Dominic’s POV


    I stepped out of Silver Collections, the evening air cool against my face. My hands were still sticky with Steve’s blood, the metallic scent clinging to my skin like a reminder of what I’d done. I didn’t regret it. Not for a second. The rage that had consumed me when I heard Reba’s desperate voice over the phone had barely subsided, my wolf still prowling beneath the surface of my control.


    I shrugged off my blood–spattered suit jacket, carelessly tossing it into a nearby trash can.


    “Take care of everything,” I instructed the Beta waiting by the door. “Make sure all surveince records are deleted.”


    He nodded sharply, his posture respectful. “Yes, Mr. Sterling. The female employee’s testimony has been recorded and will be used in our report to the Council.”


    I turned my gaze toward the ck Bentley waiting at the curb, feeling a sharp tug in my chest. Even from here, I could sense Reba’s distress, the pain radiating through our mate bond like ripples across still water. The sensation had grown stronger over the past weeks, another sign that our connection was deepening despite my


    attempts to resist it.


    As I approached the car, Raymond stepped out and opened the rear door for me. Inside, Reba was huddled against the far door, wrapped in a soft nket that Raymond must have provided. Her face was pale, eyes unfocused, a small trickle of blood still seeping from the cut at the corner of her mouth. The sight of it sent another surge of primal fury through me, my wolf howling for vengeance even though the one responsible was already dead.


    I slid carefully into the backseat, reaching for her with gentle hands. “It’s over now, little doe. No one will hurt you again.”


    She trembled as I pulled her into my arms, her body rigid for a moment before copsing against me. Silent tears tracked down her cheeks, soaking into my shirt. I could smell fear, pain, and beneath it all, a profound relief that made my chest tighten. Her heartbeat fluttered against my chest, rapid and irregr. The warmth of her body against mine triggered something protective and possessive in my core.


    “Back to the vi,” Imanded Raymond.


    As the car pulled away from the curb, I held Reba close, one hand stroking her hair while the other kept her firmly against my chest. Her hair was soft between my fingers, and I found myself inhaling deeply, savoring her natural scent beneath the lingering traces of Steve’s touch. I’d only been away from her for several days, dealing with the corporate crisis that had consumed all my attention, but it felt like an eternity. Too long to leave my mate unprotected in a world full of threats I hadn’t prepared her for.


    The leather seat felt cool against her bare legs where her skirt had torn. My eyes traced the exposed skin, noting every bruise, every mark that shouldn’t be there. Everything about her radiated pain–from the shoulder where Steve’s ws had raked across her skin, to her cheek where he’d struck her, to her wrists where bruises were already forming. But the physical injuries were nothingpared to the terror I could sense through our bond.


    We were halfway to my estate when herposure finally shatteredpletely. A sob tore from her throat, then another, until she was clinging to my shirt, her fingers twisted in the expensive fabric. Her breath came in hot gasps against my neck, her body pressing closer to mine with each tremor.


    “He… he almost…” The words wouldn’te. “If Emma hadn’t… if you hadn’t answered your phone…”


    I continued stroking her hair, my fingers asionally brushing the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck. My voice when I spoke was low and gentle. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”


    “Good,” she whispered, and buried her face against my chest again. Her fingers unclenched from my shirt only to slide up toward my cor, her touch leaving trails of heat on my skin even through the fabric.


    The vi was lit up as we approached, Diana and Dr. Winters already waiting at the entrance. I could see the concern on Diana’s face as Raymond pulled the car to a stop, tears gathering in her eyes as she caught sight of Reba’s condition.


    I didn’t wait for Raymond to open the door. I slid out carefully, keeping Reba cradled against my chest. Her arms circled my neck, her face pressed against my shoulder as I carried her, her breath warm against my skin.


    “I’ve prepared the master bedroom,” Diana said softly as I carried Reba up the steps.


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    <b>Chapter </b><b>67 </b>