Page 116 of Sweet Dominion

Monique stiffened slightly beside me, but I kept my arm around her waist, hopefully grounding her in the moment.

This wasn’t just for show; it was the truth. She needed to understand the weight of that title, the responsibility that came with it.

But I also needed her to know that I was here, by her side, protecting her in my world of death and power plays.

Dima’s eyes flicked to Monique and for a moment, I could see the gears turning in his mind, assessing her, calculating. Then, as if flipping a switch, his face softened into that charming, almost disarming smile of his that used to make even my mother giddy.

“Monique.” He lifted his pen from the notebook. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

He didn’t extend his hand to shake hers, but the gesture was there in his posture, in the way he subtly leaned forward.

Dima had a thing about boundaries, especially when it came to someone new.

Which made me wonder why he’d brought the reporter.

I raised my eyebrows. “And this is a great opportunity to tell me whysheis here.”

The warm expression left his face. “She?”

“The reporter.”

Dima loudly cleared his throat, telling me in his way to proceed with caution.

Why? Is she really that important to you?

Next, he turned to the reporter. “This is Rose.”

Then. . .his voice took on a different, almost odd tone that I’d never heard from him. “I am madly in love with her.”

What?

Rose blinked.

Chen glanced at me.

I thought back to Chen showing me Rose’s little interview on the,Good Morning Paradise City,show over a month ago.

Rose was a wild card and in our world, wild cards could bring everything crashing down.

I assessed her. “You’re a Pulitzer Prize winner. Right?”

She gave me a warm smile. “I am.”

“You got it due to doing some big article onbadguys.”

“A group of corrupt NY politicians.” Rose remained composed. Her face was a mask of calm elegance.

“That’s right.” I bobbed my head. “You took down the bad guys.”

Frowning, Dima put up the notebook.

I put my view back on Rose. “I loved your interview onGood Morning Paradise City. I believe you said that you were coming down here to understand the violence and crime that plagues Paradise City. Did I get that right?”

Marcelo and Banks watched her, clearly not exactly won over by the reporter either.

Meanwhile, Dima deepened his frown.

“You did get that right.” Rose blinked again. “Well. . .a lot has happened since then.”

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