Chapter 43
I know exactly what I’m looking for. I just need to find him.
Not him him—not Lucian. That ship’s been sunk and set ablaze.
No, I’m looking for someone who can help me make a very specific kind of point. Someone powerful. Exclusive. Desired. The kind of man who makes people stop and stare when I walk into a room on his arm.
I sit at the long, sleek conference table inside The Ledger’s private suite, a tablet in hand, Eve across from me sipping her matcha like this is just another Tuesday. And for her, maybe it is.
For me, it’s the beginning of my revenge arc.
I adjust the filters without hesitation. No short-term contracts. No casual play. I want long-term.
High visibility. Maximum impact.
The list tightens, half the names vanishing from the screen. I swipe through them, one after another. CEOs. Diplomats. Old money and new tech. None of them give me that feeling. Not the one I’m chasing.
Until him.
Dominic Salvi.
The moment his name appears on the screen, my finger pauses mid-swipe. I remember him.
The luncheon. The one where I orchestrated my little performance with Mr. Langston. Salvi was there. Watching.
Even then, something about him made my skin prickle—like I’d stepped into a room with a predator. The kind that doesn’t need to growl to be dangerous.
That’s what it is.
Power.
It hums beneath his profile like static.
Lucian carries it too—that quiet, devastating sort of authority. The kind that doesn’t need to raise its voice. That looks you in the eye and dares you to challenge it.
I flick the file onto the big screen. "This one."
Eve glances up, then rises to read. Her brow arches halfway through.
“Check out the bag attached to that one,” she says, letting out a low whistle.
I do. And yeah… it’s obscene. Like, buy-an-island-and-still-have-change-for-a-helicopter obscene.
She scrolls down with her finger. “Exclusive contract. Long-term, but with a required courting period. Submission preferred. Wants to build trust before committing to full dynamics.”
“He’s methodical,” I murmur.
“More than that,” Eve says, still studying. “He’s new. One of the latest additions to the invite-only tier.” She taps the note. “Looks like a personal referral… from Lucian.”
I don’t let my expression shift. Not outwardly.
This can’t get any more perfect and I suppress the shit-eating grin that wants to surface.
A personal referral.
That means Lucian will know him on a deeper level. More so than an average client and that is exactly what I need.
“And,” Eve continues, tilting her head toward me, “this one’s destination-based. Contract specifies a full week at his estate in the Caribbean for the trial phase.”
She flops back into her chair and kicks her legs up on the edge of the polished table. “I mean, I wouldn’t say no to cocktails on the beach and a payout like that…”
She trails off. “But it’s your first contract.”
“It’s perfect,” I say before she can keep going.
Eve studies me for a second. Not in judgment—just curiosity. Then she nods.
“You know what?” She smiles, a spark of respect in her voice. “I think it kinda is.”
Eve taps the screen on the console beside her and places the contract on hold. Then, with a smirk that says watch and learn , she hits the speaker icon and dials the number listed on Dominic Salvi’s private file.
The line rings once. Twice. My heart does a nervous backflip. By the third, my palms are slick, and my breath is shallow like I’ve just been called to the principal’s office—except the principal is a billionaire with a penchant for control.
Then a deep, measured voice answers.
“This is Dom.”
Of course it is. No last name. No frills. Just Dom . Short, sharp, commanding.
Eve slides into her polished, diplomatic tone like a silk glove. “Good morning, Mr. Salvi. This is Eve with The Black Ledger. I’m reaching out regarding your recent contract listing. We have a compatible Companion available and ready to accept. Her name is Miss Sienna Knight.”
There’s a pause on the other end. My stomach knots.
Then: “Miss Knight?” His voice warms, just slightly. “Now that’s a name I was hoping to hear.”
My lips twitch. Gotcha.
“She made quite an impression at the luncheon,” he continues, thoughtful. “I was hoping she might become available. I’d be honored to have the opportunity to host her.”
Honored. The word rolls around in my head like a tiny, private victory. Let Lucian see that in the client reports.
“I do have one condition,” Dom says, casual but firm. “I’m departing for my island first thing tomorrow. If Miss Knight is available, I’d prefer to host her for the flight.”
Eve raises one brow at me. I nod immediately. Yes . Hell yes.
Eve covers the receiver with her hand. “It’s sudden,” she mouths, skeptical.
I nod again, harder this time. The sooner, the better.
She sighs, dramatically patient. “Let me see if I can reach Miss Knight and inquire about earlier availability. May I place you on a brief hold?”
“Of course.”
She taps the mute button and kicks back in her chair like she has all the time in the world. “What are you doing?” I whisper, trying not to scream. “I said yes.”
“Oh, I know.” She examines her fingernails with feigned boredom. “I just like to make them wait sometimes. Keeps them grounded. No one else puts men like Dominic Salvi in their place but… we can.” She throws me a wink.
God, I love her.
After a beat, she unmutes the line. “Mr. Salvi, thank you for your patience. Miss Knight would be pleased to accept your offer.”
“Excellent,” he replies. “I’ll send a car at 8 a.m.”
Eve doesn’t miss a beat. “Ledger protocol states transportation for all Companion contracts will be arranged through our agency. Miss Knight will arrive at the designated hangar at 9 a.m. sharp.”
A small chuckle sounds from the line. “Right. My apologies. Still getting used to your processes.”
Eve’s voice sweetens with professionalism. “We recommend reviewing the Companion charter once more before tomorrow. Miss Knight will be briefed and ready.”
“I look forward to it,” he says. “Thank you, both.”
The call ends, and silence stretches for a moment.
I finally exhale. “That just happened.”
Eve leans forward, drumming her fingers on the edge of the table. “Oh, it’s happening, sweetheart. Now the fun part.” She wags her dark eyebrows at me. “Let’s go raid the Ledger closet and help you pack. You’ve got a plane to catch.”
* * *
T he car glides through the security gate and into the private tarmac without a delay from security. I suppose they were expecting us, and the rich can bypass such protocols.
Felix has been picking me up every morning since Lucian had the locks changed on my apartment.
The first day, I thought it was to make sure he wasn’t inconvenienced by my tardiness. But the second day, and the third. It seemed–nice.
I cross my legs tighter in the back seat, pressing down the flare of irritation that still lingers like phantom heat. I’m not thinking about him today. Not really. Except to picture the exact moment he reads the report of which contract I took.
I hope it burns.
"You nervous?" Felix’s voice cuts through my thoughts. It’s warm and smooth, like it was aged in oak.
I glance up. His kind brown eyes are wrinkled at the corners, deepened by years of smiling. His hair is still thick, mostly black, but streaked through with enough white coils to say wise, not old.
“A little,” I admit, smiling faintly.
“Nervous is good,” he says, shifting his hands on the wheel. “Means you’re still paying attention. Can’t teach instinct. But nerves? That’ll keep you smart.”
I study him for a moment. “You always this philosophical?”
He chuckles. “You remind me of my daughter. She was always nervous going to her contracts.”
That makes me pause. “Your daughter?”
“She used to work for The Ledger. A long time ago.”
My eyebrows lift. “Seriously? And you drive for them?”
“I know what goes on here but I support my daughter.” He shrugs like it’s nothing. “Lucian took care of her. Gave her the choice to walk away when she was ready. She’s married now.” He added. “Eight months pregnant with my first grand-baby.”
“Congratulations.” I blink, surprised. “Wow. I didn’t expect that.”
“Most people don’t.” He glances at me in the rearview mirror, his voice lower now. “But Mr. Vale, he’s not the monster people think. He’s hard, yeah. But he protects his own. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Vale.”
My chest tightens, but I just nod. I don't respond.
Not because I don’t agree. But because I know .
And still, he let me go.
The car slows as we pull into the hangar lot. The engines of parked planes whine in the distance, but our designated spot is quiet. No jet. No roar of turbines.
One man in a suit and cliché dark sunglasses is already waiting, opening my door when Felix rolls to a stop.
He pops the trunk and gets out, already moving to gather my bags.
“Miss Knight.” The man greets me, opening my door. He doesn’t offer his hand to help me out and I’m glad I elected to wear a fitting pantsuit and wedge heels. The deep-V in the front is still sensual without giving away too much and it will be a comfortable plane ride to a more tropical environment.
Eve coached me on a few final things and to have an outfit ready to change into on the plane just before landing. A Ledger girl is nothing if not always looking fresh.
Felix hands my bags to the suit who promptly turns toward the hangar.
“Miss Knight,” Felix says softly, “you sure you’re okay?”
I nod again. “I’m good, Felix. Really.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but he gives me a kind smile.
A moment later, the hangar doors shift open.
And two men step out.
One of them wears a sharp suit and shaded expression like the man who took my bags. Security I presume. The other man… walks like someone who commands a room before he’s even in it.
Dominic Salvi.
His dark eyes cut through the distance between us, unapologetically direct. The air around him hums with that same quiet power I recognized the first time we met. A presence that doesn’t ask for attention—it simply claims it.
He walks straight toward me like I’ve already agreed to belong to him.
And maybe, for now, I have.