I didn’t sleep. 

Not really. Just drifted in and out, tangled in twisted sheets and worse thoughts, Nico’s kiss still ghosting on my lips, Dominic’s touch still carved into my skin. My pussy still craving for him but my lips and mind craving for another. Maybe craving shouldn’t be the right word. 

I turned again sighing to myself. 

It wasn’t peace that was my problem. It was exhaustion pretending to be rest. 

The knock on the door came too early. 

Three soft taps. Followed by a voice I didn’t recognize. 

“Miss Aria?” 

I blinked into the gray light spilling through the half drawn curtains. 

“Miss Aria, please. Mr. De Luca says we’re moving. You need to get ready.” 

My stomach flipped. 

Moving? 

I pushed up slowly, the cotton shirt clinging to my skin from the heat of dreams I didn’t want to remember. 

The door creaked open just a little. A young maid barely twenty, with nervous eyes and a French braid pulled too tight peeked inside. 

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “He wanted you dressed and ready within the hour.” 

Of course he did. 

Typical. 

I sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing at my temples. “Where are we going?” 

She fidgeted. “Another estate. In the south. More secure. More private.” 

More isolated. So no one could find me if I disappeared. Or scream if I needed to. Okay I am overthinking right now, it’s obviously because of Mikael. 

I nodded. “Okay. Thank you.” 

The maid gave a stiff bow and disappeared, closing the door softly behind her. I stayed there for a long moment. 

Taking deep breaths as thoughts ran through my head. 

Remembering Nico’s voice, like a devil whispering through the cracks. 

Help me, and you’ll finally be free. 

I shook my head, not wanting to be tempted. 

Not by his promises. Not by that smirk I couldn’t unsee. Not by the idea of escape when I didn’t even know if freedom still existed for someone like me. 

I forced myself up from the bed. The clothes left on the armchair were neatly folded black jeans, a soft charcoal sweater, undergarments that weren’t lacey for once. Simple. Comfortable. Designed for travel. 

My legs were still sore from the night before, but I didn’t dwell. I showered quickly, letting the hot water wash off the confusion, the quilt, the lingering taste of both men who now sat like wolves in opposite corners of my world. 

I stepped into the clothes like armor and wrapped my damp hair into a knot at the base of my neck. 

Time to play the part again. 

Time to act like I didn’t feel the walls closing in. 

When I stepped out of the room, the air in the safehouse had shifted. It was tense. Focused. Movement everywhere. Men I hadn’t seen before were checking weapons, strapping on bulletproof vests, murmuring in tight tones about routes and backup plans. 

Dominic’s men were always calm, always sharp but 

The main room had become a war council. 

bing, thi Successfully unlocked! 

Coiled. Ready to strike. 

Dominic stood at the center, one hand gesturing over an open map on the table, his voice low and commanding. He wore all black again–dark slacks, turtleneck, leather shoulder holster like a crown for the king of violence he was born to be. 

I scanned the room, nerves buzzing. 

Chapter 126 

Then I saw him. 

Nico. 

Leaning casually against the far wall, arms crossed, expression unreadable–except for the smirk he sent my way the 

moment our eyes met. 

He didn’t say a word. 

He didn’t have to. 

His gaze dipped down my body slowly. 

Didn’t flinch. Didn’t give him what he wanted. Instead, I walked straight to Dominic. 

He noticed me the second I approached, one arm lifting instinctively to wrap around my waist like he couldn’t help claiming me in front of everyone. 

His fingers curled against my side, warm and solid. 

“Did you sleep well?” he asked quietly, low enough only I could hear. 

I gulped. 

Lie, Aria. Lie fast and not mess up. 

“Yes,” I said, eyes fixed on the map, not him. 

But I could feel it–the way his gaze searched my face, always watching, always reading. 

From the corner of my eye, I saw Nico push off the wall and stroll to the other side of the room, never looking directly at us again. 

But I felt him like a brand between my shoulder blades. 

Dominic’s hand didn’t move from my waist. His fingers flexed just slightly, as if grounding himself–or reminding me. 

“We leave in fifteen,” he said louder, addressing his men now. “Two convoys, staggered departure. Rossi leads the front. Valenti takes rear. I want air support circling when we cross sector D.” 

“Yes, sir,” one of the guards echoed. 

Dominic turned to me, his tone softening just enough. 

“Get in the car, Aria,” he said. “We’re leaving for the estate now.” 

I nodded, swallowing the tight knot in my throat. There were a thousand things I wanted to say none of which could leave my lips. 

I climbed into the SUV, the black leather cold against my palms as I slid across the seat. Dominic followed, slamming the door shut behind him. A silent nod from Rossi at the wheel, and we rolled out. 

The convoy moved like a well–oiled machine–two black SUVS in front, two behind, one armored vehicle carrying equipment. The sky was a pale gray bruise, clouds thick and ready to rain. 

Dominic didn’t speak for the first ten minutes. He sat beside me, leg brushing mine occasionally, his eyes scanning the world outside like he was memorizing every inch. 

I kept glancing at him from the corner of my eye. 

I wanted to tell him. 

About Nico. About the offer. The kiss. The betrayal. 

But every time I opened my mouth, my courage died in my throat. 

How could I? 

He trusted Nico with his empire. His life. 

And now the man who stood at his back wanted to bury a knife in it. 

I gripped my hands tighter in my lap. 

Say something, I screamed inside. Just tell him. Tell him before it’s too late. 

“Aria?” 

My head snapped toward him. “Yeah?” 

“You’ve been quiet.” His gaze was unreadable. “Something on your mind?” 

Yes. Everything. 

But I shook my head. “No. Just… tired.” 

His brow furrowed. He didn’t push. 

Chapter 126 

Outside, the road turned darker, more rural–winding through hills and thick patches of trees. We were nearly twenty minutes out when Rossi’s voice crackled through the radio. 

“Approaching Sector D.” 

Dominic’s shoulders tensed. 

And then everything exploded. 

BOOM! 

The front SUV lit up like a fireball. 

Metal tore through the air. Glass shattered. 

“Out!” Dominic roared, grabbing my arm and yanking me down as the shockwave hit us. 

Bullets screamed through the air before I could breathe, Automatic gunfire ripped from the trees lining the road, tearing into the second SUV. 

“Ambush!” Rossi shouted. 

Dominic shoved open the car door, pulling me with him, shielding me with his body as bullets pinged off the metal behind 

1. us. 

His men scrambled, returning fire–Rossi barking orders, Matteo already dragging another guard to cover. 

1 crouched low behind the SUV, heart slamming, ears ringing. 

Dominic was firing without hesitation, taking down a man hidden behind a tree in one clean shot. His movements were fluid, brutal. 

“Stay down!” he growled at me. 

“Mikael?” I gasped. 

He didn’t answer. But his eyes said everything. 

This wasn’t a warning. 

It was war. 

I crawled along the gravel toward the rear tire as another explosion shook the ground. One of the SUVS flipped, flames licking the undercarriage. 

I looked around. 

Nico wasn’t with us. 

My blood ran cold. 

Was he part of this? 

Or had he known it was coming? 

Dominic knelt beside me, pressing a clip into his gun, blood smudged along his jaw. 

“You okay?” 

I nodded shakily, wiping grime from my face. “You?” 

He glanced at the burning wreck ahead, at the bodies, the chaos, then back at me. 

“I’m fine.” 

His hand brushed my cheek for a moment–almost too quick to be real. 

“We move on foot,” he said. “Woods to the left. Rossi’s clearing a path. Stick with me.” 

Another bullet zinged past. 

Dominic stood, returning fire, then crouched and grabbed my hand. 

I squeezed it as he led me. Halfway to cover, as we dropped behind a fallen log, Dominic glanced at meeyes still burning, jaw clenched, blood and ash streaked down his throat. 

“Aria,” he said over the gunfire, voice like gravel and thunder, “if you’re hiding something…” 

He didn’t finish. 

He didn’t have to. 

Because if I was if I was hiding something 

Then someone was going to die. 

214