Dominic followed Claire through the crowd.
She knew he would.
For eight months, she had learned every sound he made in their home—the measured footsteps in hallways, the quiet closing of doors, the low murmur of his voice during late-night calls.
Tonight his footsteps were faster.
That alone felt like victory.
Claire reached the marble staircase leading toward the mansion’s second-floor terrace.
Dominic caught her wrist.
Not hard.
But firmly enough to stop her.
“Let go.”
He released her immediately.
That should not have surprised her.
Dominic had never hurt her.
Never threatened her.
Never treated her with the cruelty people whispered men like him were capable of.
But tonight, Claire didn’t want to remember his better qualities.
They complicated anger.
“Come home.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“Stop saying my name like it belongs to you.”
His nostrils flared.
A small reaction.
With Dominic, small reactions were earthquakes.
“What are you trying to accomplish?”
She laughed.
“You think this is strategy?”
“I think you don’t walk into Adrian Cross’s home by accident.”
“No. I drove here deliberately.”
“That man would destroy you just to get to me.”
Claire looked over Dominic’s shoulder.
Adrian stood across the ballroom speaking with guests, although his attention clearly remained on them.
“Then perhaps you should have considered that before telling me I was unwanted.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“I said I didn’t want this marriage.”
“No. You said you didn’t want me.”
“That isn’t the same thing.”
Her heart stopped.
For half a second, neither moved.
Then Claire shook her head.
“You don’t get to rewrite your sentence because you dislike the consequences.”
“I’m not rewriting anything.”
“Then explain it.”
Dominic looked around.
Too many ears.
Too many phones.
Too many enemies.
“Not here.”
“You had eight months at home.”
His expression darkened.
Claire turned away.
Dominic spoke quietly behind her.
“If you remain here, you are putting yourself in danger.”
There it was.
Not jealousy.
Not desire.
Not regret.
Protection.
Duty.
The same thing he always offered.
Claire closed her eyes.
“I’m tired of being protected by men who never ask what I want.”
She walked away.
This time, Dominic did not stop her.
Adrian appeared moments later with two champagne glasses.
“That looked unpleasant.”
“Were you watching?”
“Everyone was watching.”
He handed her one.
Claire didn’t drink.
Adrian tilted his head.
“You should know something.”
“What?”
“Dominic has been offered introductions to half the unmarried women in Chicago over the last eight months.”
Claire hated the sharp ache the information caused.
She forced herself to smile.
“I’m sure he has.”
“He refused every one.”
She looked at Adrian.
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Maybe.”
Adrian studied her.
“But men like Dominic don’t waste opportunities unless something is occupying the space.”
Claire’s fingers tightened around the glass.
“You’re supposed to be his enemy.”
“I am.”
“Then why are you defending him?”
“I’m not.”
Adrian’s smile disappeared.
“I’m telling you he’s lying about something.”
Before Claire could answer, a man approached and whispered into Adrian’s ear.
Something changed instantly.
Adrian’s relaxed expression hardened.
“Excuse me.”
He disappeared toward a side corridor.
Claire watched him leave.
Then she noticed Dominic.
He stood near the entrance, speaking to one of his men.
His gaze kept returning to her.
For years, Claire had imagined what it might feel like to have a man look at her as if nothing else in the room mattered.
She just never imagined it would happen because he was furious.
A young businessman approached her.
“Mrs. Russo?”
Claire turned.
He introduced himself as Evan Mercer.
She barely remembered his name before he asked her to dance.
Claire hesitated.
Then looked past him.
Dominic was watching.
She knew accepting would be childish.
She knew revenge based on jealousy was temporary.
She also knew she had spent eight months being invisible.
Claire smiled.
“I’d love to.”
Dominic’s face changed.
Evan led Claire to the dance floor.
They moved once around the room.
Twice.
On the third turn, Dominic was suddenly beside them.
“Mercer.”
Evan almost stepped on Claire’s shoe.
“Mr. Russo.”
“My wife needs to leave.”
Claire stared at Dominic.
“No, she doesn’t.”
Evan wisely released her.
“I think I’ll find the bar.”
He disappeared.
Coward, Claire thought.
Smart coward.
Dominic looked at her.
“Enough.”
“You told me to go to bed earlier. Now you’re telling me to leave a party. Are commands the only conversation you know?”
“You’re deliberately provoking me.”
“At least you noticed me.”
The words escaped before Claire could stop them.
Dominic froze.
So did she.
The music continued around them.
But the fight changed.
Claire looked away first.
“That’s what this is really about, isn’t it?” Dominic asked quietly.
“Don’t.”
“Claire.”
“Don’t suddenly pretend you care what I feel.”
“I do.”
She laughed bitterly.
“You’ve had eight months to demonstrate that.”
Dominic’s expression tightened with something close to pain.
Claire had never seen that either.
She hated how much part of her wanted to understand it.
Then Adrian returned.
“Dominic.”
Dominic immediately positioned himself slightly between Claire and Adrian.
Adrian noticed.
Of course he did.
“Relax,” Adrian said. “If I wanted to steal your wife, I’d try charm instead of kidnapping.”
Dominic’s gaze could have frozen fire.
“What do you want?”
Adrian lowered his voice.
“We have a problem.”
Claire watched both men.
“What kind of problem?”
Dominic answered immediately.
“Nothing involving you.”
Claire laughed.
“Of course.”
Adrian ignored him.
“Someone entered the property fifteen minutes ago using credentials belonging to one of my security contractors.”
Dominic became completely still.
“Who?”
“We don’t know.”
“Then lock the house down.”
“I already have.”
Claire’s annoyance faded.
Guests were still dancing, unaware.
Dominic touched Claire’s elbow.
“We’re leaving.”
This time she didn’t argue.
Something in his face warned her this was no longer about jealousy.
They moved toward the entrance.
Halfway there, every light in the mansion went out.
Someone screamed.
Glass shattered.
Dominic’s arm wrapped around Claire instantly.
He pulled her against his chest and lowered his body over hers.
“Stay down.”
Emergency lights flickered red along the walls.
People began rushing toward the doors.
“Don’t move!” Adrian shouted.
Dominic guided Claire behind a marble column.
His body shielded hers.
For eight months, Dominic had barely touched her.
Now Claire could feel his heartbeat hammering beneath her palm.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Claire, look at me.”
She did.
His face was inches away.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Only then did he breathe.
A burst of noise came from the corridor.
Dominic pushed Claire farther behind the column.
A security guard ran into the ballroom.
“Mr. Cross!”
“What?”
“Rear gate breached.”
Adrian swore.
Dominic reached beneath his jacket.
Claire immediately understood.
Her stomach tightened.
“No.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Stay with Adrian.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Claire—”
“You don’t get to abandon me in someone else’s house and call that protection.”
For one strange moment, despite the chaos, Dominic almost smiled.
“There she is.”
“Who?”
“The woman in the red dress.”
Before Claire could respond, one of Dominic’s men rushed toward them.
“Boss, we found the intruder’s vehicle.”
Dominic’s expression sharpened.
“Whose?”
The man hesitated.
Then handed him a phone.
Claire watched Dominic read something on the screen.
Every trace of emotion vanished.
“What is it?” she asked.
Dominic locked the phone.
“Nothing.”
She grabbed his sleeve.
“What is it?”
“Claire.”
“Stop protecting me from information.”
Adrian moved closer.
“Show her.”
Dominic looked at him.
“She deserves to know.”
After several seconds, Dominic handed Claire the phone.
A photograph filled the screen.
It showed Noah walking out of school that afternoon.
Her younger brother.
On the photograph, someone had drawn a red circle around his head.
Underneath were six words.
THE DEBT IS NOT PAID YET.
Claire stopped breathing.
“What does this mean?”
Dominic took the phone from her.
“It means someone wants my attention.”
“No.”
She grabbed his shirt.
“It means someone is threatening Noah.”
Dominic covered her hand with his.
His voice became quiet.
Dangerously quiet.
“And they just made the worst mistake of their life.”
For the first time that night, Claire forgot about rejection.
Forgot the marriage.
Forgot revenge.
There was only Noah.
“Where is he?”
“With my security team.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I have had two men watching him every day since our wedding.”
Claire stared at him.
“What?”
Dominic realized too late what he had revealed.
“You’ve been protecting Noah this entire time?”
“Yes.”
“You never told me.”
“You didn’t need another reason to feel indebted to me.”
Something inside Claire shifted.
Before she could understand it, Adrian returned.
“My people found something else.”
He placed a small envelope on the table.
Dominic opened it.
Inside was another photograph.
This time, Claire was in it.
Leaving a coffee shop three days earlier.
On the back was written:
RUSSO STOLE WHAT BELONGED TO US.
Dominic’s face went white.
Claire had never imagined Dominic Russo capable of looking afraid.
She was wrong.
He took her hand.
“Tonight ends now.”
She looked down at their joined hands.
“Dominic—”
“You can hate me tomorrow.”
His eyes met hers.
“You can leave me tomorrow. You can burn every suit I own if that makes you happy.”
Despite everything, Claire almost laughed.
“But tonight,” he continued, “you stay beside me.”
Not behind me.
Beside me.
It was the first time he had ever said it that way.
Claire tightened her fingers around his.
“All right.”
Dominic nodded.
Then the ballroom lights came back on.
And across the room, someone was missing.
Adrian looked toward the empty doorway.
His expression changed.
“Dominic.”
“What?”
“The man who brought Claire into the house.”
“The guard?”
Adrian nodded.
“He’s gone.”