RUBY'S POVA loud knock at the door made me jump so hard I nearly fell off the bed. My heart shot into my throat as the pounding came again, more insistent this time. I froze, staring at the door like it might explode. Was that someone here to finally end me?“Calm down, Ruby,” I muttered to myself, though my voice was anything but calm.My eyes darted around the room for something, anything to defend myself with. My gaze landed on the first thing I could grab: a pillow. A soft, white, useless pillow. Fantastic.With the pillow gripped tightly in my hands, I tiptoed toward the door. The knocking hadn’t stopped. It was steady and firm, and with every knock, my heart beat faster.I swallowed hard, held my breath, and flung the door open. I raised the pillow high above my head, ready to attack whoever dared to….“Ruby?”Dominic’s deep voice interrupted the chaos in my brain. I froze mid-swing, eyes wide as I stared at him.He stood there, one brow raised, his lips twitching with amusemen
DOMINIC'S POVI woke up to darkness around me. The room was quiet except for the faint sound of Ruby’s soft breathing beside me. I turned my head to look at her, and there she was, curled up on her side, her red hair spilling over the pillow like ink. Peaceful.I didn’t know how I’d ended up here, sleeping beside her. Most of the women I’d brought into this house never got more than a few hours of my time. I always left them sprawled out on the bed. Whatever we usually did was fleeting and meaningless. But this felt different.Ruby had a way of cracking through my walls without even trying. She always made me feel like I could unburden myself. Like I didn’t have to be the ruthless Dominic Rutherford everyone expected me to be.Sighing quietly, I sat up, careful not to stir her awake. My mask had slipped while I was sleeping, so I shifted it back to my face. I stared at her for just a moment longer before I swung my legs off the bed and stood. The floor was cool under my feet as I cros
DOMINIC'S POV It felt like I'd been waiting for this moment from the day I learned about Ruby's ex husband.Gabriel's house was dead silent, except for the faint creak of his old armchair as I leaned back and tapped my fingers against the armrest. The window was open, letting the cool night air along with the soft glow of moonlight. This was unusual. I wasn’t usually the type to wait, because I preferred action. But tonight, patience was the key.The bastard deserved this. Every single bit of it.Julia’s call to Ruby had been the final straw. I couldn’t let him think he had any leverage over her. Gabriel Volkov needed to know exactly where he stood in this game, and it was miles beneath me. This was personal now.A car engine purred outside, its tires crunching against the gravel. I straightened in the chair and glanced at my wristwatch. Right on time. My source had told me Gabriel would be back from the club around now. A creature of habit, that one. Too predictable for his own good
DOMINIC'S POVI stepped into the house by nine that morning. The familiar quiet house greeted me, though I could feel someone’s presence before I even looked up. My eyes shifted to the foyer, and Ruby stood there.She stood barefoot, wearing an oversized blue button-up shirt that looked like it could swallow her whole. Her red hair was swept up into a messy bun, and for the first time since I’d met her, she looked soft. No dresses, no heels, no layers of carefully applied makeup. Just her. And damn, she looked good.The frown pulling at her lips was a clear warning. "Dominic, where have you been?"I shrugged off my coat, hanging it on the rack. "Out.""Out?" she repeated, crossing her arms. "That’s the best you’ve got? It’s nearly up to ten in the morning.""Good to know you can tell time," I said dryly, striding past her and toward the bar. I needed a drink, something to wash away the remnants of my anger of Gabriel.She followed me. "Dominic, I’m serious. Where were you?"I grabbed
RUBY'S POVI zipped up my suitcase two days later and stepped back, surveying the room one last time. It felt strange, leaving this space that had somehow become familiar in such a short amount of time.A bodyguard was already waiting at the door. Without a word, he reached for the bags.“Thank you,” I said quietly, handing them over.He gave a brief nod and turned, leading the way out. I followed, shutting the door behind me and stepping into the hallway. My steps slowed when we passed that particular door. The "Keep Out" placard was still hanging there like a challenge, daring me to ask questions I wasn’t sure I wanted answers to.Then the door opened.Dominic stepped out, closing it behind him. He wore a black shirt which was unbuttoned at the collar, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, as if he’d been working on something private.Ever since our conversation two days ago, I had been cautious around him. When he told me he’d gone to Gabriel’s house, threatened him, and nearly crossed
RUBY’S POVDominic opened the car door and stepped out first. The wind whipped his shirt against his chest as he turned and reached for my hand. I grabbed it and stepped out.I wore a short white bodycon halter-neck dress, and so the sudden cold made me shiver. But the sight before me made me freeze in place. The private jet was white with gold around its wings and nose, sleek and very massive. Its wings stretched out as if it could take over the whole sky. The initials of DR was painted along its side.“This is yours?” I asked.Dominic glanced down at me. “It’s actually the company's."I rolled my eyes. "So.... technically yours.”"If you say so." He muttered.Before I could respond, his hand moved to the small of my back. The feel of his fingers against my bare back was warm and distracting. A tingling sensation spread from where his fingers rested, and I shivered again. I tried to focus on the plane, the tarmac, anything other than the way my body seemed to react to his touch.He l
RUBY'S POV"Would you like to try something crazy?" He asked.A smile bloomed on my lips. "If it's skydiving, let me just say that—""No. Come here, Kitten." He murmured.It wasn't the nickname so much as the sound of Dominic's voice that forced me to really look at him. His blue eyes had gone dark with desire, and he was running a finger lazily up and down my hand.I shifted closer to him, and Dominic reached for his own glass of wine. He took a sip, then turned back to me. I waited for him to swallow that mouthful of wine, but he didn't.Wait, was he…I opened my mouth instinctively as he leaned closer to me. Dominic captured my lower lip in his teeth, tugging on it, silently begging me to open even wider for him. And open I did.As he kissed me, he poured a delicious mouthful of the liquid into my mouth. It was so unexpected and so hot, that I gasped in surprise.“Do you want more?” he whispered.I glanced down the aisle, half-scared that one of the flight attendants would see us.
DOMINIC'S POVHer confession had left me speechless. Ruby was staring up at me with those large green eyes, her dress undone at the front to reveal her boobs, her hair flailing out on either side of her face like an inferno. She was my gorgeous little secret."I shouldn't have said that." She apologized. "Shut up." I cut her off and kissed her again.Her tongue glided over the seam of my lips, then retreated, teasing, tormenting me further. My body was strung tight, had been since we'd kissed on the way here.I moved away from her, even as my body screamed in protest. Apparently, she felt the same because her hands immediately went for the snap on my jeans. Ruby unbuttoned my jeans and helped me push them, along with my boxers, down to the floor. I kicked the clothes aside and came back to her.Then kneeling on both sides of her chest, I held my dick ready."Squeeze your boobs together, Kitten." I ordered."Wait." Ruby reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of what looked like
DOMINIC'S POVEarly the next morning, I slipped out of my bed, leaving Ruby in it. I took a quick shower and headed downstairs. Today was the day I'd finally meet with Damien ever since my travel to Italy with Ruby.I texted the address to Damien and slipped my phone into my pocket. The cool morning air brushed over my face as I stepped outside. My driver was already waiting by the car, and he straightened his posture when he saw me.“Would you like me to take you, sir?” he asked.I shook my head, pulling open the door. “Not today. I’ll drive myself.”He nodded, stepping aside without question.Sliding into the driver’s seat, I started the engine and pulled out of the compound. Damien was expecting answers. I’d told him that his sister now resided in Illinois, which wasn't a lie in itself, but which didn't feel like the complete truth either. I'd told myself, promised myself even, that I would end this whole web of secrets. Ruby deserved the truth, and so did Damien.But the timing co
DOMINIC'S POV Something in my frigid heart melted at her words.Ruby stared at me, bright green eyes blazing with emotions I could not name. Her hands caressed my face, sliding down my jaw, and in that moment, I felt safer than ever.I'd asked for a label, and she'd given me much more than that."Sex over the kitchen island," I murmured in a tease. "That's a first."She laughed, the sound like music to my ears. "Not even with your other women? Don't think I don't remember what Ariel said about that."I scoffed, thinking about my daughter. "Ariel doesn't know what she's talking about."Without giving her time to answer, I slung my arm around Ruby's waist, pulling her into my arms."Dominic!" She yelped, and I shot her a wide grin."What do you think Ariel would say if she found us half naked in the kitchen?" I asked. "Come on, time for bed."Ruby giggled as I carted her all the way to the door of her room before setting her down gently. Ruby threw her arms around my neck, and the warm
RUBY'S POVDominic's strong arms came around me immediately and he kissed me back, and oh, I loved kissing him. We fit together so well, we always did. No loose lips or space where it wasn’t wanted. He kissed me with perfect control, and I was pretty sure I could go on kissing him for the rest of my life and be thrilled every time.My hands reached up and tangled between the hair on the nape of his neck. Dominic growled, deepening the kiss. He pressed me against the wall of the kitchen, his hands clawing at my ass.Eventually, though, my breath became short and my involuntary moans more frequent, and kissing was no longer enough. The hot bulge in his pants lay right above the tiny cotton strip of my thong and the warm pressure was driving me completely insane.I broke away from Dominic, his hair a mess all over his head and face from my fingers. It almost felt like I was running from him, but Dominic closed the distance between us again. He yanked at the buttons on my nightdress, so
RUBY'S POVThe morning passed quietly. I made breakfast for Dominic and Ariel, but we ate in silence. Ariel practically cleared off her plate and even stole some food from her father's plate while giggling to herself. Dominic only spoke when necessary, his attention half on his phone, half on his thoughts. I didn’t know if I should try to start a conversation or just let it be. Ariel disappeared into her room after breakfast, slamming the door behind her. Coincidentally, It was the same room with the "keep out" sign. I should have known.I wasn’t sure what to expect from Ariel, but it seemed like she needed space. Maybe she was still processing everything, or maybe she just didn’t want to deal with me.Dominic, on the other hand, brought his laptop to my room. We didn’t talk much. He worked while I lay next to him, watching the way his fingers flew over the keyboard. I’d never been good at pretending not to notice him, but I didn’t want to distract him either. So, we stayed there, in
RUBY'S POVThe car rolled smoothly into the driveway, coming to a stop in front of Dominic’s sprawling mansion. I stared at the grand building, and my nerves crept in again. My experience the last time I met his daughter was still fresh in my mind; It has just been yesterday. That encounter hadn’t exactly gone well. She’d been cold and distant and clearly not impressed by me.I took a deep breath. Ariel was protective of her father, which I could understand. But that didn’t make the idea of seeing her again any less intimidating. Would she even want me here?Was I really terrified of a seventeen-year old teenage girl?Dominic’s voice broke into my thoughts. “You’re quiet. What’s on your mind?”I turned to him and forced a smile. “I'm just thinking about Ariel. I’m not even sure she likes me.”He tilted his head, his lips twitching into a smirk. “Ariel doesn’t like most people. Don’t take it personally.”“Great, that makes me feel so much better,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.Dominic c
RUBY'S POV“Wake up, Kitten. It’s morning.”A light tap on my shoulder and Dominic’s voice pulled me out of sleep. My eyes blinked open, adjusting to the bright light in the room. Dominic was towering over me. His hair was down, flowing over his shoulders, and for a second, I just stared. From this angle, he almost looked angelic.Like an Italian Jesus.“Did you sleep well?” His voice was gentle."Yeah." I yawned, stretching my arms over my head. “What time is it?”“7:12.”“WHAT?” My eyes widened and I blinked at him in disbelief. “You’re kidding. Did I really sleep for almost twelve hours?”He smirked. “You were exhausted. Not surprising.”I glanced around the office, trying to piece together how I had managed to crash for so long. My gaze landed on Rosalie, the blonde secretary from last night. She was cleaning up the remnants of our Italian dinner, moving quickly and with sharp, deliberate movements.She didn’t say a word, but her silence was loud enough. The way she scrubbed the t
RUBY'S POVDominic let go of me and turned to sit behind his desk, focusing on the screen of his laptop. The light from it illuminated his sharp features as his fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard. Every now and then, he’d pause to scribble something on one of the files scattered in front of him.I couldn’t stop watching him. There was something captivating about the way his brow knitted together in concentration, how his muscles flexed whenever he shifted in his chair, or the way he ran his tongue over his lips absentmindedly. It was ridiculous how someone could look so good while working.A knock on the door startled me, and I snapped my gaze away.“That should be Rosalie with the food,” Dominic said without looking up. “Can you get it for me?”“Sure,” I replied and stood up. I was too eager to shake off my wandering thoughts.I opened the door and came face-to-face with a tall woman holding a few plastic bags. She had a sharp blonde pixie cut and was dressed in a fitted shirt
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
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