Chapter 24 - Emily
My eyes fluttered open, the faint beeping of machines drawing me from the haze of sleep. I blinked a few times, adjusting to the sterile brightness of the room. The scent of antiseptic was unmistakable. A hospital.
Tiny arms were wrapped tightly around me. I glanced down to see Lucy nestled against my side, her little face peaceful, her breaths soft and even. My chest ached, but this time it wasn’t from pain, it was the kind of ache that came from overwhelming gratitude.
I looked around the room. Bouquets of flowers were scattered everywhere, their vivid colors a stark contrast to the dull whites and grays of the hospital walls. Balloons floated near the ceiling, cheerful “Get Well Soon” messages mingled with a few that said, “Congratulations!” My brow furrowed.
Congratulations? For what? Escaping Amber alive? I let out a dry chuckle, thinking one of Dominic’s brothers might’ve decided to add a bit of their usual humor to lighten the mood.
Still, I couldn’t stop the relief that swelled in my chest. We’d made it. Lucy was safe. I was safe. And Dominic…he’d come for me…for us.
My gaze shifted to the chair beside the bed, and my breath caught. There he was, his frame far too large for the cramped hospital chair, his head tilted awkwardly as he slept. His dark hair was tousled, sticking up in every direction, and the faintest shadow of stubble lined his jaw. Even in that uncomfortable position, he looked like a guardian, my guardian.
As if sensing my eyes on him, he stirred. His lids fluttered open, and when his gaze met mine, warmth flooded his expression. Without a word, he moved closer, his hand brushing my cheek as he leaned down and kissed me softly.
“Emily,” he murmured, his voice low and filled with concern. “How are you feeling?”
I smiled faintly. “Better,” I said, my voice soft but steady. “Thanks to you, and everyone else.”
Dominic’s hand found mine, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in slow circles. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Emily,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “After everything Lucy told us… You’re our hero. You saved her. You saved yourself. And you don’t have to worry about Amber ever again. She’s going to spend the rest of her life in a cell.”
Relief washed over me like a wave. The weight I’d carried for so long felt lighter, though not completely gone. “And my dad?” I asked hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper.
Dominic’s expression softened further. “He’s in police custody. They’re still investigating everything, but you don’t have to worry about him. Right now, all you need to focus on is resting and getting better.”
But then my heart skipped a beat, and tears began to blur my vision. “What about Alec? Is he okay?”
Dominic sighed softly, brushing his thumb over my knuckles. “The bullet didn’t hit any vital organs. He’s going to be okay.”
Relief washed over me, but the moment was brief.
“And the men?” I asked hesitantly.
His expression darkened. “We lost two.”
My heart ached for the lives lost. I swallowed hard, blinking back tears. “I want to meet their families,” I said firmly. “I want to thank them for their service.”
Dominic’s lips parted, his eyes softening as he stared at me. “Even here, in a hospital bed, you’re thinking of others,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “You amaze me, Emily.”
His words made my cheeks flush, but there was something I needed to say. “Dominic—” I hesitated, my voice trembling. “I—I know about your past.”
He stiffened slightly, then sighed, his hand tightening around mine. “When we get home,” he said gently, his voice heavy with unspoken promises, “I’ll tell you everything. You deserve to know.”
I nodded slowly, letting the tension in my body ease. Dominic reached over to the nightstand and picked up a colorful drawing. “Lucy wanted you to have this,” he said, handing it to me.
Four stick figures stood side by side, each labeled in Lucy’s scrawled handwriting. Dominic leaned over, pointing. “This is me,” he said, chuckling as he gestured to a tall figure with feet twice the size of its body.
I laughed, the sound surprising even me. “Why are your feet so big?”
He grinned mischievously, leaning closer to whisper in my ear, “You know what they say about men with big feet—”
My cheeks burned instantly, and I swatted at him playfully, trying to hide my blush. He laughed softly, pressing a quick kiss to my temple.
My eyes moved to the next figure, a smaller one with wild hair that stuck out in every direction. “This is me?” I asked, laughing again. “I love the hairstyle Lucy gave me. I’m rocking it.”
Dominic nodded, his smile widening. “Definitely,” he said, his voice warm.
Then I saw Lucy, clearly marked with a tiara. “And here’s our little princess,” I said, grinning at the crown perched on her head in the drawing.
But my gaze stopped on the last figure. It was much smaller, almost hidden, and I tilted my head in confusion. “Who’s this?”
Dominic’s smile turned softer, almost shy. “That’s Lucy’s sibling,” he said. “We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet, but I guess we’ll find out in a few months.”
I froze, the words taking a moment to register. My eyes darted from the picture to Dominic, then back to the paper. “I-I’m pregnant?” I stammered, my voice barely audible.
Dominic nodded, his hand tightening around mine. “Yes,” he said gently. “And you’re going to be an amazing mom.”
Tears welled in my eyes, and I couldn’t hold them back. Dominic leaned in, his lips brushing mine in a kiss that was as sweet as it was reassuring.
When we pulled apart, I looked down at Lucy, still fast asleep beside me. Gently, I stroked her hair, my heart swelling in a way I hadn’t thought possible.
Is this my life now? I wondered, glancing between Dominic and Lucy. A wife, a mother… It was overwhelming but in the best way.
A knock sounded at the door, and Dominic’s brothers burst in, their arms overflowing with more flowers and balloons. Behind them was Mrs. Kensington, her warm smile a welcome sight.
“To the lady of the moment,” Axel said, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek, followed by hugs and gentle kisses from the other men, careful not to wake Lucy.
“You’re turning this room into a florist’s shop,” I teased, my lips twitching into a smile. “Please tell me at least one of you brought chocolate.”
Vincent smirked, pulling a box of chocolates from behind his back. “You think we’d forget?”
Mrs. Kensington stepped forward and hugged me tightly. “Mrs. Quantum, I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t know what we would’ve done if we lost you.”
Tears pricked my eyes as I returned her embrace. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost any of you.”
Lucy stirred beside me, her eyes fluttering open. She looked up at me with a sleepy smile. “Aunty Emily, you’re awake!” she squealed, squeezing me tightly. “The doctors made you all better!”
I laughed softly, stroking her hair. “You were right, Lucy. Everything’s okay now.”
For the next few hours, laughter and light filled the room. Dominic’s brothers shared stories, Mrs. Kensington doted on Lucy, and Dominic never let go of my hand. As I looked around at the people who had become my family, my heart swelled.
Real love surrounded me and for the first time in years, I felt whole.
Two days later, I was finally discharged and able to go home. Lucy hadn’t left my side since the whole Amber situation. Even at the hospital, she threw a massive tantrum when they tried to get her to leave for a shower. The doctor explained that children have their own ways of processing trauma, and we needed to give her time and seek professional help. Dominic stayed with us at the hospital, but once we got home, I noticed Lucy beginning to pull away. By the second night, she wanted to sleep in her own bed, so Dominic went to read her a bedtime story and tuck her in. When he finally returned, he climbed into bed next to me, and I snuggled into him.
Slowly, Dominic turned towards me, his hand gently brushing mine. The warmth of his touch sent a ripple through me. His eyes searched mine, and without saying a word, we both knew it was time.
“Emily,” he starts, his voice low, “I never wanted any of this to happen. I never wanted you to be in danger, or Lucy... I would’ve given anything to keep you both safe from all of this.”
Dominic went on to explain how difficult it had been for him and his brothers after their parents died, and how, him just coming out of college, they were already drowning in debt. He couldn’t stand to watch his brothers suffer, so he arranged a meeting with the Syndicate, securing capital to start his business. After a five-year deal, he finally managed to cut ties with them.
Dominic’s voice dropped even lower. “So, when the emails started, I had no idea why. I thought maybe they were trying to blackmail me into rejoining the Syndicate. After all, I wasn’t the same naive twenty-year-old anymore. But I never, not in my wildest dreams, thought Victor would allow Amber to drag him into this mess.”
I let his words sink in before responding. “You know, you were Amber’s original mark, and then she decided to switch sides to sweeten her deal.” Dominic's expression shifted, clearly shocked.
I continued, recounting everything Amber had said in that room, explaining that for her, it was all about power, grabbing as much of it as she could.
“You know, I sort of understand Amber and her quest after that feeling of betrayal,” he admitted, a distant expression clouding his features. “When Victor cut me out from the billion-dollar contract with Kingsley after I had worked on it for two years... it hurt. More than I ever cared to admit.”
Dominic’s jaw clenched as he exhaled slowly, a deep sigh escaping his lips. His gaze flickered back to me. He reached for my hand, his touch trembling ever so slightly. “So, when I saw your application on my desk, I hired you. And over time, I knew the ultimate revenge would’ve been to make you mine.” His voice grew softer, regret lacing his every word. “I couldn’t let other people think that what Victor had done was acceptable. I needed to be in control.”
I had suspected it, but hearing it from his lips twisted the knife deeper than I could have prepared for.
I couldn’t stay so close to him, not now. My feet carried me across the room, my heart hammered in my chest as I fought to keep it together, to stay composed, but the floodgates were already opening.
“I had my suspicions that the marriage was for revenge,” I said, my voice shaking. “And the fact that Dad encouraged me to take the job then denied having the fifty million, leaving me no option, meant he had his own plans.”
I was getting louder now, the words spilling from me in waves of anger, frustration, and hurt.
“Did you know that Dad was questioning me about your company and the projects we’ve been working on? Did you know that when Amber captured me, they tried to beat information out of me?” My voice cracked, my chest tight with the memories, the sheer agony of it all. “The little revenge pawn could’ve squealed, but she didn’t!”
The pain of everything I had been through, everything I had endured under the hands of my father, Amber and Dominic, for the sake of revenge and power, made it hard to breathe.
“Emily, I’m so sorry,” Dominic whispered, his voice barely above a whisper as he stood and stepped toward me. His hand reached out as though he wanted to pull me close, but my body jerked back instinctively.
I turned toward him, my voice trembling, soft and broken, “Amber was right, love is for fools.”
Tears streamed down my face, burning my skin as they fell. I turned away from him, and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. My sobs came in waves, uncontrollable and gut-wrenching. Everything hurt so much and I couldn’t stop it.
I heard a knock followed by Dominic’s voice, desperate and raw, muffled through the thick bathroom door.
“Emily, please, let me in. I’m sorry for everything. It may have started out that way, but now it’s different. Emily, I love you... Please, baby, I need you.”
I froze. He loves me? The thought was almost impossible to process. My heart ached with the idea, a part that wanted to believe him, but it was so hard, too hard.
I heard another knock. “Emily... Please, let me in.”
The silence between his knocks seemed to stretch on forever.
“Emily, if you don’t open the door, I’ll break it down.”
But then, I heard it. The sound of his body ramming against the door, desperate, frantic, his shoulder slamming into the wood.
I didn’t move. I didn’t speak. My heartbeat was the only sound in the room, pounding in my ears as I stood there, frozen, trembling with uncertainty.
And then the door splintered, a sharp crack slicing through the air as Dominic’s weight forced it open. I stopped breathing as I turned to see him standing there, his face etched with pain, his eyes wild with emotion.
“Emily,” he gasped, his voice barely a whisper. He took a step forward, then another.
He reached me, his hands gentle on my face as he wiped away the tears I hadn’t even realized were still falling.
“I’m sorry,” he said again, his voice cracking. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I’ll never hurt you again, Emily. I swear to you.”
His hands cupped my face as he looked into my eyes, pleading, “I love you. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone. Please, don’t shut me out. Please don’t walk away from us.”
I could see the pain in his eyes, but also the hope, the desperate need for something, for me . And in that moment, I felt the same desperation, the same need to believe him, to believe in us.
“I love you too,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, but the words felt like the only thing that mattered in that moment. “But you have to show me. You have to prove it, Dominic. I need to know you’ll fight for me. For us.”
He pulled me closer, his lips brushing against my forehead, his breath warm against my skin. “I will,” he whispered. “I’ll fight for you, Emily. I’ll fight for us. I swear it.”
When his lips met mine, it was like a current surged through me, reigniting something I hadn’t realized I’d been yearning for. His touch wasn’t just physical—it spoke of longing, of love, and the unspoken vow of everything he hoped to share with me in the future.
As his hands caressed my skin, warmth blossomed inside me, pooling between my thighs. His arms encircled my waist, pulling me closer, his lips pressing a trail of kisses along my neck that sent shivers down my spine.
How did I ever live without this? Without him?
Dominic lifted me effortlessly onto the bathroom counter, his movements confident yet gentle. My legs wrapped instinctively around his waist, anchoring us together as his hands undid the buttons of my pajama top. My bra followed, falling to the floor in a careless heap by his feet. I barely noticed, it was all background noise compared to the symphony of sensations he was orchestrating.
His mouth found its way to my breasts, rolling one nipple between his fingers, then the other. I arched into him, my fingers tangling in his hair as if holding on to steady myself. My head tipped back, a soft moan escaping my lips as warmth surged through me. My body responded to him as though it had been waiting for this moment all along.
God, I’ve missed him. Missed this.
His hand slipped under the waistband of my pants, finding the heat between my thighs. He growled low in his throat, the sound sending another thrill through me, as his fingers slid over my folds before pressing inside, one at first, then another. The sensation had me clutching his shoulders, my breath hitching as he moved, his fingers coaxing moans from me with every stroke.
“Dominic,” I whimpered, barely recognizing my own voice.
He caught my mouth in a kiss, hard and insistent. Then, as if reading my mind, he whispered, “Let’s take this to the bed.”
In one fluid motion, he lifted me, carrying me to the bed as though I weighed nothing. The rest of our clothes were gone in moments, forgotten as he settled between my legs, his warmth covering me completely.
When he slid into me, the world seemed to stop, the connection between us electric. Our kisses grew hungrier, each stroke building us higher. I wrapped my legs tighter around him, my body silently begging for more.
“Deeper,” I gasped. “Harder.”
Dominic caught my wrists, pinning them above my head with one hand. His voice was low and teasing as he murmured in my ear, “If I go any deeper, Mrs. Quantum, I might hurt you and the baby.”
I rolled my eyes, a smile tugging at my lips despite myself. “Fine. But you owe me.”
His grin was wicked. “Anything you say.”
We moved together, the rhythm of our bodies perfect, until the tension in me snapped, pleasure washing over me in waves. Dominic followed moments later, his groan of release muffled against my neck.
For a while, we stayed like that, our breaths mingling as we came down from the high. He kissed me softly, his lips full of love, before easing himself out and pulling me into his arms.
As I curled against his chest, his heartbeat a soothing rhythm beneath my cheek, I thought of everything we had to look forward to. This is it. My forever.
With that thought, I drifted off to sleep, wrapped in the warmth of the man I loved.