Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Grace
The air in the penthouse was different. Heavier.
Weighted down by the unspoken truth that had been lingering in the shadows for too long.
Dominic sat on the edge of the couch, shoulders tense, fingers idly tapping against his knee.
He wasn’t saying anything. He hadn’t said much since Knox’s latest message.
I knew why. He was thinking, calculating, trying to find a way to solve this on his own, the same way he always did.
But this wasn’t something he could fix alone. Not anymore.
I stood across from him, arms crossed, my patience thinning with every second he sat there in silence. He knew what was coming. He could feel it. He just didn’t want to face it.
"We’re telling them," I said finally, my voice firm, leaving no room for debate.
Dominic’s head lifted slightly, his gaze meeting mine. There was no surprise in his eyes, just quiet resistance. "Grace?—"
"No," I cut him off, stepping forward. "They need to know."
A muscle ticked in his jaw. "You don’t?—"
"You trust them with your life on stage," I said, my voice dropping lower. "Now trust them with this."
For a second, I thought he was going to fight me on it.
He had spent so much time keeping them out, so much time shouldering this alone, that I wasn’t sure if he even knew how to let people in anymore.
But then, something in his expression shifted, the tightness in his shoulders easing just slightly, and he exhaled.
"Fine."
I didn’t waste time. I turned toward the hallway and called out, "Living room. Now."
There was a mix of groans and shuffling as the guys filed in one by one.
Riley was the first, flopping onto the couch, throwing an arm over the backrest, his eyes flicking between Dominic and me with clear curiosity.
Theo came next, standing near the fireplace, arms crossed, always calculating.
Ezra and Jaden followed, taking seats near the center, their usual laid-back energy noticeably absent.
Dominic didn’t speak. He was waiting for me to do it.
Fine.
I took a slow breath, then got straight to the point. "You’re about to hear something that should’ve been said a long time ago."
The room went still.
I didn’t ease them into it. I didn’t sugarcoat.
I told them everything.
About Knox, about the surveillance, about Dominic’s real estate business that he had kept hidden, about how his parents’ former right-hand man had decided that if he couldn’t have the empire, then no one would.
And about how this wasn’t just stalking anymore.
This was a war waiting to happen.
Silence stretched thick and unyielding.
Then—
"What the actual fuck?" Riley sat forward, his brows furrowed in disbelief. "You’ve been dealing with this alone?"
Dominic didn’t answer.
Riley let out a sharp laugh, but there was no humor in it. "That’s some serious bullshit, man."
Theo exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We need to protect our assets. If Knox is this deep into things, then he’s not just coming after you, Dominic. He’s coming after everything connected to you."
Jaden was quiet, but I could see the wheels turning in his head, already working through possibilities, piecing things together.
Ezra, however, sat back, his expression unreadable. "I knew something was off." His voice was quiet, thoughtful. "I just didn’t know how bad it was."
Dominic leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you involved in this."
Riley scoffed. "Too late for that, buddy."
Theo folded his arms, his expression sharp. "You think this isn’t our problem? You think Knox hasn’t been watching all of us? You really thought we wouldn’t be dragged into this whether we liked it or not?"
Dominic didn’t respond.
I watched him carefully, waiting to see how he’d handle it, if he’d retreat back into that I have to handle this on my own mentality, if he’d push them away the same way he’d been pushing everyone else.
But then, after a long moment, he let out a slow breath and looked up.
"I didn’t want to risk losing any of you."
That was the truth. And they all knew it.
Riley rubbed a hand down his face, shaking his head. "Damn, man." Then he forced a smirk, trying to cut through the tension. "You’re a billionaire twice over and you didn’t even buy me a yacht?"
Dominic huffed out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. Ezra cracked a small smile. Jaden smirked.
The tension eased, just slightly.
But I wasn’t done yet.
I looked at each of them. "This doesn’t change the fact that Knox is escalating. He sent Dominic another message. He’s planning something bigger. And we need to be ready for it."
Theo’s jaw clenched. "What’s the next move?"
"I’m reinforcing security. Everything gets checked—devices, networks, entrances, even the studio." I turned to Dominic. "And you don’t go anywhere without backup."
Dominic smirked. "I thought you said I wasn’t helpless."
I gave him a deadpan look. "You’re not. But you’re also not untouchable."
His smirk faded slightly, and I knew he understood exactly what I meant.
The group fell into a quiet discussion, throwing out strategies, figuring out how to counter Knox’s next move before he made it.
For the first time, Dominic wasn’t carrying this on his own.
For the first time, his bandmates weren’t just in the dark, watching from the sidelines—they were fighting with him.
And as I stood there, listening to them plan, watching the way they closed ranks around him, something settled inside me.
Dominic Beethoven wasn’t alone in this.
And neither was I.