Page 63 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

The call ends, and I sit there in the dark, clutching the phone like it’s the only thing tethering me to reality.

Clive isn’t just a piece of this puzzle—he’s the one holding it all together. And now, more than ever, I know we’re in over our heads.

18

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Dominic

The streets are silent as I guide the car toward Mercer’s secluded estate, the weight of the night pressing down like a storm about to break. Beside me, Eva sits stiffly, her arms crossed and her gaze locked on the passing cityscape. The tension between us isn’t anger—it’s the sheer gravity of what we’re about to face.

“We’re really doing this,” she says, her voice low but steady.

“There’s no other option,” I reply, gripping the wheel tighter.

“And if Mercer has backup?” she presses, turning to look at me.

I meet her gaze, her determination striking against my own. “Then we’ll deal with it. I’ve come too far to back down now.”

Her jaw tightens, but she nods. We both know this isn’t just about Mercer. The shadowy connections, the betrayal—it allleads to something bigger. Tonight, I intend to peel back the layers

Adrian’s intel on Mercer’s location is precise. The estate sits on the city’s outskirts, hidden behind towering iron gates and dense trees. It reeks of the kind of arrogance Mercer thrives on: secluded but screaming of power and privilege.

“Adrian’s team is already inside,” I tell Eva as I cut the engine. “They’ve got him pinned in his office.”

“Dominic,” she says, her hand brushing my arm. “If you corner him, he’s going to fight back. Desperate men are dangerous.”

Her concern isn’t misplaced, but there’s no room for hesitation now. I place my hand over hers briefly. “I know.”

We slip through the gates under the cover of shadows, the air tense and still. Adrian waits for us near a side entrance, his face grim.

“Mercer’s on the second floor,” he reports. “Two guards stationed outside his office. The cameras are offline, but he might have backups.”

“Keep them out of play,” I say.

Adrian nods, his team moving in sync as we breach the house. Eva stays close to my side, her steps quick and deliberate. Her presence is both grounding and unnerving—she shouldn’t be here, but I need her here.

Mercer’s office is exactly what I expect: extravagant and suffocatingly ostentatious. He’s seated behind a massive desk when we burst in, and for a split second, shock flashes across his face. Then the smirk sets in, his arrogance thick enough to choke on.

“Well, if it isn’t Dominic Kane,” he sneers, leaning back in his chair. “I was wondering when you’d finally show up.”

“No games, Mercer,” I snap. “We know what you’ve been doing. The dummy corporations, the sabotage—everything.”

He shrugs, the smirk widening. “You’re giving me too much credit, Dominic. If Kane Enterprises couldn’t handle the competition, that’s hardly my fault.”

“Cut the crap,” I growl. “You funded Conrad. You gave him the means to bring my company down.”

For the first time, the smirk falters, but only for a moment. “Conrad was a means to an end. He wanted revenge; I needed an inside man. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Rage burns in my chest, but I keep it contained. Barely. “And what about the others? Who else is involved, Mercer?”

He leans forward, his tone almost gleeful. “You think I’m the mastermind? You’ve always been so shortsighted, Dominic. Conrad’s ambitions were bigger than you ever realized. And the people he’s working with? They make me look like an amateur.”

His words chill me, but before I can respond, the door bursts open. One of Mercer’s guards storms in, his face tight with panic.

“Sir, we’ve got—”

The guard doesn’t finish his sentence. Adrian’s team neutralizes him in seconds, but the interruption shatters the fragile control in the room. Mercer lunges for a drawer, and I barely have time to react.

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