5. Lena
Lena
“ S o, what did you tell him? You said yes, didn’t you?” Lexi leans in the doorway with a knowing grin.
“No.” I pull a black dress from the closet and eye it critically. Too formal. I slide it back onto the hanger. “I told him I’d let him know. Let him sweat a little. He’s way too sure of himself.”
She gasps. “God, how can you be so calm about this? You’ve kept it a secret for days without telling me anything. I would’ve exploded. How do you hold it in?”
Lexi rolls her eyes and flops dramatically onto the bed. “Lena, women would kill to be in your shoes. We’re talking Dominic Monti—filthy rich, ridiculously hot, and, believe it or not, ready to marry you.”
Ridiculously hot. I wish I could deny it.
But Dominic Monti? The man could win over anyone with that smile of his.
He walks into a room, and suddenly it’s his.
That presence. That effortless charm, honed like a weapon.
None of it is accidental, and he doesn’t hesitate to use it.
I hate to admit it, but sometimes he has this way of completely disarming me.
“A fake marriage,” I correct, pulling out another dress, blue, flowy. Maybe not this one.
“He’s not proposing out of love. It’s just a transaction.
He wants a partnership. And besides…” I sigh, turning to face her.
“If I accept, I become a public figure. Everyone would know my name. Paparazzi following me, tabloids tearing me apart, every step I take is picked over online. I don’t think I want to live like that. ”
Lexi shrugs, like it’s obvious. “You already live somehow in the spotlight, Lena. You write the kind of stories that make enemies. Anton’s not just angry. He’s a real threat, and you’re acting like he’s not. That man hates you, and he knows exactly what kind of threat you are to him.”
She hugs a pillow to her chest, squeezing it tightly as her voice softens.
“I never told you this, but every time you don’t answer your phone right away, my heart drops.
I panic. I was going to ask you to stay with us until the investigation’s over.
But Dominic’s offer is way better. And safer.
At least when it comes to space. Come on, admit it. ”
I frown. I hate how right she is. “And don’t forget Dominic could actually protect you,” she adds. “Have you thought about that?”
I’ve thought about it, more than I care to admit. Since the moment our paths crossed three months ago, Dominic’s been there for me every time I needed someone, even when I didn’t ask for help. Especially then. He’s been more present in my life than I’d like to admit.
But that doesn’t erase the chaos that is Dominic Monti. The headlines. The parties. The women. He’s everywhere, loud, flashy, and impossible to pin down.
“I have,” I say quietly. “A lot. But his lifestyle, Lex… he’s not the kind of man who settles down. He runs clubs, throws parties, and surrounds himself with women. You really think he’d drop all of that just because of a marriage contract with me?”
Lexi pushes herself up on her elbows. “You do remember Dominic and Gabriel are best friends, right? And I’m telling you, he’s different with you. I’ve seen it. He wouldn’t have offered this, fake or not, if it didn’t mean something.”
“Oh, please. A few months with Gabriel doesn’t make you an expert on his friends.” I bite my lip and turn back to the dresses. I pull out a burgundy one with a modest but elegant neckline. It’ll do.
“And also,” Lexi says, her voice quieter now, “maybe you need someone to pull you out of that Anton spiral.”
My fingers freeze, clutching the fabric in my hands a little too tightly. I don’t look at her. But I know she sees it.
Lexi doesn’t back down. “Lena, you’ve been carrying all of it for too long—the shelter, the investigation, the Anton mess. And let’s be honest, you haven’t let yourself breathe since that terrible night.”
She shifts, hugging the pillow to her chest again.
“You don’t even remember what it feels like to enjoy something.
To let go. Dominic is chaos, sure, but he might be just the kind of chaos that pulls you out of yourself.
Life with him would be... something else.
Trust me, it won’t give you a second to overthink. ”
I draw in a slow breath, one that doesn’t quite settle.
Nights like that don’t just fade. They stay with you, quiet, buried deep, shaping every choice I’ve made since.
And I’m not done. Letting someone like Dominic in?
It’s too soon. I haven’t made things right yet, and that’s what really scares me.
What if Dominic ends up being the thing that throws me off course? The distraction that costs me time, focus, and control?
I hold the dress up and look at myself in the mirror. And for a split second, I wonder— could I actually see myself as Mrs. Monti?
“But you know what I think?” Lexi’s eyes scan me like she’s reading something I won’t say. “I think you’re scared of something else, too.”
I frown. “Like what?”
She bites back a grin. “That you like Dominic more than you’re willing to admit.”
I let out a short, forced laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous,” I say, slipping the dress off the hanger. “Let’s just make sure I look like someone the Mayor can’t ignore tonight. I need to talk to him.”
I pull the dress on and sit down, smoothing the fabric over my lap. Lexi doesn’t say anything, but she rests a hand on my shoulder for a second. Just long enough to say I’m with you without using words. Then she moves behind, her fingers gathering my hair into a loose bun.
And now that her eyes are off me, my thoughts drift right back to that stupid idea.
A fake marriage with Dominic. What a ridiculous thought. And yet, why does my stomach twist like I already said yes?
I’ve only known him for a few months. But when everything’s falling apart, he shows up.
Every time. He helps veterans, backs his friends, and protects people who can’t protect themselves.
I trust him in a crisis. But as a man? No.
Too many women. Too many tabloid headlines.
I don’t trust men. Not with my heart. And still, it drives me crazy that sometimes, for just a split second, I catch myself wondering. What if?
“I think you’re ready,” Lexi says, giving my shoulders a gentle squeeze. “You’re going to knock them dead.”
I force a smile, partly to reassure her, partly to pull myself together for tonight. But her words stick. What if she’s right?
Lexi knows me better than most. Sarcasm has always been my armor, my way of keeping people at a safe distance.
But Dominic doesn’t keep his distance. He pushes, he disarms, he turns everything into a challenge, and worst of all, he loves that I push back.
Lately, he’s been getting under my skin in ways I can’t brush off anymore.
I can’t tell if I’m still playing… or if I’m starting to fall.
***
As I step into City Hall, I lift my chin slightly and let my gaze sweep over the room full of the kind of crowd that only shows up for charity galas, political posturing, and photo ops.
The warm glow of the chandeliers and the soft sound of piano music create exactly the atmosphere I expected, sophisticated and exclusive. But none of it makes me hesitate.
I’m wearing the burgundy dress, the one that says I’m here to be seen.
Every step is intentional. I want to be noticed.
The city’s power circle is here, politicians, advisors, media darlings, all flashing curated smiles and trading empty pleasantries.
This time, I’m not hiding. I move with confidence, and I catch just enough glances to know it’s working.
If that pisses Anton off, even better. He wouldn’t dare try anything here.
I spot Mayor Lang surrounded by a knot of businessmen.
Tall, composed, exuding that kind of quiet authority that makes people lean in without realizing it.
He looks untouchable. But I have to reach him.
He deserves a warning before I publish, a chance to act, or at least brace for the fallout.
And if Anton’s gone to such lengths to keep me away from him, it means he has a lot to lose if I speak up.
I need to know just how deep Anton’s influence runs, and how far it reaches into the Mayor’s office.
This event is my last chance to get to him.
And I’m not going to waste it. I make my way toward the group around the Mayor, heels silent against the polished floor.
Even though he keeps talking to someone at his side, I can feel his attention shift just slightly in my direction.
I take a step forward, ready to close the distance.
But before I can move in, a much-too-familiar presence blocks my path. Fucking Anton.
He appears with calculated ease, like a predator who’s just cornered his prey.
He steps right in front of me, all smooth smiles and sharp intent, and offers me a glass of champagne like it’s a friendly gesture.
His fingers brush lightly against my bare arm.
My skin prickles, rejecting the touch. I jerk my hand away fast, the grimace on my face impossible to hide.
“Come on, Lena,” he says, voice low, laced with that smug condescension that always makes my skin crawl. “Let’s be civil.”
He leans in, still smiling, his gaze drifting to the edge of the room, casual and calculated. “This isn’t the place for a scene. Let’s take this somewhere more private.”
Every nerve in me screams no. I want to tell him exactly where to shove that fake politeness, but I bite my tongue.
My eyes flick toward the Mayor. I’m close, very close.
That’s why he’s here. He’s trying to cut me off, isolate me again.
Anton nods toward a side door. “Go in there. It’s an office.
I’ll bring the Mayor to you. You’ll only embarrass yourself, but if you’re that desperate, I’ll make the intro. ”