His Merciless Redemption novel Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Isabella’s POV

My breath left my body in a violent rush.

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I grabbed my phone, my bag, and practically flew out of my office. I heard Chiara call after me, confused, but I didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop.

The elevator felt too slow. The air felt too thin. The parking lot stretched endlessly in front of me as I ran towards the driver already waiting in the car.

“School,” I gasped, voice shaking. “Now. As fast as you can.”

He took one look at me and didn’t ask a thing, just stepped on the accelerator. The city blurred around us, buildings and trees smearing together through the windshield.

My stomach lurched. My chest burned.

There was only one thought on my mind.

Mateo. My son.

My fingers trembled as I dialed Dominic.

He answered on the first ring.

“Isa?”

I swallowed hard. “Have you picked Mateo up yet?”

“No,” he said immediately. “I’m on my way over right now. I should be there soon”

Dominic hadn’t reached him yet either. Mateo was still alone. Vulnerable. “Okay,” I mumbled, too worried to say much else.

“Where are you? Is everything okay?”

“I’m almost there,” I replied, ignoring the other question. I wasn’t okay. I wouldn’t be until I had Mateo in my arms again.

“I’ll wait for you at the gates.”

I ended the call, my pulse still frantic.

When we reached the school, I barely registered the car coming to a stop. I stumbled out, lungs clawing for air, vision swimming.

Children were spilling out of the building in clusters, bright voices, backpacks bouncing, full of laughter. And I couldn’t see my son. I couldn’t see him.

13:00 Sat, Jan 17

Chapter 62

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My heart slammed against my ribs so hard I heard blood rush in my ears. I spun, searching desperately.

Then, I saw him.

Dominic. Standing near the gate. Looking frantically for me.

And beside him. Mateo.

Mateo, whole and safe and smiling up at him about something. He was here. He was here. Oh thank God, he was here.

My knees nearly buckled with relief.

Dominic’s head whipped toward me.

Our eyes met.

He broke away from the gate instantly, meeting me halfway.

“Isa,” he said, breathless. “He’s with me. He’s okay.”

I nodded, but tears still burned behind my eyes.

Mateo spotted me and beamed. “Mamma! Look! Mr. Gallo let me take home my art project!”

I opened my arms and he ran into them. I held him so tightly he squeaked. “Mamma?”

His small hands cupped my cheeks. “Are you crying?”

I shook my head, trying to smile. “I’m just happy to see you.”

He frowned. “I was always here.”

Dominic stepped in then, crouching so he was eye-level with Mateo.

“Mamma got scared when she couldn’t see you right away,” he explained gently. “She thought maybe you’d gotten lost in the crowd.”

Mateo giggled. “I wouldn’t get lost. I know not to go anywhere with strangers. Only with Mamma or Dom or

Maria.”

“That’s right,” Dominic said, ruffling his hair. “You’re a smart boy.”

My heart clenched painfully at that.

Dominic stood and gently guided us to the car. I let myself breathe freely for the first time since reading that

message.

Back at the villa, Maria swept Mateo upstairs to change out of his school uniform. I stayed pacing in the living room, unable to hold myself still.

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As soon as we were alone, I pulled out my phone, unlocked it with shaking fingers, and handed it to Dominic.

His gaze dropped to the screen.

I watched his expression shift, there was a flare of anger, followed by something colder.

“You said it was over,” I whispered, voice thin.

“It is,” he replied quietly. “They’re cornered. What’s left is cleanup. Some loose ends I need to take care of.” He exhaled slowly, pushing a hand through his hair. “This is just noise, Isa. Fear tactics. They’re trying to rattle you.”

“Well, they succeeded,” I snapped, my voice cracking. “They’re talking about my son. Our son. You can’t expect me to shrug that off.”

His jaw clenched. “I’m not asking you to shrug it off, I’m asking you to trust me.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Trust has never gone well for me, Dominic, not when it comes to you.”

He flinched. Actually flinched.

“I’ll increase security,” he said tightly. “Two men outside his school. Two at your office. Cameras if needed. You’ll get updates every hour. Nothing happens to either of you. Not on my watch.”

“How long?” I asked.

He blinked. “What?”

“How long will this go on?” The words ripped out of me, sharp and raw. “Security and threats and bodyguards and danger around every corner? How long, Dominic? Mateo is a child. He deserves to have a childhood. Not this.”

Anger flickered in his eyes. “You think I don’t know that? You think I want this for him? For you?”

“I don’t know what you want,” I shot back.

Silence slammed down between us.

He looked away first.

“I’m doing everything I can,” he murmured.

I inhaled slowly, trying to steady myself. “I know,” I admitted. “I just don’t want this to become normal.”

His eyes met mine then, something wounded flickering in them. Like he wanted to say something more. Something big.

But all he said was, “It won’t.”

I nodded, even though neither of us believed it completely.

13:00 Sat, Jan 17

Chapter 62

For now, it would have to be enough.

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That night, after Mateo fell asleep, I sat by his bed and traced patterns on his blanket, trying to calm the tremor running through my bones. Today had been extremely rattling for me.

Since our talk after days this morning, Dominic was keeping his distance again.

Maybe I should be grateful he was.

Because the closer he got, the more terrified I became, not of him, but of what I still felt. Of what I still wanted.

Of what I could lose.

So I stayed where I was.

Halfway between leaving and staying.

Existing in the space between.

And hoping that was the last of the threats so I didn’t have to worry about Mateo so much, and there didn’t have to be any more interactions between Dominic and me.

But God obviously had other plans in store for us.

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