Page 133 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

“I’m here,” he calls back, his hand finding mine and pulling me to my feet. “We have to move. Now.”

The warehouse is chaos, the air thick with smoke and the sound of gunfire echoing through the space. Dominic leads me through the maze of containers, his grip on my hand unyielding as he navigates the chaos with unrelenting focus.

Adrian’s voice crackles through the comms. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“We’re fine,” Dominic replies, his voice sharp. “But Reyes isn’t here. He’s baited us again.”

“Pull back,” Adrian says. “The other teams are reporting movement at the airfield. It could be him.”

Dominic curses under his breath but doesn’t argue. “We’re on our way.”

We burst out of the warehouse into the cold night air, the sound of sirens growing louder in the distance. The SUV is waiting for us, its engine running, and Dominic all but shoves me into the passenger seat before climbing in after me.

“Drive,” he orders, his tone leaving no room for hesitation.

The vehicle peels away from the warehouse, the lights of Hong Kong blurring past as we speed toward the airfield. My chest heaves as I try to catch my breath, the adrenaline coursing through me like a drug.

“We’ll get him,” Dominic says, his voice low but resolute. “This isn’t over.”

I nod, my fingers gripping the edge of the seat. He’s right. Reyes may have slipped through our fingers again, but the game isn’t finished.

Not yet.

36

__________

Dominic

The early morning light filters through the glass balcony doors, soft and golden, casting a calm over the chaos of the last few days. But even the warmth of the rising sun can’t thaw the cold weight in my chest. Eva stands beside me, her hair illuminated like a halo, her presence the only anchor keeping me from spiraling into the storm Reyes has unleashed.

Her hands are wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee, but she hasn’t taken a sip. Her gaze is fixed on the horizon, where the town of Harbor Springs still sleeps, unaware of the battles being waged in its name. I lean against the railing, studying her profile—the set of her jaw, the fire in her eyes. She’s been through hell, but her strength is unyielding.

“You’re thinking too hard,” I say, breaking the silence.

Eva glances at me, her lips curving into a faint smile. “It’s hard not to, with everything at stake.”

She’s right, of course. But the fight isn’t won with worry. It’s won with action. I take the mug from her hands, setting it on the table behind us. “Come inside,” I say gently. “We’ve got work to do.”

The First Step

The dining table is a battlefield of its own, covered in Lena’s documents. Eva sits cross-legged in her chair, sifting through financial reports and photos, piecing together the puzzle Reyes has scattered across Harbor Springs. Each piece fits into a larger picture—a calculated, systematic effort to strangle the town until it submits.

“He’s targeting more than just Lena,” Eva murmurs, pointing to a highlighted section of a spreadsheet. “These property buyouts, the sabotage—it’s all about control.”

“And leverage,” I add, scanning the reports. “He’s using South Haven Partners as a front to tighten his grip on the town. If he gets full control, he’ll have a foothold for larger operations.”

Eva looks up at me, her eyes sharp with determination. “Then we can’t let him succeed.”

Adrian’s Discovery

By midmorning, Adrian’s call comes through. His voice is crisp, every word deliberate. “I’ve traced South Haven Partners. It’s a front, tied directly to Reyes’s offshore accounts. The shellcompanies he’s using are funneling money into Harbor Springs to buy out key properties.”

“Why Harbor Springs?” I ask, pacing the length of the penthouse.

“It’s strategic,” Adrian replies. “It’s a hub for shipping routes, local industries, and community influence. If Reyes gains control, he’ll have access to regional supply chains and infrastructure. He’s positioning it as a staging ground for a larger network.”

Eva leans in, her brow furrowed. “What about Lena’s clinic? Is it just collateral damage?”

---