress slid off my body, leaving me in just my underwear as I reached for the dinner dress waiting on the hanger.“God!” I sighed, rolling my shoulders. “That thing is gorgeous, but it weighs like two elephants.”Ariel turned to me and arched a brow. “You chose it, Stepmom. Can I call you that?”"Please, don't."Ariana laughed at the look of horror on my face. Lilac clapped her hands together. “Okay! Ariel, you’re do
Dominic's POV“You son of a bitch! I’ll kill you, Dominic! I swear I’ll kill you!”Ambrose’s face was twisted with rage. He looked like he was ready to throttle me to the ground and beat me up. Spit flew from his mouth as he screamed. I didn’t flinch at his numerous threats. I didn’t even blink.I just laughed right in his face. The man really thought he could outsmart me.Ambrose's fury only increased. Like I predicted, he lunged forward at me, but my men raised their guns instantly, stopping him in his tracks. He knew better than to test them.Still chuckling, I turned to one of my men. “Put my daughter on the phone.”The man nodded, pulling out my phone which was with him and dialing Ariel’s number. He placed it in my hand as the call connected.It rang loudly twice, then the screen lit up with her face. The agonizing breath I had been holding since realising she was in danger finally left my lungs. I felt like I could breathe with ease again.Ariel was safe. Damien had saved her l
Ambrose's POV“To Dominic Rutherford, the man who lost everything in one night!”A loud cheer erupted around the long dining table as glasses clinked together. Laughter filled the room, bouncing off the cracked walls of the old Château Beaumont. The air smelled of whiskey, cigar smoke and greasy pizza. My men were in high spirits, stuffing their faces and drinking like kings. Seven of them were the seven other convicts that I had escaped with.Sergio, one of my more talkative men, laughed with a cigar dangling from his fingers. “I still can’t believe it. The great Dominic Rutherford, completely wiped out overnight.”Another man chuckled, slapping the table. “That’s what happens when you play a game against Ambrose Vandyke. You lose.”I took a slow sip of my drink. “He thought he was untouchable.” I shook my head, smiling. “He should have learned by now. No one is untouchable. Not even him.”More laughter.Another man spoke up. “And his little Hollywood princess, Ruby. That one who act
Dominic's POVThe apartment was quiet. The kind of quiet that wrapped around a place when no one had been home for hours. I sat in the darkness with my gun in hand, my thumb tracing the cool metal absently.I was waiting for him.The only source of light came from the faint glow of the city bleeding through the curtains. Shadows were thrown across the walls, shifting slightly whenever the wind moved the blinds.Brandon was taking his time, and I was slowly losing my patience.I could have gone after him sooner. I could have tracked him down, dragged him out of whatever hole he was hiding in, but that wasn’t what I wanted. No, I wanted this. I wanted him to walk in, thinking he was safe. Thinking that after everything, he still had a place to return to.Because that was the cruelest part of it all.Brandon was a young man of twenty three. He was still naive enough to believe that there was a way out of this. That he could betray Ariel and walk away with his hands clean. No, the sins of
Ruby's POVThe car was quiet, but the silence wasn’t comfortable. It was the kind of silence that left you agitated and jumpy.I sat in the front seat beside Damien, staring at my phone. The time read 11:49 PM. It had been almost fifty minutes since Dominic sent us the location that Ambrose had given him.Fifty minutes that felt like a whole lifetime. We had been waiting here for that long.I wrapped my fingers around the phone and peered out of the window. Ambrose had promised to let Ariel go, but I didn’t trust him. At this point, I couldn't see anything in the foggy, moonless night that showed that Ariel had been released.The Ambrose I had known growing up had been a reliable man, someone I once looked up to. But the Ambrose of the past five years was a different creature entirely. He was a scary monster. A man who had ruined lives, destroyed families and now, kidnapped an innocent young woman just to threaten her father.I was sick of it.I turned my head slightly, glancing at Da
Dominic's POVI curled my hands into fist so hard that my nails bit into my palms. Every single cell in my body screamed at me to put a bullet in Ambrose’s head, but the image of Ariel tied to that bomb was burned into my skull.I had no choice. I couldn't put Ariel's life at risk. I just had to take his word for it. Ambrose grinned, watching me wrestle with the decision. He thrived off this, watching me break under his thumb."It's really heartwarming to watch a father willing to do anything for his daughter." He mused. "Including giving away all the assets that he'd spent almost twenty-five years gathering. Personally, I can't say I am willing to go to that length for any child of mine."I swallowed my pride and spoke through gritted teeth. “I have the signed transfer papers in my car. I’ll hand them over to you, but you’ll tell your people to deactivate the bomb first.”Ambrose hummed, rubbing his chin. “That’s a tempting offer, Dominic. But I have one condition.”I glared at him.
Dominic's POVThe tires screeched as I sped down the empty road, towards the outskirts of the city, where Illinois met Missouri. That place was all trees and forest and shrubbery, and that was where Ambrose had set the location to meet with him.Trees blurred past in a mess of green and shadow. Even the sky overhead was growing darker by the minute. It was almost night. The signed contracts sat on the seat beside me. It was a last resort. A bluff. I had one final plan up my sleeve, and if it didn’t work, I knew I would be walking into my own grave. I just had to make sure Ariel was out of harm's way before doing it.I had told Damien and the others not to follow. I told them I had it under control. It was a lie. But I couldn’t risk Ariel’s life by bringing an army with me.Ambrose wanted me alone? Fine. I’d give him exactly what he asked for.The road stretched on endlessly, winding deeper into the forest. Eventually, the GPS told me to stop. The location Ambrose sent wasn’t accessib
Dominic's POVThe second I heard Damien’s voice outside the door, I bolted upright.Ruby gasped beside me, scrambling to find her dress. “Shit, shit, shit!”“Ruby?" Ariana’s high-pitched voice rang out. "We're coming in!”“No, you’re not!” Ruby hissed, fumbling with the zipper on her dress. I yanked my shirt over my head, hopping on one leg to get my pants back on.It was like some ridiculous game, one where losing meant our friends walking in on something they would never let us live down.Just as Ruby managed to smooth out her dress, and I ran a hand through my cornrows to look somewhat presentable, the door opened.Damien, Ariana and Lilac walked in, stopping just past the doorway. One look at the messy bed, the slightly disheveled clothes and Ruby’s flushed cheeks, and they all knew exactly what had happened.Damien’s eyes moved from the unmade bed to me, his eyebrows raised in amusement. “Really, Dominic?”"We were gone for forty five minutes!" Lilac exclaimed. "You guys couldn't
Ruby's POV Naturally, all I wanted was to argue.... until his fingers brushed up my thighs. When he got to the end of the road, he stroked my pussy gently. I closed my eyes as his breath warmed my delicate skin. My head went back, my hands clutched the pillows. He won. So it wasn’t my life. I might as well enjoy myself.The warm breath on the very edge of my thighs narrowed and then it was his lips. The tip of his tongue, licking, nipping.A fingertip slid slightly inside me, moving slowly, just teasing me with the promise of things to come. He nibbled one thigh, then the other, increasing the pressure against my clit so slowly I had to thrust up against him.He moaned at the movement, rewarding me by concentrating on the one spot with tiny circles.The nibbles stopped. He used both thumbs to spread me open. I held my breath as he found my clit with the hardened tip of his tongue.I gasped and my hands moved to the back of his head, fingers running through his thick, dark cornrows. I