Chapter 11 #2
I headed down the stairs, wincing slightly at the pleasant soreness in my muscles, a physical reminder of the past few days’ activities. The scent of cotton candy and citrus grew stronger as I approached—now tinged with anxiety.
I unlocked my apartment door to find Penny and Sarah on the threshold, both looking disheveled and worried.
Penny’s pink hair stood in uncharacteristic disarray, as though he’d been running his fingers through it repeatedly.
Sarah clutched a leather portfolio to her chest, her soft brown curls escaping from their usual neat bun.
“Finally!” Penny pushed past me, his eyes widening as he took in my appearance. “Well, hello there, don’t you look thoroughly defiled and—oh!” His gaze shifted to something over my shoulder, and his mouth formed a perfect ‘O’ of appreciation. “And I see why.”
Dominic descended the stairs behind me, his bare chest drawing Penny’s admiring gaze before the seriousness of the situation reasserted itself in my friend’s expression.
“As much as I’d love to hear every sordid detail,” Penny continued, his scent sharpening with renewed anxiety, “we have a problem.”
Sarah nodded, moving to my workbench and spreading documents across the worn surface. “The city council called an emergency meeting for tomorrow. Vertex filed demolition permits for six buildings in the Historical District.”
My stomach dropped. “They can’t do that without proper inspections and—“
“That’s just it,” Sarah interrupted, tapping a finger against what looked like official city inspection reports. “These are fabricated. Look at this signature—Michael Tennyson.”
“Tennyson?” Dominic moved closer, his arm brushing mine as he leaned in to examine the papers. His expression darkened with genuine shock. “He’s in marketing, not building inspection.”
His eyes locked with mine, fierce with sincerity. “I had no part in this. I swear it. I’ve been feeding information to Blake about Vertex’s plans, but I never knew they were moving this fast or using forgeries.”
I believed him—our bond hummed with his honesty, the mating mark warm against my neck. I nodded, reaching for his hand. “I believe you.”
“I dated Michael briefly a few months ago,” Sarah confirmed, her fingers drumming nervously on the leather portfolio. “These are definitely forgeries, but good enough to fool anyone who doesn’t know better.”
Penny paced the small shop, his lucky penny pendant swinging with each agitated step. “And guess which buildings they’re targeting?”
“Which buildings?” I asked, though dread had already settled in my stomach like a stone.
Sarah pointed to the paragraph listing each property. “Wilson’s Bakery, The Hideaway, Tang’s Tea House, Maude’s Diner, Vintage Vogue, Winslow’s Pharmacy, and...”
“Cobblers’ Corner,” I finished, a shiver running through my body.
Dominic’s hand tightened on mine, his jaw clenched with anger. “They’ve strategically selected the buildings forming the heart of the district. Take these down and the rest becomes untenable.”
The brass bell chimed again as the door swung open. Blake Harrington strode in, his tailored suit impeccable as always, though his expression was grim. Rain dampened his shoulders, suggesting stormy weather accompanying the day’s unfortunate tidings.
“I see congratulations are in order,” he said, eyes sweeping over our small group before settling on Dominic. His gaze shifted to the mark visible on my neck. “Though your timing couldn’t be worse.”
“What’s happened?” Dominic asked, stepping forward.
Blake ran a hand through his rain-damp hair. “Brian’s sold you out. He’s been feeding information to Vertex’s executive team about your undercover work for months.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Dominic went statue-still beside me, only the subtle change in his scent—pine and cinnamon sharpening to something closer to cedar and clove—betrayed his shock and fury.
“What?” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
“Brian?” Penny looked between us, confusion evident in his expression. “The Ken doll with the too-white teeth? I knew there was something off about him!”
“I’ve been tracking him since the auction,” Blake continued, his expression darkening. “That’s when I first noticed it—one of the Antonelli family members was there.”
“At the bachelor auction?” Dominic’s eyes widened. “Which one?”
“Vito,” Blake said, his jaw tightening. “Vito Romano Antonelli. I didn’t recognize him at first—I’ve only seen photos, never in person. But when he bid on that little blond fellow—”
“Jake,” I cut in, my pulse quickening. “He bid on Jake.”
“Two thousand dollars,” Penny recalled, twisting his pendant between his fingers. “I thought it was just some rich Italian guy with a thing for blonds.”
“It was no coincidence,” Blake said grimly. “The Antonellis have been looking for Jake Thompson for months. He witnessed something he shouldn’t have at their restaurant in Boston before he fled here.”
“Oh god,” I whispered, the pieces clicking into place—Jake witnessing his boss shooting someone, Holloway’s criminal connections, Jake’s panic at the auction.
“Jake’s in serious trouble.” Penny remarked, uncharacteristically solemn.
“We all are,” Blake continued. “After the auction, Vito reported to his bosses. That’s when they connected Jake to you, and you to Dominic.
They now know Dominic’s been feeding information about their operations with Vertex to me and the historical trust. I suspect they’ve put a price on Jake’s head. ”
Through our new bond, I felt the storm of emotions raging within Dominic—betrayal, fury, and beneath it all, a deep sense of failure that made my chest ache. I slipped my arm around his waist, offering silent support.
“That’s not all,” Blake added, checking his watch with growing tension. “Brian filed a criminal complaint this morning. Corporate espionage, theft of confidential documents, conspiracy—all fabricated, but enough to get an arrest warrant. I came as soon as I heard, but—”
The wail of police sirens cut him off, the sound growing louder as multiple vehicles approached.
“Too late,” Blake finished, moving to the window. He drew back the curtain to reveal three police cruisers pulling up outside the shop, lights flashing against the darkening afternoon sky.
“Oh my god,” Penny whispered, his hand finding mine and squeezing tight. The scent of his fear—sweetness turned sharp with acid—filled my shop.
“What’s happening?” I asked, though I already suspected the answer.
“Brian’s made sure the Antonellis and the police know you’re here—made sure they got to you at the same time,” Blake said, his voice tight. “It’s a setup, Dom. The Antonellis will have people watching the police station, waiting for you to be processed.”
Blake’s gaze darted to me with clear intent. “They’re sending a message.”
Blake didn’t need to voice it for the meaning to be crystal clear. They were signaling to Dominic that they were aware of his omega. That I was on their radar, accessible whenever they decided to make a move.
Dominic’s arm circled my waist, pulling me against him. His scent wrapped around me, protective and fierce, even as the tempest escalated outside. Heavy raindrops pounded mercilessly against my newly replaced shop window.
“Leo,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to mine. Our bond pulsed between us, newly formed and already tested. “I need you to trust me.”
“I do,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “We’ll figure this out.”
The shop door burst open, rainwater spattering across the threshold as three uniformed officers entered, hands on their weapons.
“Dominic Steele?” The lead officer stepped forward, expression grim. “You’re under arrest for corporate espionage, theft of confidential materials, and conspiracy.”
Penny stepped forward, indignation overriding fear. “This is ridiculous! You can’t just—“
Blake caught his arm, pulling him back with a warning look.
Dominic’s fingers stroked my cheek once, a promise in his touch. “I’ll be fine,” he whispered, before stepping away from me to face the officers.
“Keep him safe,” he said to Blake, who nodded solemnly.
I watched in numbed silence as they read him his rights, the cold metal of handcuffs flashing in the shop’s warm light as they secured his wrists behind his back. Our bond stretched between us, a tangible connection that even steel couldn’t sever.
As they led him toward the door, he looked back once, his steel-gray eyes meeting mine. The mating mark on my neck throbbed in perfect rhythm with my racing heart as the officers guided him out into the rain.
The shop door closed behind them with a final, hollow jingle of the brass bell, leaving me standing amid scattered evidence and concerned faces, the ghost of Dominic’s scent still wrapped around me.
Penny’s arm slipped around my shoulders, his scent mingling with mine in omega solidarity. “Well,” he said, his voice steady despite the tears glistening in his eyes, “I guess we need a plan.”
Blake nodded grimly, already pulling out his phone. “I’ll contact my lawyers. And we need to warn Jake—the Antonellis found him once. If he runs now, they’ll just find him again.”
I touched the mark on my neck, feeling Dominic’s presence through our bond despite the growing distance between us. “And I need to find out as much as possible about Brian and the Antonellis,” I said, determination replacing shock. “No one threatens my alpha and gets away with it.”