Dominic held out a key.“For you.”
An empty feeling pitted at the bottom of her stomach.She swallowed hard and looked from the key to him.His smile was almost nervous, almost shy, but it was the excitement in his eyes that won her over.Dominic, her macho boyfriend who commanded boardrooms and made million-dollar deals, was insecure and hopeful.Okay, that was sweet.“You’re giving me a key to your condo?”
“I’d like to call itourcondo.”
She had hardly set foot in her apartment since the day they’d met.Everything was happening so fast.She blinked, trying to get a handle on the way he’d acted earlier.They’d been dating for weeks.That was all.Not to mention, she liked her own place.It was nowhere near as nice as his polished properties, but it was her own space.Grace gnawed on her bottom lip.Was he asking her to move in with him?Or was it just a key?It had to be just a key.
Still, she hesitated.“I don’t know.”
“Grace, I’m sorry tonight didn’t go the way you imagined.”He brushed his knuckles over her cheek.“But I wanted to meet your parents before I gave you this.”
She met his dark eyes.They twinkled as if this was something he needed.Almost like a challenge—no, that didn’t make sense.Almost like he was scared she’d say no.The corners of his lips lifted.Dominic clasped his key in her palm and closed her fingers around it, then brought her hand to his mouth, pressing it with the softest kiss.“I love you, Grace.”
Her apprehension melted away.How could she doubt a man who saw their future together?He was stable, secure, and he would treat her like she was precious.“I love you too.”
“My lawyers will handle your lease.We’ll have movers bring over whatever you want to keep.Simple.”
Wait.Hewasasking her to move in with him.Alarm bells sounded.
“You’re the love of my life.”He glanced over her shoulder.Callum was probably still standing there, watching.“Tell me you know that.”
“I know that.”
“That you’ll never break my heart.”
“Of course I won’t.”They were moving in together.A luxury condo.Maid service.Rooftop pool and gym.Concierge and doorman.It was safer than her apartment.It was the next step.
Grace forced herself to ignore Callum Hale as Dominic drove them toward her unexpected future.
Chapter One
PresentDay
Almost everyone Grace had ever met thought she was dead.She lived in hiding, yet somehow her ex-husband had found her.Years of lying with the sole goal of keeping Dominic away had been a big, fat failure.The peace that she’d precariously clung to evaporated.
Grace blocked the exit of the grocery store, frozen under the blowing air that cascaded from above the door.Could he see her?She crouched behind her cart.A sleek black Mercedes stood out in the quiet rural parking lot of the Shop ’n’ Save like a dark god lording over its thralls.No, Dominic hadn’t even seen her yet.That she was sure of.If he had, she wouldn’t still be standing.
Her ex was supposed to be in prison.
Well, just like she was supposed to be dead.
But Dominic reallywassupposed to be behind bars.There had been a courtroom showdown and more than one guilty verdict handed down by a hangman judge who was worth his weight in gold.Or rather, cryptocurrency, as Dominic would have preferred.
Dominic’s lawyers had been trying for years to throw out his conviction.They’d tampered with evidence, terrified witnesses, and worked every angle the justice system offered.She’d known their playbook.That had been the primary reason she’d “died.”Guess his attorneys had finally been successful, because she had no doubt he was outside the grocery store.
But she’d set up warning systems.His release from prison should have triggered a heads-up.No one had called her.No one had warned her.The safety measures that had been put in place to give her time to ensure her safety had failed—unless she was wrong, and that wasn’t Dominic.
“Hey, lady, get a move on,” a man called from behind her.
Grace looked over her shoulder and wanted to apologize but couldn’t get a word out.It was as if Dominic had wrapped his hand around her throat yet again, but this time without even being in front of her.
Maybe he wasn’t really here.
No.She wasn’t wrong.The black Mercedes sitting like a vengeful menace among the pickup trucks was all the proof she needed.
He was waiting for her.Screwing with her.Hoping she’d run across the parking lot and dive into the nondescript car registered to a shell company LLC so he could chase her.He needed their cat-and-mouse games where she ran for her life and he took her down.It was foreplay.At least to him.
That sadistic game that he relished was the reason he hadn’t waltzed into the store and dragged her out of the frozen food aisle.No, Dominic parked in the handicapped spot, wanting to be seen.Everything was a mind game.
