The silent ride to Dominic's large estate passed without words. Lights from Alessia's window showed the ongoing story of the city. It was a haven from the problems she had tried to escape. The safe haven felt swift and not sturdy. With each mile, she grew nearer to the man to whom she had once been married.
She had loved him and lost him; he was the man who turned cruel in a world she wished she could forget. Her hands shook in her lap, and she grasped them tightly, as if that small action might protect her from what was to come.
Dominic's car was powerful and silent, just like him. Everything inside was immaculate and of high quality. She knew he was observing her closely, so Alessia looked away to get her thoughts together. She felt the questions he didn't ask, the tension, his body speaking without uttering a word. She had survived the alley, the deal, and the safe house, but could she survive seeing him again?
The tall metal gates seemed to be mocking her as they drew closer. Dominic exited the car first, towering and in command, as if the success of the whole night relied on him. Alessia came after him, at a slow gait. Her anxious heart pounded with the rhythm of her heels touching the ground. She clutched the folder with the signed deal tightly, using it as both safety and hope.
Dominic took her into a small private room with heavy curtains and very little furniture. He said to her, "Sit down on the edge of a chair." His eyes stared at hers. "Your eyes are puffy," Dominic said, half-whispering, almost as if he was not there. "Your hands are shaking. Why?
Alessia took a deep breath. She wanted to say she was tired, that the night felt long, and she felt weak from worrying about losing Avery. But she knew he would not care about those simple reasons.
Dominic thought weakness was something to use, not a fault. He saw being tired as a chance, not a problem. She had to quietly show him how she was feeling without any protection.
Dominic reached across the table, almost touching her hand. He looked at her steadily and deeply.
Alessia felt open and helpless under his look, as if all her fears and secrets were out in the open.
"Sign the agreement," he repeated. "It's final. No arguments, no doubts. Just do it."
She placed the folder on the table, her hands shaking. The weight of her decisions, her daughter's life, her future, seemed to bear down as if the pen held it all. She looked up at Dominic; their eyes met for the first time since they got back. He remained still, didn't smile, was just waiting- dangerous in his silence. Alessia struggled with what he expected, the pressure of his look and control in every part of him.
She breathed in deep, feeling the power of him, the smell of leather and cologne wafting in the air. She raised her hand almost mechanically to sign the papers. The pen scratch was like the sound of a hammer on the heavy pages. The deal was closed, starting a new chapter as her fingers dropped the pen, shaking.
Dominic leaned back slightly in his seat, watching her as if he already knew something. "Gather your things," he said in a strong voice. "You will come back with me tonight." He didn't soften his expression; instead, something appeared in his eyes-subtle but undeniably there-a sign of ownership, a final choice, and a quiet link that she belonged to him in many ways.
Alessia was completely disappointed. Her throat felt tight. She'd wished to have just one night to prepare for the coming trouble for almost no reason. "Just one night," she whispered, almost too quiet to hear.
Dominic frowned, his impatience evident in the depths of his dark eyes. "No," he replied firmly. His tone was such that he had decided this long before she arrived; it wasn't cruel or unkind. "This evening. We are leaving this evening." A car waited outside; it was safe, an indication that Dominic controlled everything around her. His men stood there, their eyes sharp and ready to take action with anything he would say. Alessia's heart beat fast. When he pulled her away, she felt him change from anger to wanting to protect her. He was the man getting back what he thought was his, with her being the most important thing, not just someone upset about being betrayed.
As Alessia got into the car, she felt the weight of what was happening. Dominic placed his hand briefly on her lower back, guiding and controlling her, not soft or rough-just right. Her body reacted instantly, that too-familiar feeling rising inside her, mixed with awareness and fear. She told herself it was only for now, to survive, and steadied her thoughts with Avery again. The car began to move, traveling down the streets. Alessia saw the blurry shapes and lights passing by, every second reminding her of the peaceful life she'd just left behind.
She had survived the chase in the alley, the fight, and signing the contract, but going back to Dominic's world felt different. It came with a danger that meant she needed to be constantly alert. Alessia took a deep breath to calm herself, shaking as the large house came into view. She had signed the deal but found herself coming back into a situation that made her feel confined. For now, at least, she had given up her freedom, her ability to choose, and her independence in order to care for her child. Alessia began to understand one very important thing, looking steadily and intensely-as Dominic opened the door for her: She
was not just going back to him.