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Italy Behind

Penulis: Manuel Kyle
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-01-19 01:52:15

DOMINIC'S POV

One week later, we were on our way back home. The drive was silent except for the occasional soft murmur of the driver updating us on how long it would take to get there. Ruby’s hand was in mine, her fingers loosely in between my own. I’d never been the type to like physical touch, but with her, it was different. It wasn’t an invasion of my space. It felt like a comfort.

“It’s bittersweet, isn’t it?” she murmured.

I turned my head to look at her, watching the way her eyes wandered over the Italian city fading behind us. “What is?”

“Leaving.” She smiled faintly. “I mean, I know I’ll carry this one week with me, but I’ll miss it. The last time I was here was the worst one week of my life. But this one is the best. I'll miss everything about it.” She turned to me and smiled. “And, of course, annoying you.”

I chuckled. “You’ve gotten very good at that.”

She laughed. “You’re welcome, I guess.”

We pulled into the hangar moments later, and Ruby’s face seemed to brighten up as s
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  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    "Dad?"

    DOMINIC'S POVIt was the Sunday after our trip to Milan, and we were back in my Seattle mansion. A plate of toast sat in front of me, beside my signature coffee. Beside the plate was my laptop, open to a Skype video call page.I bit into a corner of my toast as I spoke. "Go on, Matthew.""A lot of work was left unfinished before your trip, Mr Rutherford." Matthew notified me. "I was wondering when we'd be able to get down to it.""When I come to the office." I dropped my toast and took a sip of my coffee. "Which will be later this week; Wednesday, most probably."Gregory opened his mouth to speak again, but was silenced by the sound of footsteps coming down the staircase behind me."Would you like us to reschedule a meeting for you, Mr Rutherford?" Another worker named Mrs Bellick asked. "It seems you have a visitor.""I do." I replied. "I will inform my secretary to schedule a physical meeting on Wednesday and send you all the memo. Thank you."Without waiting for a reply from them,

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-19
  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    On The Edge

    DOMINIC'S POV“Who the hell is that?” Ruby whispered curiously. "Are you expecting visitors?"Ruby looked even more of a mess than I realised. Her hair was slightly disheveled and her lips were swollen and pinkish from my kisses. Her bathrobe even rode high on her thighs, and her eyes squinted toward the front door where the knocking had only grown more insistent.I cursed under my breath. I hadn’t even told her about Ariel. How could I have forgotten? Guilt stabbed me in the chest as I realized the day had arrived far quicker than I anticipated. Ariel was here.“That,” I said, attempting to sound composed, “would be my daughter.”Ruby’s eyes widened. “Your WHAT?!”“I’ll explain later,” I said quickly, waving her off. “Just fix yourself up.”I rushed to the front door, barely sparing her another glance. My heart pounded as I twisted the handle and pulled it open.Standing there, suitcase in hand, was Ariel. She looked just as I remembered: tall like me, her waist-length brown hair flo

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-20
  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Hurt

    RUBY'S POVThe moment I stepped out of Dominic’s house, tears began to fall from my eyes, and I didn’t bother wiping them away. Let them fall. Maybe they’d take some of the anger and hurt with them. I hated this. I hated feeling so exposed and so raw. Why was it so easy for the people I cared about to keep secrets from me? Was I the problem?The streets were busy. People were bustling past me as I walked aimlessly, clutching my phone like a lifeline. I didn’t care about the odd stares I got from strangers. My thoughts were a mess, tangled between how much I cared for Dominic and how tired I was of being the one left in the dark.First Gabriel, now him. How many times would I let someone shut me out before I learned my lesson?I kept walking until I realized I took nothing from Damien's house, no bag or clothes, not even my favorite lip balm. Just my phone. Great.I pulled it out and stared at the screen, debating my next move. Calling Dominic was out of the question. The thought of li

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-20
  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    A Break

    RUBY'S POVI sat across from Lilac at the little café on the corner. I’d just finished unloading everything on her, from Dominic's dead wife to his daughter and the money. Every little detail spilled out of me like a flood.Lilac as usual, sat calmly, listening without interrupting. It was one of the things I loved most about her. She never cut me off or tried to fix things too early. She just listened.When I finally stopped, my voice was hoarse and my throat was dry. Lilac motioned for the waitress. “One cappuccino and a bottle of water, please,” she said softly, then turned back to me.“You done?” she asked.“Yeah.” I slumped back in my chair, suddenly exhausted. “I think that’s everything.”Lilac nodded, her eyes scanning me carefully. “And you’re sure you’re not leaving anything out? Because this feels like one of those drama series where there’s always one last bombshell.”“Very funny.” I rubbed my temples. “No, Lilac. That’s it. His dead wife, his secret daughter, and the freak

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-21
  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    A Stranger In Black

    RUBY'S POV"It's probably nothing," I muttered to myself.I tried to shake off the strange encounter and focus on the task at hand. Lilac would probably roll her eyes at me if I came back empty-handed after agreeing to this shopping trip.Stepping into the shirts section, I began flipping through a rack of vintage round necks. A particular dark green one caught my eye, and I reached for it. Just as I was pulling it off the hanger, I collided with someone.“Sorry....” I apologized and looked up. My words froze in my throat when I saw him.It was the same man in all-black.His face broke into that same gap-toothed smile. “Well, fancy meeting you here again.”At this point, I was already growing annoyed. “Yeah, what a coincidence,” I muttered and stepped back.“I swear I’m not following you,” he said with a chuckle, raising his hands as if in defense. “But it’s kind of funny, don’t you think? Bumping into each other like this.”I forced a tight smile, gripping the shirt I’d just picked o

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-21
  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Conniving Gabriel

    RUBY'S POVLilac drove in silence while my thoughts were all over the place. The man in black was dangerous, I knew that much and I knew it the moment I saw him. His entire look screamed trouble, and now the pieces were rapidly falling into place.The men who dressed like that worked for Ambrose. I remembered their all-black attire, and now that I think about it, the insignia on that man's cap was very similar to the one Ambrose's men usually wore. Gabriel must have gone behind Ambrose's back and sent the man to me, to threaten my peace. My stomach lurched. Of course, he had.Suddenly my phone buzzed in my lap. The sound made me jump, and a sharp yelp escaped my throat.Lilac glanced at me. “Ruby, it’s just your phone. Relax.""Yeah, yeah. Sure." I fumbled for the phone, the screen blurring under my shaky fingers. When I finally answered, the first thing I heard was cold, maniacal laughter.A chill made its way down my spine. I'd recognize that voice anywhere, even in my sleep.Gabri

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-22
  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Dominic To The Rescue

    RUBY'S POVIn a matter of five minutes, Lilac turned the wheel, easing the car into the parking lot of the office building that Dominic had described to us. I kept my eyes glued to the side mirror, watching as the white car came to a slow stop just outside the office building. My heart was still beating rapidly in my chest.“Do you see that?” I whispered to Lilac.She nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Damn right, I see it. He’s either too dumb or too bold to back off now.”The white car idled around for a moment. It was obvious that the driver was confused on what to do. Should he come for us or drive away? I reached for the door handle, ready to bolt inside the building.“Wait,” Lilac said sharply, grabbing my wrist. “Don’t get out yet.”I froze and looked at her in confusion. “Why not? I'm sure Dominic is in there. And if he's not, then that stalker won't be stupid enough to follow us inside. We’re safe now.”Lilac glanced at the car again. “That guy could have a gun. If y

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-22
  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten     “Do you see something you like?”

    RUBY'S POVThe lobby of Dominic's office building was simple but striking. The walls were painted gray, and the floors were smooth, dark tiles that looked like they’d been freshly cleaned. A sleek black reception desk stood in the center, with a woman behind it typing quietly on her computer.To one side, there was a row of black chairs and a low glass coffee table with magazines spread across it. On the opposite wall, a large digital screen displayed the Rutherford logo and what looked like stock updates.There wasn’t much color anywhere. It was just black, gray, and white but it felt purposeful, not cold. Everything about the space was calm and precise.I glanced at Lilac, who gave a low whistle. “This place is something else,” she murmured.“Yeah,” I replied. It was clear this wasn’t just an office; it was the heart of the Rutherford empire.Dominic turned to me briefly. “Stay here. I need to check something with the front desk.”I nodded, watching as he strode away with that air o

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-23

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  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    His Plan B

    Ambrose’s POVI walked out of the store room and typed out the message. Short. Precise. The kind of thing that would drive a blade straight into Dominic’s chest.“I wonder how it feels to know your daughter is slipping through your fingers as we speak. Tick tock, tick tock. Time is running out. If you ever want to see your daughter again, you will do exactly as I say. Instructions will be relayed to you very soon. I don't want any cops or dumb tricks. You know what to do.”I read it over once, then sent it. A moment later, the screen blinked. The message had been delivered.I stared at Ariel's name glowing at the top of the message. The irony of it almost made me laugh. There was something delicious about making a father’s worst nightmare come true.I slid the phone back into my pocket and sighed, walking to the rusty elevator and taking It back up. When I got up, I walked past the smoking men and stepped out into the cool night air. Chicago was quieter than usual, even though I knew

  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Leverage

    Ambrose's POVThe building smelled of dead animals. It was an old hotel, now reduced to nothing but dust and silence. I stepped over a broken floorboard, my polished shoe grinding against the dirt under me. The place was barely standing. The ceiling sagged in places and the corners darkened with mold, but it would serve me for now, at least.Some of my old and loyal men were sitting on a wooden slab in the middle of the room, smoking and drinking. When they saw me, they gave me deferent bows. A few of them waved, and I waved back. I had called them together at such short notice, but they still came. It was good to know that they were still loyal to me. I would pay them handsomely once this was over.I walked toward the rusted iron elevator, its metal cage rattling as I stepped inside. The doors groaned as they slid shut and with a shudder, the elevator descended. Dominic Rutherford had taken everything I worked for away from me. Rachael was meant to be mine, but he stole her. And wh

  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Ariel Still Missing

    Dominic’s POV“Oh, my God!” Ruby screamed.She sprang to her feet and started pacing her hotel room. Her hands tangled in her hair, her pants legs flapping against each other as she walked about. I'd told her about everything, from the news of the prison break that I got during the meeting, to Ariel being kidnapped at home, to her boyfriend who was in the house when it happened.“You’re telling me some random guy just waltzed into your house and claimed to be Ariel’s boyfriend?" She roared. "And you let him go? What If he was behind it all?”I squeezed my eyes shut. “He said he was in a long-distance relationship with her. That they met when she was in Switzerland.”Ruby spun on her heel, eyes burning into me. “And you believed him? Dominic, I thought you were smarter than this.”I scoffed. “Hell yes, I am. But he didn’t seem like a threat. If he was dangerous, I’d have known. Trust me, Ruby, I have been around a lot of dangerous people, and that Brandon boy is not one of them."Her a

  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Five Years Apart

    Ruby's POVJust like that, five years disappeared between us.Five long years, and now I was standing here, face to face with the man I had once given my entire heart to.There was a whole myriad of emotions within me. But more than anything, I felt love. Because despite everything that had happened, despite the distance and the silence and the longing, despite every reason I had given myself to move on… I never really moved on from him.I let my eyes roam over him, drinking in every change that time had carved into him. Five years had really done him good.He was broader now, his body was solid with muscle like he had spent every day training, pushing himself harder. His hair which used to be in a ponytail was now styled into neat, sharp cornrows that framed his face perfectly. A well-trimmed beard lined his jaw, making him look even more powerful and more manly.And God help me, he looked so... fucking.... good!I felt my heart stutter, and for the first time in a long time I was br

  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Amidst Chaos

    Dominic's POVThe Basement was filled with voices but none were louder than mine."Spread out!" I roared, slamming a fist against the table. "I don’t want excuses! I want results! Do you hear me?"The metal rattled under my hand, but I didn’t care. My men scrambled around, some on their phones, others poring over maps and documents. None of them moved fast enough for me. Ariel was missing, and the more time we wasted, the more danger she was in.I knew it was Ambrose. There was no doubt in my mind. That bastard had taken her, and I had let it happen.I balled my fists so tight that they hurt. I kept running last night over in my head, every single mistake, every moment I should have done something differently.I should have never told the men that guarded my house to go home. The house had been unprotected because I thought for one damn second that we could let our guard down. I should have gone home after that call with Ariel, not go to the bar with Damien. I should have..."Sir."I

  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Home Again

    Ruby's POV"I understand what you’re saying, Martin, but we are not doing another take of that scene."I held my phone between my shoulder and ear, flipping through a thick script with one hand while signing a document with the other. My assistant stood beside me, watching with nervous eyes as I scrawled my signature across the last page."I don't care if the lighting was slightly off," I continued, shifting the phone back into my hand as I turned to grab a bottle of water. "The emotion was perfect. The moment was perfect. If you ask me to reshoot it again, I swear I’ll throw something at you."Martin the director laughed on the other end of the line. "Fine, fine. You win, DanCliffe. You always do.""Exactly."The assistant took the signed document from me and scurried off. Another person approached with a clipboard, but I raised a hand. "Not now. Give me a second to breathe."She hesitated before nodding and stepping back. I squeezed my eyes shut, rubbing my temples. My head was poun

  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Trouble At Home

    Dominic's POVThe Chief’s words played over and over in my head. Eight inmates had escaped, and not a single one had been found. It didn’t make sense. How could a group that large vanish without a trace? Someone had helped them. Someone with power and enough resources.I gripped my whiskey glass and set it down hard. The sound made Damien glance at me. He could see the frustration in my face."Dominic," he murmured in warning.I shook my head. "He’s the Chief of Police. How does he not have a single lead? Not even one?"Damien leaned back, stretching his arm across the booth. "Agitating yourself isn’t going to change anything.""So what do you suggest?"He looked at me for a long moment. "We need to get some sleep. We regroup in the morning and think about our next step then."I opened my mouth to argue, but he raised a hand. "No arguments. You know I’m right."I ran a hand over my face. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."We finished our drinks in silence. Damien paid the bill, and we walked out

  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Chaos

    Dominic's POVThe world around me blurred the moment I saw the news. Only three words rang in my head. Ambrose was free. Ambrose was free!And if he was free, I knew without a doubt that there was only one thing he would want.Revenge.“Dominic!” Damien yelled, and I gave a small start.I looked up in horror. “Ambrose escaped.”His entire expression changed immediately. The chatter in the room faded as the other men picked up on the shift in atmosphere.“What the hell do you mean he escaped?” Damien took my phone from my hand and skimmed the article. The longer he read, the thinner his lips turned. “Son of a bitch!”I ran a hand down my face, trying to tell myself to stay calm. “They set fire to the penitentiary and used the chaos as cover. The authorities haven’t been able to track him down.”“Of course they haven’t.” Damien groaned and closed his eyes. “Ambrose was never the kind of man to just sit and rot in a cell. He planned this, I know he did.”I nodded, already running through

  • The Billionaire's Daring Kitten    Trouble Breeding

    Dominic's POVFive years later..."I don't see why this meeting can't be handled over a conference call, Damien."I pushed open my office door with my shoulder, my phone propped between my ear and my collarbone. With one hand, I shrugged on my jacket while the other gripped my briefcase. "It’s not like we haven’t done this a hundred times before."Damien’s sigh came through the line. "Dom, you know how these high-rollers are. They like to see who they’re dealing with, shake hands and size up the competition. You want to lock this deal down, we do it my way.""Your way? Why the fuck? My way is better.""Because," Damien said on the other end, "when you're dealing with potential buyers for a deal this big, you look them in the eye. You gauge their reactions. You see if they're hiding anything."I sighed. "We have people for that.""And people can be wrong," Damien countered. "Come on, Dom. I already set this up. Look, the least you can do is to just show up and listen."I reached the fr

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