Chapter 6 - She Walked Into the Trap Wearing a WireAt 11:42 the following night, Harper stood in front of a cracked mirror inside an abandoned machine shop and stared at a woman she barely recognized.
Black jeans.
Black boots.
Dark coat.
Hair tied back.
No jewelry.
No engagement ring.
That absence mattered.
The pale mark remained around her finger.
But the diamond was gone.
Harper had removed it that morning.
She had placed it on the concrete table beside Dominic without ceremony.
He had looked at the ring.
Then at her.
“Finished?”
Harper had nodded.
“Finished.”
Dominic had picked up the ring between two fingers.
For one horrifying second, Harper thought he might throw it away.
Instead, he placed it carefully inside a drawer.
“Your property.”
That had affected her more than destruction would have.
He could have treated Caleb’s ring as meaningless.
Instead, he had respected that the decision belonged to her.
Now Harper touched the empty finger.
The door opened.
Dominic entered.
He wore black.
Not a suit.
Combat clothing beneath a long coat.
A shoulder holster crossed his chest.
Harper looked at him through the mirror.
“You look reassuring.”
“That was not the objective.”
“Clearly.”
Dominic approached.
He held a tiny transmitter.
“Lift your shirt.”
Harper turned.
“Buy me dinner.”
His expression did not change.
“Harper.”
She smiled despite herself.
Then lifted the bottom of her sweater enough for him to attach the transmitter near her waistband.
His fingers brushed her skin.
Both froze.
Harper felt the contact everywhere.
Dominic removed his hand immediately.
“This microphone will transmit continuously.”
He adjusted the wire.
“If you say the phrase ‘I need air,’ we enter.”
“What if I actually need air?”
“You’ll survive without it.”
She stared at him.
“Comforting.”
His hand remained near her waist.
Neither moved.
Then Dominic looked into her eyes.
“You can still stop.”
Harper shook her head.
“No.”
“This is not courage if you’re doing it because you believe you owe me something.”
“I’m not.”
“Then why?”
Harper considered the question.
“Because Caleb and Chloe deserve consequences for what they did.”
She swallowed.
“But not execution.”
Dominic watched her.
“And because Rossy thinks taking people makes him powerful.”
Her voice hardened.
“I know what it feels like when someone else decides your choices don’t matter.”
Dominic understood the accusation.
His expression tightened.
Harper continued.
“I’m doing this because I choose to.”
After several seconds, Dominic nodded.
“Good.”
He moved toward the door.
Harper caught his sleeve.
“Dominic.”
He stopped.
“If this goes wrong…”
“It won’t.”
“If it does.”
He turned.
Harper suddenly found it difficult to speak.
She had known him less than a week.
That fact seemed impossible.
Fear distorted time.
Intensity compressed years into days.
Dominic had terrified her.
Controlled her.
Protected her.
Infuriated her.
Seen things in her she had spent years refusing to see herself.
“I don’t regret opening the wrong door.”
The words surprised both of them.
Dominic stared.
Harper gave a nervous smile.
“I regret basically everything that happened afterward.”
A faint curve touched his mouth.
“But not the door.”
His expression changed.
Something unguarded appeared.
Gone almost immediately.
He touched her cheek.
“Come back through it alive.”
Then he left.
Harper entered Rossy’s warehouse alone seventeen minutes later.
The building smelled of oil and rust.
Her footsteps echoed.
“Hello?”
Nothing.
She moved farther inside.
A spotlight activated.
Harper shielded her eyes.
A man applauded slowly.
Rossy emerged from the darkness.
He was not what she expected.
No enormous body.
No theatrical scar.
He looked almost ordinary.
Mid-fifties.
Gray suit.
Silver hair.
The kind of man who could have been a senator, surgeon, or expensive attorney.
That somehow made him worse.
“Harper.”
He smiled.
“So this is the woman who has made Dominic careless.”
“I came alone.”
“So did I.”
Harper looked toward the armed men surrounding the warehouse.
Rossy smiled wider.
“Mostly.”
“Where are Caleb and Chloe?”
“Straight to business.”
He gestured.
Two chairs became visible.
Caleb and Chloe were tied to them.
Caleb had bruising around one eye.
Chloe was crying.
Harper’s stomach twisted.
“Harper.”
Caleb sounded broken.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked at him.
Really looked.
For three years, she had believed this man was her future.
Now he looked like a stranger.
“I know.”
“Please.”
“We’ll talk later.”
Rossy chuckled.
“Will you?”
Harper faced him.
“The codes.”
Rossy extended a hand.
Harper removed a flash drive.
Dominic had prepared it.
Fake clearance codes.
A digital Trojan horse Finn insisted would open Rossy’s entire communications network the moment someone connected it.
Harper held it out.
Rossy did not take it.
“Put it on the table.”
She obeyed.
“Now take off your coat.”
Harper’s pulse jumped.
The microphone.
She slowly removed the coat.
Rossy watched.
“Turn around.”
She did.
One of his men approached.
He searched her.
Harper forced herself to breathe.
His hand moved toward her waistband.
Then stopped.
A phone rang somewhere.
The man looked toward Rossy.
Rossy cursed.
“Answer it.”
The guard moved away.
Harper almost collapsed from relief.
Rossy picked up the flash drive.
“You know what Dominic is?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“You know what he allows you to see.”
Rossy circled her.
“Dominic Moretti has buried men beneath construction sites.”
Harper’s expression remained controlled.
“He has bought judges.”
“He has broken unions.”
“Ruined families.”
Rossy leaned closer.
“You think because he fed your cat and touched your face gently that you discovered some wounded prince?”
Harper almost laughed.
“No.”
Rossy frowned.
“I think I discovered a dangerous criminal with serious control issues.”
Somewhere in Dominic’s listening position, Harper imagined Leo choking on laughter.
Rossy’s smile disappeared.
Harper continued.
“I know exactly what he is.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“And I also know what you are.”
Rossy’s eyes narrowed.
“A man who kidnaps civilians because he’s afraid to confront another man directly.”
Silence.
Bad decision.
Harper knew instantly.
Rossy slapped her.
Her head snapped sideways.
Pain exploded across her cheek.
Caleb shouted.
Chloe screamed.
Harper tasted blood.
For half a second, she saw nothing.
Then she slowly turned back.
Rossy stared.
Harper smiled.
It was small.
Bloody.
But real.
“That was stupid.”
Rossy grabbed her throat.
“Excuse me?”
“You just proved his point.”
“What point?”
“That you’re emotional.”
Rossy squeezed.
Harper’s pulse thundered.
“Dominic said you’d lose control.”
She lied.
“He said all I had to do was insult your courage.”
Rossy’s face darkened.
Harper continued.
“And you’d show me exactly how insecure you are.”
Rossy threw her backward.
Harper hit the table.
Pain shot through her hip.
One of the guards approached.
“Boss.”
Rossy turned.
“What?”
“The drive.”
“What about it?”
“It’s transmitting.”
Everything changed.
Rossy looked at Harper.
Harper whispered.
“I need air.”
The warehouse exploded.
Lights died.
Gunfire erupted.
Harper dropped beneath the table.
Dominic’s men entered from three directions.
Leo’s voice came through the darkness.
“North clear!”
Rossy shouted.
“Take the girl!”
Hands grabbed Harper.
She screamed.
A guard dragged her backward.
Then Dominic appeared.
Not dramatically.
Not slowly.
He emerged from darkness like something created by it.
One shot.
The guard dropped.
Dominic reached Harper.
His hand closed around hers.
“Move.”
The same word.
The same hand.
Different woman.
Harper moved.
They reached Caleb and Chloe.
Leo cut the restraints.
“Get them out!”
Harper shouted.
Caleb stared at Dominic.
Recognition appeared.
Then fear.
“You.”
Dominic barely looked at him.
“Yes.”
Caleb’s eyes moved toward Harper’s hand inside Dominic’s.
Something broke across his face.
Harper saw it.
And felt almost nothing.
“Harper…”
“Not now.”
Another burst of gunfire.
Dominic pushed her behind cover.
Rossy was escaping through a side door.
“Leo!”
Dominic shouted.
“I see him!”
Leo pursued.
Dominic started after them.
Harper grabbed him.
“Caleb and Chloe.”
“They’re secure.”
“Then go.”
Dominic stared.
“You’re telling me to leave you?”
“I’m telling you to finish this.”
He hesitated.
It was the first time Harper had seen Dominic Moretti hesitate during violence.
That frightened her more than anything.
She touched his chest.
“Go.”
Dominic looked toward two of his men.
“If anything happens to her, neither of you survives the explanation.”
Then he disappeared.
The gunfire moved farther away.
Harper turned toward Caleb.
He stood unsteadily.
Chloe sobbed against a pillar.
Caleb approached.
“Harper.”
She stepped backward.
“Don’t.”
“Please.”
“I said don’t.”
His face crumpled.
“I made a mistake.”
Harper stared.
“A mistake is ordering the wrong coffee.”
“I was drunk.”
“You were hiding in an alcove.”
“It happened once.”
Chloe suddenly laughed bitterly.
Everyone looked at her.
She wiped tears from her face.
“No.”
Caleb went pale.
“Chloe.”
Harper’s stomach sank.
Chloe looked directly at her.
“It wasn’t once.”
Silence.
“How long?”
Harper asked.
Chloe closed her eyes.
“Seven months.”
Caleb whispered.
“Shut up.”
Harper almost smiled.
Not because it was funny.
Because something inside her finally became simple.
Seven months.
While she planned their wedding.
While she selected invitations.
While Caleb kissed her goodbye.
Seven months.
Harper looked at him.
“You know what the strangest part is?”
Caleb started crying.
“I’m sorry.”
“I believe you.”
Hope appeared.
Then Harper continued.
“I believe you’re sorry now.”
His hope disappeared.
“You’re sorry because you lost something.”
She touched her bare ring finger.
“You weren’t sorry while you had both of us.”
Caleb looked toward the warehouse door.
Then toward Dominic’s men.
“You’re choosing him?”
Harper’s expression hardened.
“This is not about choosing one man instead of another.”
She stepped closer.
“This is about finally choosing myself.”
Caleb flinched.
Harper turned toward Chloe.
Her former best friend looked destroyed.
“I loved you like a sister.”
Chloe cried harder.
“I know.”
“That is why what you did hurts differently.”
“I’m sorry.”
Harper nodded.
“I know.”
Then she walked away from both of them.
Outside, sirens approached.
Not police.
Dominic’s cleanup crews.
Harper stepped into the rain.
Minutes passed.
Then Dominic emerged from the darkness.
Alone.
Blood marked his knuckles.
Harper looked behind him.
“Rossy?”
“Escaped.”
Her stomach dropped.
“How?”
“Boat.”
Dominic’s anger was terrifyingly quiet.
“Leo wounded one of his men. Rossy reached the river.”
“So this isn’t over.”
“No.”
Dominic approached.
Then saw Harper’s cheek.
He stopped.
The temperature around him seemed to drop.
“Who?”
Harper knew what he meant.
“Rossy.”
Dominic looked back toward the river.
“Dominic.”
“He touched you.”
“Yes.”
He started walking.
Harper caught his arm.
“Stop.”
His eyes were almost black.
“He put his hands on you.”
“And I’m alive.”
“That is not the standard.”
“It is tonight.”
Dominic stared at the red mark.
Then touched it carefully.
Harper winced.
His hand immediately dropped.
“Sorry.”
The word stunned her.
Dominic Moretti apologizing.
Harper looked at him.
“Caleb asked whether I was choosing you.”
Dominic’s expression closed.
“And?”
“I told him I was choosing myself.”
Dominic nodded once.
“Correct answer.”
Harper stepped closer.
“But that doesn’t mean I can’t choose something else too.”
He went still.
She could hear rain striking metal.
Men moving behind them.
Chloe crying somewhere inside.
Harper put one hand against Dominic’s chest.
His heartbeat was surprisingly fast.
“I don’t know what this is.”
“Neither do I.”
“That might be the first uncertain sentence you’ve ever spoken.”
“It feels unpleasant.”
Harper smiled.
Dominic touched her jaw.
“Harper.”
“Yes?”
“This is a bad idea.”
“Probably.”
“I am not a safe man.”
“I noticed.”
“I cannot promise you normal.”
“I just escaped a warehouse hostage exchange.”
Her smile faded.
“I think normal left several exits ago.”
Dominic’s thumb moved along her cheek.
“You should walk away.”
“Do you want me to?”
Silence.
That was the answer.
Harper rose onto her toes.
Dominic did not move.
She kissed him.
For one second, he remained completely still.
Then control disappeared.
His hand entered her hair.
The other wrapped around her waist.
He kissed her like a man who had spent years refusing himself anything he could not control.
Harper felt every restrained piece of him break.
The kiss was not gentle.
But when she pulled back, he released her immediately.
Choice.
Always choice now.
Their foreheads touched.
Dominic breathed against her mouth.
“You have terrible judgment.”
Harper smiled.
“You kidnapped me.”
“Exactly.”
Then Leo’s voice came from behind them.
“I hate interrupting whatever terrible decision this is.”
They separated.
Leo held up a phone.
His expression was grim.
“Rossy sent something.”
Dominic took it.
A photograph appeared.
Harper’s blood went cold.
Barnaby.
Her orange cat sat inside a carrier.
Beside the carrier was Dominic’s housekeeper.
Bound to a chair.
Rossy’s message contained four words.
YOU MISSED SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
Dominic looked at Harper.
May you like
The softness vanished.
War returned.
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