Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Grace
The penthouse was supposed to be secure.
It was supposed to be the one place where Dominic and the others could exist outside the flashing cameras and screaming fans, where they could breathe without worrying about what the world expected them to be.
But as I pulled another tiny surveillance camera from the corner of the ceiling, that illusion shattered completely. Nowhere was safe.
I stood in Dominic’s bedroom, my fingers wrapped tightly around the small black device, my pulse hammering against my ribs.
I had found four cameras so far—one in the living room, one in the hallway, another near the studio—but this one?
This one made my stomach turn in a way the others hadn’t.
This one had been planted in Dominic’s private space, aimed toward his bed.
Whoever had put it there hadn’t just been interested in tracking his movements.
They had been watching his most vulnerable moments. And Dominic had never even known.
I turned toward him slowly, my fingers tightening around the device. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
“This isn’t just stalking,” I said, keeping my voice controlled even though I could feel the anger simmering under my skin. “This is someone making sure you never forget they’re watching.”
His jaw tightened slightly, but he didn’t react the way I wanted him to. There was no flash of shock, no sharp inhale of disbelief. Just acceptance. That was what pissed me off the most.
I took a step closer, my grip tightening around the camera. “I need to tell the others.”
For the first time, his posture shifted. Just slightly, but I caught it—the hesitation, the reluctance. His lips parted, then pressed into a thin line before he exhaled sharply and raked a hand through his hair. “They don’t need to know everything.”
I let out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it.
“They absolutely do.” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care.
“This isn’t just about you anymore. These cameras weren’t just planted in your space.
They were in shared areas. That means Knox wasn’t just watching you—he was watching all of you. ”
His lips pressed tighter, but he didn’t argue. He knew I was right.
And I wasn’t about to let him pretend otherwise.
Fifteen minutes later, the entire band sat in the penthouse lounge. The energy in the room was different now—tense, uneasy, the usual easy banter and casual chaos replaced with something heavier.
I stood near the center, arms crossed, staring at each of them. “There were cameras hidden in the penthouse,” I said bluntly, no preamble, no easing into it. “At least four. Someone’s been monitoring everything that happens here.”
Silence.
Then—
“You’re joking,” Riley said, but his voice wasn’t playful. It was strained.
I shook my head. “No. I already disabled them, but I can’t guarantee there aren’t more.”
Riley shot to his feet, pacing the length of the room, his jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle twitch. “Someone’s been spying on us? In our own home?”
Theo was already pulling out his phone, fingers moving quickly as he typed. “This is a violation of privacy on every level. We’ll need to involve the legal team immediately.”
Ezra sat on the couch, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. He hadn’t said anything yet, but his fists were clenched, his shoulders stiff.
And Dominic?
Dominic remained too calm.
Riley noticed it, too. He stopped pacing and turned, frustration written in every line of his face. “How the hell are you just sitting there?”
Dominic finally exhaled, setting his glass down on the table with deliberate slowness. “Because this isn’t the first time I’ve been watched.”
Riley let out a sharp laugh, but it was bitter. “That’s so messed up, man.”
Dominic tilted his head slightly, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “Yeah. It is.”
The room went silent again. Heavy. Suffocating.
Theo put his phone down, his expression unreadable. “The legal team is handling an internal investigation, but this might be bigger than just a legal issue.” He turned to me. “What’s our next move?”
I already had an answer. “I’m sweeping the entire penthouse again. I’m installing counter-surveillance measures—jammers, motion detectors, encrypted signals. If anyone tries to plant anything again, we’ll know before they get the chance.”
“And the stalker?” Ezra finally spoke, his voice quiet but edged with something sharp.
I hesitated. That was the part I wasn’t sure about yet. Knox had already made his presence known. He had been playing the long game, watching from a distance, waiting for the right moment to escalate.
And he wasn’t finished.
“He’s waiting,” I admitted. “Not just for an opportunity. For Dominic to make a mistake.”
Riley scoffed. “And what happens when he does?”
Dominic smirked, slow and deliberate. “Then let’s make sure I don’t.”
Later that night, I found Dominic standing on the balcony, his back to me, the city stretching out below him in glittering lights. The air was crisp, the night quiet. I stepped outside, folding my arms over my chest.
“You should be inside,” I said softly.
He didn’t turn. “And what’s that gonna change?”
I sighed, stepping beside him. “You need to take this seriously.”
“I do.”
“No, you don’t.” I turned to face him. “You’re treating this like it’s normal. Like being watched is just… something you’re supposed to live with.”
Dominic let out a slow breath, tilting his head slightly. “I’ve been watched my whole life.” His voice was quieter now. “This is nothing new.”
My stomach twisted. “That’s the problem.”
He finally looked at me, something unreadable in his expression.
“You think you just have to live with it,” I murmured. “Like it’s something that can’t be changed.”
He didn’t answer for a long moment. Then, softly—“And what if I do?”
Something in my chest tightened.
Dominic Beethoven, for all his power and control, had spent his entire life being watched. First by the media. Then by his management. Then by the entire world.
And now, by someone who wanted to destroy him.
I exhaled. “Then you need someone who won’t let that happen.”
His gaze flickered. “You volunteering, Dauntless?”
I crossed my arms. “I don’t take volunteers. I take orders.”
His lips curved slightly, but it wasn’t quite a smirk. More like something else. “Is that right?”
“Damn right.”
Something shifted in the air between us. The tension wasn’t the same as before. It wasn’t playful or teasing. It was something heavier. Something neither of us wanted to name.
Finally, Dominic nodded. “Then do your job.”
I already was.
An hour later, my phone buzzed.
I almost didn’t check it. But when I did, my entire body went cold.
A message.
No words.
Just a screenshot.
From one of the cameras I had disabled.
A still image of Dominic and me on the balcony.
Time-stamped. Minutes ago.
Someone had still been watching.
Someone was still inside our system.
I slowly turned my phone toward Dominic. His expression didn’t change. But his eyes—his eyes darkened in a way that sent a slow chill through me.
He took the phone from my hand, studying the image. Then, quietly?—
“He wasn’t just watching us.”
I swallowed. “No. He wanted us to know.”
Dominic’s fingers curled around the edge of the phone, his voice too calm when he spoke next.
“Then let’s show him exactly what he’s up against.”