Page 118 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

We descend a narrow staircase, the air growing colder with each step. My heart pounds as we reach a reinforced metal door, which one of the guards unlocks with a heavy clang.

Reyes gestures for me to enter, his smirk never faltering. “Make yourself comfortable.”

The room is small, windowless, and bare except for a metal chair bolted to the floor in the center. A single bulb dangles from the ceiling, casting harsh light over the concrete walls.

The guards push me inside, cutting the zip ties from my wrists before shoving me toward the chair. I stumble but manage to stay upright, glaring at Reyes as he lingers in the doorway.

“This won’t hold him,” I say, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands.

Reyes tilts his head, amused. “We’ll see.”

He steps back, the door slamming shut behind him with a finality that echoes through the small space.

Dominic’s POV

The safe house feels stifling as Adrian paces the length of the room, his phone pressed to his ear. The tension in the air is unbearable, every second stretching

longer as we wait for a lead—any lead—on Eva’s location. I stand by the window, staring out into the dark expanse beyond, my fists clenched so tightly my knuckles ache.

“She’s out there,” I mutter, more to myself than anyone else. “Reyes isn’t hiding her. He wants me to find her.”

Adrian glances at me, his brow furrowed. “It’s bait, Dominic. He’s counting on you to be reckless.”

“I don’t care,” I snap, my voice sharp. “He’s already made this personal. And I’m not leaving her in his hands.”

Adrian ends his call, his expression grim. “We’ve narrowed down potential locations. Industrial zones outside the city—remote, easy to secure. Reyes isn’t stupid; he’ll have fortified whatever base he’s using.”

I nod, forcing myself to focus. “Then we go in fast, hit hard, and take him out before he has a chance to move her.”

Adrian hesitates, his jaw tightening. “We’re running out of time. Reyes is unpredictable, and Eva…” He trails off, but I don’t need him to finish.

“She’s stronger than you think,” I say firmly. “And so am I.”

Adrian’s phone buzzes again, and he answers it immediately. A few tense seconds pass before he nods sharply and ends the call.

“We have something,” he says. “A convoy just left a gated facility on the outskirts of the city. Satellite imagery shows heavy activity there earlier tonight.”

“Reyes,” I say, grabbing my gear without hesitation. “That’s where he’s keeping her.”

Adrian grabs his own equipment, his movements quick and efficient. “Dominic, if we go in, there’s no guarantee we’ll get her out cleanly. Reyes will be expecting this.”

“Then we give him what he doesn’t expect,” I reply, my voice cold. “No mercy.”

Eva’s POV

The minutes stretch into what feels like hours as I sit in the freezing, empty room. My wrists throb from the zip ties, and my body aches from the jostling in the car, but I refuse to let the pain take root. I can’t afford to be weak—not now.

I strain my ears, trying to pick up any sounds from outside the door. Reyes’s threats replay in my mind, but I push them aside, focusing instead on Dominic. He’ll come for me. I know he will.

But what if Reyes is counting on that?

A faint click echoes through the room, pulling me from my thoughts. My pulse quickens as the door creaks open, revealing one of Reyes’s guards. He steps inside, his expression impassive as he approaches me.

“Get up,” he says gruffly.

I glare at him but comply, my legs unsteady as I rise. He grabs my arm, his grip bruising as he pulls me toward the door. My mind races, searching for an opening, a way to fight back. But the hallway outside is lined with more guards, their faces cold and unreadable.

The guard leads me down another staircase, this one narrower, darker. My stomach churns with dread, but I force myself to keep my breathing steady. Panicking won’t help me now.

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