His Ruthless Redemption (Isabella and Dominic) novel Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Isabella’s POV

“You’re back,” Dominic said.

It wasn’t a question.

“I told you I would be,” I replied quietly, taking a step towards him.

His eyes flicked past me. To the gate. To the driveway.

“And you came with Luca, not the car I had waiting for you.”

There it was.

My spine stiffened. “He offered me a ride. I took it.”

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His jaw tightened. “You didn’t think you should’ve denied him and come home in the car I sent for you?”

I dropped my purse on the side table harder than necessary. “You knew where I was. You knew who I was meeting. You knew what was at stake. But somehow that-” I gestured vaguely toward the door “—is what you’re angry about?”

“I’m not angry,” he said flatly.

The lie sat between us like broken glass.

“You’re furious,” I corrected.

He took a slow step toward me. “I don’t like other men driving you home.”

I let out a sharp laugh. Dear God, we should be talking about the conversation I had with the Vitellis, but no, here we were arguing about Luca. “That sounds like a you problem,” I said to him.

His eyes darkened. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” I shot back. “Pretend I’m not allowed to exist outside your orbit?”

“You left with him,” Dominic snapped. “After meeting my enemies.”

“And came home safely,” I fired back. “Which you would know, since you were apparently watching.”

That stopped him.

For half a second, something like guilt flickered across his face. Then it hardened into something more dangerous.

“I had men on the perimeter,” he said. “I wasn’t spying on you.”

12:10 Sat, May 16

Chapter 91

“Sure,” I muttered.

His nostrils flared. “You think I’d let you walk into something like that alone?”

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“No,” I said honestly. “I think you’d let me walk in knowing you were close enough to burn the world down if something went wrong.”

That earned me a sharp look.

“So don’t act like Luca is the problem here,” I continued, my voice rising despite myself. “The Vitellis want you out of Florence. They want me close enough to bleed you dry slowly. That’s the problem.”

“I know they do,” he said tightly. “What do they want you to do about it?”

“Be more involved in your life. Attend meetings with you, plan strategies and what not,” I explained, waving my hand around.

“That’s not sounding good,” he frowned.

“Exactly. It’s not. This is more important. This is what we need to talk about. Then why are we fighting about a ride home?”

“Because I watched another man put his hands on you,” he said, voice low and dangerous. “Because I saw him kiss your cheek like it was his right.”

Heat flared in my chest. “It was a goodbye, Dominic.”

“And I didn’t like it.”

The honesty in his voice made my breath hitch.

I crossed my arms. “You don’t get to like or dislike it.”

His lips curved into something sharp. “You really want to test that theory?”

Anger flared within me, hot and fast. “You don’t own me.”

“I never said I did.”

“But you act like you do,” I snapped. “You stand there looking at me like I crossed some invisible line, like I betrayed you-”

“You left with him,” he repeated.

“And you slept with me,” I shot back. “So what exactly is the hierarchy here?”

Silence settled in the room after that.

His eyes dropped to my mouth.

Then back up.

12:10 Sat, May 16

Chapter 91

Slowly, dangerously, he stepped into my space.

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“You don’t get to throw that at me like it didn’t mean anything,” he said, voice rough. “You don’t get to pretend

I didn’t feel you shaking under me, that you didn’t cling to me like you’d never let go.”

My pulse thundered.

“You don’t get to tell me it was just sex,” he continued. “Because you and I both know it wasn’t just that.”

“It wasn’t?” I whispered, wanting him to say it even though I knew in my heart it had been more than ‘just sex. We hadn’t defined it, yes, but maybe tonight was the night we were finally going to give it a name.

“No,” he said softly. “It was not.”

The air between us crackled, thick and electric.

I should’ve stepped back.

I didn’t.

“You’re angry because you care,” I said quietly.

His jaw flexed. “I’m angry because I care too much.”

“You don’t get to act like this,” I said, breathless. “You don’t get to pull me close and then pretend you’re fine letting go whenever it suits you-”

His hand shot out, gripping my wrist.

“Don’t,” he warned.

“-while losing your mind over something as small as a car ride,” I finished.

That did it.

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