Page 127 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

I clench my fists, frustration bubbling in my chest. But I know he’s right. Whoever accessed that account won’t go down without a fight.

“Fine,” I say, my voice tight. “But you’d better come back.”

He steps closer, his hand brushing against my cheek. “I will.”

Dominic’s team moves like a well-oiled machine, their dark tactical gear blending seamlessly into the shadows of the terminal. The private terminal is quiet, the hum of fluorescent lights the only sound as they approach the gate where the account was accessed.

Adrian stays back, monitoring the operation from a secure location, his voice coming through Dominic’s earpiece. “The account holder is in the VIP lounge. Two security personnel are with them. No sign of Reyes yet.”

Dominic nods, signaling his team to fan out. They move silently, their weapons drawn, their eyes scanning every corner of the lounge.

As they breach the room, chaos erupts. One of the security guards fires a shot, but Dominic’s team is faster. Within seconds, both guards are disarmed, and the account holder—a man in his late forties with sharp features and a nervous expression—is restrained.

“Who are you working for?” Dominic demands, his voice icy.

The man trembles, his eyes darting wildly. “I… I don’t know his name,” he stammers. “He only contacts me through encrypted messages.”

Dominic’s jaw tightens. “You accessed the account. Why?”

“I was instructed to transfer the funds,” the man says quickly. “To a new account in Hong Kong. That’s all I know, I swear.”

Dominic exchanges a glance with his team, his mind racing. Reyes is moving fast—too fast. If they don’t act now, they’ll lose him again.

“Adrian,” Dominic says into his earpiece. “Trace the Hong Kong account. Now.”

Back at the penthouse, I pace anxiously, my phone clutched tightly in my hand. Dominic’s updates have been sparse, and the tension in my chest feels like a vise.

When the call finally comes, I answer it immediately. “Dominic?”

“It’s me,” he says, his voice steady but taut. “We’ve got a lead. Reyes is shifting his operation to Hong Kong. Adrian’s already tracking the account.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, my heart pounding.

“It means this isn’t over,” he replies, his tone heavy with determination. “Not by a long shot.”

As the line goes dead, I stare out at the city skyline, the weight of his words settling over me. Reyes is slipping further away, but Dominic won’t stop. He won’t let him win.

And neither will I.

34

__________

Dominic

I stand in the middle of my penthouse, the silence pressing down on me like a heavy blanket. The city outside my floor-to-ceiling windows buzzes with life, its twinkling lights a stark contrast to the darkness within. The quiet feels almost deafening after the whirlwind of the past few days. Reyes and his damn file have thrown us into a storm of uncertainty and doubt.

Across the room, Eva sits curled up on the corner of the plush couch, her laptop casting a soft glow over her face. Her auburn hair spills loosely around her shoulders, framing her sharp green eyes, which hold a faraway look. I know that gaze. It’s the look of someone grappling with too much, carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. She’s trying to process everything—secrets and lies unraveling faster than we can piece them together.

And it’s my fault.

I’ve dragged her into this chaos, and now, more than ever, I need to be her anchor. Taking a deep breath, I loosen my tie as I cross the room toward her, a small act to shed the formality between us.

“Eva,” I say softly, my voice cutting through the stillness.

Her head snaps up, her eyes meeting mine. The questions in her gaze are clear—the doubts, the fears, the constant churn of her thoughts. Words feel unnecessary; there’s a connection between us that runs deeper than conversation.

Gently, she closes her laptop with a quiet click and sets it aside, giving me her full attention. “What is it, Dominic?” she asks. Her voice is steady, but the tension is unmistakable.

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