Lahat ng Kabanata ng Empire of Dominance: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Kade’s POV In the livery car parked on the corner of the Reyka Hotel, Kade was gnashing his teeth. He allowed himself the luxury of showing his anger in private, as he listened to Hector Lyonell’s bombastic, idiotic monologue. Raven’s chilly responses made him bitterly happy, though—she was unshakable.Then he heard:“And if you do not let go of my wrist in the next ten seconds, I guarantee you will find yourself in an extraordinary amount of pain. If you haven’t noticed, you’re quite surrounded.”He almost burst out of the car at that moment. He was going to break this insolent little puppet of Oriri, make him eat his teeth while he apologized for his actions.But as Raven continued, he knew he wouldn’t have to. Lyonell dug his own grave with every word. There was no way Christina Lu would let this slide. Kade wasn’t entirely sure how Christina would find out—but he was sure that she would. And this useful puppet, the man who’d hired the assassin to clean up Christina’s

Raven leaned in over her second cup of coffee in the morning, scrolling through her phone. Kade had already left the apartment—when, she didn’t know. It was Saturday; the day before her was a long void.She watched social media posts flicker by under her thumb.There was smiling photo after smiling photo, over and over again: people with their ordinary lives. Most of her close friend network was leftover from high school and college. Faces she recognized by instinct, names she loosely remembered.Then, all at once, she saw a familiar face, a familiar name, and with a familiar background buildings.Tatum, her roommate for the first two years of college, posed in a selfie, waving a peace sign.Raven hit the message options in seconds: Raven: Hey girl!!! Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were in town?? She didn’t have to wait even five seconds for the response: Tatum: Holy shit I completely forgot you’re still here!! For some reason, I thought you moved to LA

Raven felt her mind swimming back to the surface like a film coming back into focus. It was an effort: she felt so cold and loose and achy, as if she’d just walked a long way in intense heat. That must have been some kind of drug, she guessed. It had knocked her out completely, and it took a long few moments to come back to herself.The first thing she was aware of was the pressure against her wrists and the awkward angle they were pinioned at behind her. She felt hard plastic edges digging into her skin. Zip ties. She’d been propped upright on a leather bench—a car seat. And she felt the thrum of a motor through the seat, against her back and thighs.God damn it.She’d fucked up. Badly.This wasn’t the hitman—not the one with the double-forehead-hit signature. But she’d allowed herself to be literally cornered. And now she was tied up in a stranger’s car.Voices swam to her awareness, deep and masculine:“She’s up.”“Dose her again?”“Not yet. Let’s assess.”Fingers

Raven woke up to a flood of sunshine: true morning. And to Kade resting on top of her… and inside her. She felt a small, sweet thrill in her thighs as she realized. This had never happened before, not with Kade. Not this lazy vulnerability. This togetherness that wasn’t a clash of bodies and wills and sweat, that ended in the frenzy of pain and passion.This was new. And she didn’t mind it at all.Still, she slid herself out from under him. He didn’t stir: the man needed his sleep, she realized. Staying up all night long, watching over her, then reclaiming her. He’d worn himself down to nothing. For her.In the bathroom mirror, she evaluated the damage. The bruise on her hip was beginning to turn an angry dark blue, where the point of Garth Lu’s dress shoe had connected. But that was nothing. Her face was tender where he’d slapped her, but nothing worse than than. For all his grandstanding, he’d barely left a mark.She showered the last of the mildewy warehouse scent off of her

“Um, please explain what exactly the fuck you mean?” Raven’s chest felt tight. She felt the shadow of zip tie pressure around her wrists. She and Kade were alone with this man, out of sight, vulnerable—and he knew everything about their plan. Everything.“Don’t panic, Raven.” Kade gestured at the chair that Jane had just vacated. “Sit down, Seymore. I know you have a flair for the dramatic. But that isn’t the kind of dramatic pronouncement you just drop in here. Especially after last night.”“What happened last night?” Seymore asked blankly.Raven turned to Kade, confused. “You didn’t tell him?”“I was focused on the hiring process. Seymore only got off the plane from London late last evening.” Kade sipped. It was a bit of a tell, Raven was realizing. “I didn’t exactly have time to fill him in.”“I’m here now.” Seymore tapped his fingertips on the tabletop. “Right here, waiting.”“Last night, Raven went out for some drinks with coworkers,” said Kade, flat and factual. “O