Page 64 of Falling for the Grump Billionaire

“Don’t,” I bark, grabbing his arm and slamming it against the desk.

The room erupts in chaos. Eva blocks the exit with a chair, while Adrian’s men secure the remaining guards. Mercer struggles, but he’s pinned against the desk, his fury palpable.

“You’re too late,” he spits, his voice dripping venom. “By the time you figure out what’s really going on, it’ll be over.”

Once Mercer is restrained, Adrian’s team combs through his office. Eva sits perched on the edge of the desk, her expression unreadable.

“You were right,” I tell her, my voice low. “This was personal for Conrad. Mercer was just a pawn.”

Her gaze meets mine, her brown eyes fierce. “It doesn’t end here, Dominic. Conrad’s still out there, and whoever he’s working with is pulling the strings.”

I nod, the fire in my chest simmering into resolve. “We’ll find him. But we need to understand what we’re dealing with first.”

Adrian reenters, holding a laptop. “We’ve got something,” he says. “Mercer’s been communicating with Conrad through aprivate server. The encryption is tight, but we traced the IP address.”

“Where does it lead?”

“A shell company overseas,” Adrian replies. “But it’s connected to a larger network. There’s another player in this, someone directing all of it.”

Eva’s grip tightens on the edge of the desk. “And we still don’t know who.”

Back at the penthouse, the adrenaline that had fueled me during our confrontation with Mercer slowly seeped from my veins, but the tension remained, thick and palpable. I sat on the plush couch in the living room, the files and documents from Mercer's laptop scattered across the glass coffee table, each piece of evidence a reminder of the threat we were up against. Eva, my partner in this endeavor, took a seat beside me, her green eyes fixed on the papers as if she could decipher the entire scheme just by staring at them.

"This is bigger than we thought," she said, her voice steady and controlled, a stark contrast to the chaos of the situation. I admired her composure; it was one of the many qualities that drew me to her. "Whoever is behind this isn't just after Kane Enterprises. They're constructing something, Dominic. Something grand and sinister."

I nodded, my fingers skimming through the records, each one a testament to the meticulous planning that had gone into this operation. "They've been plotting for years. Every step is calculated, every move designed to bring us down. It's likethey've been studying us, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

Eva leaned back, her slender fingers massaging her temples as if trying to ease the weight of the conspiracy from her mind. "And we still don't know the full extent of it. Conrad is still out there, and if Mercer's intel is accurate, he's not acting alone."

A surge of protectiveness washed over me, and before I could stop myself, I reached for her hand, lacing my fingers with hers. Her touch was electric, a jolt of connection that grounded me in that moment. "We'll find him, Eva. We'll stop this before it goes any further. I won't let anyone hurt you or my company."

She turned to me, her eyes searching mine, and I saw determination mixed with a hint of vulnerability. "Together, Dominic. We'll face this together. We have to be each other's strength now." Her grip tightened around my hand, and I felt the warmth of her palm against mine.

In that instant, the tension between us shifted, transforming from the weight of the investigation to something more primal, more intimate. I could see the desire reflected in her eyes, a mirror to the hunger stirring within me. Without a word, I pulled her closer, my other hand sliding around her waist, drawing her slender body against mine. She responded eagerly, her lips parting in a silent invitation.

I leaned in, capturing her mouth in a kiss that started as a soft exploration but quickly ignited into a passionate dance. Her lips were warm and pliant, tasting of the wine we'd shared earlier. I delved deeper, my tongue tracing the contours of her mouth,and she met me stroke for stroke, her hands now gripping my shoulders, pulling me closer.

Breaking the kiss, I trailed my lips along her jawline, nipping and sucking gently, eliciting a soft moan from her throat. "God, Eva," I whispered against her skin, "I've wanted to do this since the moment I laid eyes on you."

She giggled, a playful sound that belied the intensity of the moment. "And I've been waiting for you to make a move, Mr. Kane. I thought you'd never ask."

I chuckled, my breath hot against her neck. "I'm making up for lost time, my dear journalist. And believe me, I intend to make it worth the wait."

My hands roamed freely over her body, mapping the curves I had longed to explore. I slid my fingers beneath the hem of her blouse, reveling in the softness of her skin. Her breath hitched as I teased the sensitive skin at the small of her back, and I savored the sensation of her responding to my touch.

Eva's hands were equally busy, unbuttoning my shirt with nimble fingers, her touch sending shivers down my spine. She broke away from our kiss, her lips traveling down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I tilted my head back, giving her better access, and groaned as her teeth gently scraped my collarbone.

"Your skin is so warm," she murmured, her breath hot against my chest. "I want to feel all of you."

I needed no further encouragement. Standing up, I lifted her into my arms, her legs instinctively wrapping around mywaist. I carried her to the bedroom, our lips never parting, our desire fueling each step. The files and the investigation were momentarily forgotten as the pent-up passion between us demanded release.

Laying her down on the bed, I hovered over her, my body poised to take what I craved. Her eyes gleamed with anticipation, and I knew she wanted this as much as I did. I kissed her again, hungrily, as my hands worked to rid her of her clothing. Her blouse was soon discarded, revealing a lacy black bra that barely contained her full breasts.

I paused, my gaze drinking in the sight of her. "You're breathtaking, Eva. Absolutely stunning."

She smiled, a mix of shyness and desire playing across her features. "So are you, Dominic. And I've been dying to see what's underneath all that expensive tailoring."

With that, I stood up, quickly shedding my shirt and pants, leaving me clad only in my boxer briefs. Her eyes widened at the sight of my muscular frame, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. I climbed back onto the bed, positioning myself between her legs, my erection straining against the fabric.

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