My nervousness makes another sudden appearance, but it’s because I’m about to give him all the evidence he needs to win this case for me.
“Dom, I have to give you my journal. I mentioned I had sufficient evidence regarding Brody and the founding families, but I want you to take it and keep it safe for me.”
Talk about a mood killer.
The light in Dominic’s eyes fades before it blazes. Cupping his hand around the back of my neck, he pulls me to him and absolutely destroys me with his kiss until I’m struggling to remember my name or where I am.
He pushes his forehead to mine and waits until my breathing evens out.
“Simona, I’m in awe of your strength.”
I soften under his praise; my hand cups his face and I soak in the intimacy we share before I break our sweet connection and walk into the janitor closet.
Taking a step inside the small, dank space, it’s hard not to plummet into the dark memory of what Brody did in here. The promise of being rid of him is what I cling to as I step over the exact spot where he threw me down like discarded trash.
Once I make it past that point, a load falls away. I climb the edge of the industrial shelving to reach where I had hidden everything.
Turning, I nearly walk right into Dominic. He reaches out his hand, not for what I’m holding, but as a reminder I’m not alone anymore.
“Ryder messaged. He’s arranged your breakfast and snacks for the morning. And apparently Hendrix is waiting to hear what you’d like for dinner for the next few nights. I’ll be focusing on your case, so I will be at my office orworking from home. We are less than twenty minutes away.”
We’ve had this chat a few times already. I suspect my Alpha is repeating it to ensure when I pass to him the incriminating evidence, the event doesn’t sear into a core memory.
Except, I still need to say something to him about it. “Dom.”
He checks over his shoulder but doesn’t stop walking out of the room and we are as far away from it as possible. He places the bag near his feet, taking my other hand in his for additional support, already recognising what I have to say is difficult.
“I journalled as a way of coping with what happened, and what was happening. I know what’s inside the pages, but I’ve never reread what I wrote from cover to cover. It’s too raw.”
“That’s fine,” he says stoically. I can feel the gathering storm of his emotions; he doesn’t need to vocalise them as they press like a touch on my skin.
“You could get one of your assistants or associates to transcribe my journal so you don’t need to.” He narrows his eyes at me, and my words speed up. “But if you do read my journal, I want you to keep what we spoke about in the ugly room in the forefront of your thoughts.”
I get a small smile at the mention of the ugly room, it needs no further explanation, but it needed mention because it was a reminder of better times, ones that haven’t yet happened but they definitely will. He doesn’t rush in to argue or appease, but I can see he’s made his mind up.
He wraps his strength around me, dropping his designation so I get a very intimate reminder he is a strong Alpha. “I am not going to let you carry the burden alone anymore, Simona. I will read each word you wrote. I will trace each tear stain before reviewing each and every photo. I will bememorising the details you carefully wrote. It is my role as yours to do that, but it is a great honour too.”
I have to blink back my tears, but that doesn’t dampen the impact of his words. Dominic’s arms tighten until I can breathe without choking on my emotions, and then I stay a little longer because I’m fast getting used to his cuddles.
When we finally break apart, it really is time to go. I’m exhausted, and tomorrow I have a heavy course load to study. After one last, lingering kiss goodbye, I use the spray on both of us before walking him out the front gates.
I wait until Hendrix turns the car and drives off before I wave to Nigel and Dale who will continue to watch me, when my pack can’t.
Chapter
Forty-Three
SIMONA
Being at Unity without the girls is strange. I’ve always been friendly with other Omegas but at the same time I hadn’t focused any energy forging friendships outside of the Scorned Girls because there was no need.
Now though, I feel like the new girl starting on the first day. Previously that would have sent me spiralling down a self-conscious vortex, not anymore. Without trying, I can feel Ryder, Hendrix and Dominic everywhere I go, and it’s amazing.
I wish I had the chance to properly enjoy the ramifications of finding my scent-matched Alphas, and bonding with them, but the looming showdown with the founding family lawyers is starting to suck the joy out of everything.
My stress levels are rising by the hour. It’s gotten to the point where I keep misinterpreting the quietness in the Scorned Girls chat as something to be paranoid about. My last message in our chat was an overly sentimental reminderof how strong our friendship is even though it is changing, and I posted it nearly an hour ago but still haven’t gotten a response. Which makes me spiral again.
I know I look as frazzled as I feel, which is the reason I chose to shower in Raney’s bathroom then do my hair and makeup in Heidi’s before rifling through Tristan’s wardrobe to find something to wear to the emancipation hearing. I shamelessly lean into Heidi’s advice. When she needs to cope with her anxiety, she borrows something from each of us.
