Page 70 of Bound in Ruin

He lets out a long, quiet breath, resting his wrist against the top of the steering wheel.

"Fine," he says softly, his gravelly voice catching me off guard. "Just me."

I freeze, my sharp retort dying right in my throat.

He conceded. The big, terrifying mobster who commands an army of soldiers just yielded to me simply because I asked him not to ruin my day.

A sudden, traitorous flutter catches in my chest, making my heart skip a beat. It’s not the first time.

I look at him, taking in the quiet sincerity in his dark eyes, and realize something that terrifies me even more than Dante's threats: Dominic actually cares.

Beneath all his overbearing, dictatorial orders and heavy-handed protection, he genuinely cares about my happiness.

He cares for me. Truly.

And as for how I feel about him... I quickly push the thought far into the back of my mind. I am nowhere near ready to dissecting the tangled, overwhelming knot of feelings blooming in my own heart for the man who bought me.

"Thank you," I whisper softly, offering him a small, genuine smile.

Dominic taps his comms unit, instructing the rest of the security detail to hold a wide perimeter outside, before stepping out of the SUV and opening my door.

Together, we walk past the heavy glass doors and step into the warm, fragrant air of the luxury salon.

The moment the glass doors swing shut behind us, the sharp scent of floral hair oils, warm steam, and expensive shampoos washes over us. Pop music drifts softly from the overhead speakers, accompanied by the gentle buzz of blow-dryers and the bright chatter of clients.

And right in the middle of it all stands Dominic Kane.

He is hilariously, wildly out of place. Standing over six feet tall in a bespoke dark suit, broad-shouldered, rigid, and scanning the room like he's looking for enemy snipers, he sticks out like a loaded weapon at a tea party.

The moment he steps into the lobby, two women waiting on a velvet couch instantly stop talking. He doesn't even notice the terror he's causing. He just stands beside me, one hand tucked casually into his pants pocket, radiating an aura so intense that a man near the front desk instinctively takes two steps back to give him space.

I would laugh if I wasn't the subject of attention.

We walk up to the front desk. Anna, the receptionist who has managed the front desk and booked my appointments for years, looks up with a bright, welcoming smile. "Rosalia, hi! It is so good to see⁠—"

Her voice completely cuts off the second her eyes shift to the colossal man looming directly behind me. The familiar warmth on her face vanishes, replaced by pure, unadulterated shock. Anna blinks rapidly, swallowing hard as her posture goes rigid, clearly terrified by the silent aura radiating off Dominic.

"Hi, Anna," I say smoothly, trying to offer a reassuring look.

"Hi, darling," Anna stammers out, her voice a full octave higher than usual as her eyes dart nervously between me and Dominic. "Uh... Marcus is just finishing up with a client's color. If you could take a seat in the waiting area for a few minutes, he'll be right with you."

Dominic’s brows furrow violently, his jaw locking tight as he towers over the counter. He turns to me.

"No," he growls, his low baritone silencing the entire front room. "We are not waiting. We are leaving. I'll take you somewhere else right now where you will be the priority client and won't be made to stand around."

Anna gasps. “I’m sorry, sir. Rosalia is a priority client, and we’re very happy to have her. She’s⁠—”

“Anna.” I reach out to pat her hand. “You don’t need to explain. I’ll wait.”

She smiles with relief as I grab Dominic’s arm, pulling him back a step before he completely traumatizes the poor woman. "Stop it right now!"

I tug him away from the desk toward the plush velvet lounge chairs, forcing him to sit down beside me.

"I am not leaving," I tell him in a sharp whisper, turning to face him fully. "I like it here. I've been coming to this salon and having my hair done by Marcus for years. They know me, they do amazing work, and I am not going anywhere else."

Dominic leans back against the cushions, his dark eyes flashing with livid frustration as he crosses his broad arms over his chest. "You shouldn't have to wait for anyone. And who the fuck is Marcus?”

My goodness. This man is never coming with me to the salon ever again!