His Merciless Redemption novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Isabella’s POV

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I walked towards the study, and found him there. Then, I placed my phone on the table between us.

Dominic’s gaze flicked down. Then sharpened.

“Again?” he asked quietly.

I nodded.

He picked up the phone, read the message once, then again. I watched his jaw tighten, watched the muscle in his cheek jump. But he didn’t explode, didn’t curse.

He simply exhaled.

“They’re impatient,” he said. “That means they think you’re valuable.”

“That’s what scares me,” I replied.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said.

I swallowed. “I think that I should give them something. But not what they want.”

His brows drew together. “Isa-”

“Let me finish,” I interrupted him as an idea quickly formed in my head.

He nodded once.

“They don’t want me because I have access to you,” I continued. “They want me because they think I’m close enough to see cracks. So we give them one.”

Dominic crossed his arms slowly. “What kind of crack?”

“A fake one.”

Silence fell between us.

I took a breath. “We make them believe you’re distracted. Not weak, just divided. That you’re moving resources. Protecting something else.”

His eyes narrowed slightly in thought.

“Go on,” he said.

I stepped closer to the table, bracing my hands against it. “They already know you’re cautious. Let them think you’re prioritizing something else. A shipment. A partner. A financial route. Something believable enough that they redirect.”

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Chapter 74

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“That takes their attention away from Mateo and you’d be the one feeding it to them,” he said.

“Yes.”

“You realize what that does,” he said quietly.

“I do.”

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“They’ll believe you,” he continued. “And that means they’ll come for you harder. I need you to understand that.”

My chest tightened, but I didn’t look away.

“I understand.”

His jaw flexed. For a long moment, I thought he’d say no. That he’d shut this down, calling it foolish.

Instead, he exhaled slowly.

“I don’t like this,” he said. “But I trust you.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

Trust.

Not protection. Not control.

Trust.

“We need to be careful with the wording. Nothing that can be traced. Nothing that pins timing.”

“I was thinking something observational,” I said quickly. “Not operational. Like I’m noticing patterns, not inside plans.”

A corner of his mouth twitched. “You’re actually quite good at this.”

“I have been spending a lot of time with you lately,” I replied, my tone a bit teasing.

He chuckled a little. “All right. What do we give them?”

I thought for a moment.

“You’ve been spending more time off-site,” I said. “That’s true enough. And they already know you’ve shifted parts of your security. So I tell them you’re protecting a transfer,” I continued. “Not people. Not territory. Something mobile. Something they think they can intercept.”

“That sounds good. When they try to come for it, I’ll just fight back easily because I will already be prepared, and obviously if I am protecting something, I would have full security so it won’t be suspicious that you sold them off to me or something,” he said.

I bit my lower lip as I gave a slow nod. Doing this would take the heat off Mateo but put Dominic right in the

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Chapter 74

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line of fire if they took the bait and attacked. I knew he could handle it, but I was still worried about him. “I know you have done this a lot of times before, but are you sure you’ll be fine?”

“Worried about me already?” He smirked, his tone almost playful.

But I really was worried about him. So, I said, “Yes, of course, I am. I want to protect Mateo, but not if it means you getting hurt.”

His gaze softened at my words and he rounded the table until he was standing right in front of me. “I’ve had tonns of practice doing stuff like this. I’ll be just fine. So you don’t need to worry, okay? Besides, I’d do anything for Mateo, even if it means giving up my life.”

I shook my head. The thought of something happening to him made my stomach drop, and here he was talking about dying as if it were nothing.

“Stop staying stuff like that so casually. I would hate for you to get hurt. I can’t even imagine you actually….” God, I couldn’t even complete the sentence. I shook my head again. “I don’t want you to give your life for him Dominic. I want you to live for him, to come back to us alive and well.” My voice softened to a near whisper. “I want him to have his father in his life. Can you do that?”

Dominic stepped closer, cupping my cheek. “I can. And I will. I promise I’ll come back to both of you all in one piece, okay? Now, stop worrying so much,” he said before leaning down and placing a soft, almost revernt kiss on my forehead.

God, I wanted to practically melt into his arms.

But I forced myself to think of Mateo. Of the fact that Dominic wasn’t mine to hold. Nor was I his.

Clearing my throat, I stepped back. “Okay. Let’s send that message now.”

An emotion flashed on Dominic’s face just then. Disappointment? Longing? But it was gone before I could truly understand it.

Taking a step back, too, he picked up my phone from the table and held it out to me. “Draft it. I’ll tell you if anything needs adjusting.”

My fingers hovered over the screen. This was the point of no return.

I typed carefully.

Dominic has moved resources recently. He’s protecting something he doesn’t want anyone to notice. I’m not risking myself without proof you can keep your end of the deal. If you want help, you need to show me you’re

serious.

I handed the phone back.

Dominic read it once.

Then nodded. “Send it.”

I hesitated only a second before pressing send.

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Chapter 74

The phone buzzed almost immediately.

Vitelli:

Finally. We’ll be in touch.

I stared at the screen, heart pounding.

Dominic gently turned the phone face down.

“That’s enough for today,” he said. “You did well.”

I exhaled shakily. “They believed it.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “Which means they’re going to make a move now.”

“And when they do,” I said, “we’ll be ready.”

A pause.

“Yes,” he said quietly. “We will.”

Our eyes held.

Too long.

Too much.

But I stepped back again. I had to. Because who else would protect my heart if I didn’t?

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