I barely had time to take a sip of my coffee before the door swung open, and Gabriel strode in like he owned the place. He never knocked—never had, never would.
His casual confidence managed to both irritate and reassure me, a contradiction I'd long since given up trying to understand. "Morning, Lexi."
He dropped into the chair across from my desk, lounging like he had all the time in the world. "How was your night?" I glanced up from the case file I'd been pretending to read, schooling my features into something neutral. "It was fine, thank you. And yours?" "Good too," he said, but his tone dipped, his usual teasing edge replaced by something softer. "How's Max?"
The mention of my son made my stomach tighten, a mixture of guilt and fierce protectiveness swirling inside me.
"He's fine," I said, setting the file aside and sitting back. "I took him to school myself this morning." Gabriel's brows shot up. "You did?" He let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Damn. Color me impressed." I shrugged, but I couldn't hide the flicker of pride in my voice.
"I also spoke to his teachers and made it clear—no one picks him up except my mom or Ava. No exceptions." "Smart," he said with an approving nod. "You're a good mom, Lexi."
I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head. "I'm just doing the bare minimum to keep him safe. That's not being a good mom—that's just survival." "Bullshit," Gabriel countered immediately. "You're doing everything you can, and that's more than most." I glanced away, swallowing against the lump rising in my throat.
It was ridiculous, really. I'd been through worse. I'd endured worse. And yet, a simple reassurance from Gabriel—one of the few people I still trusted—had my emotions threatening to spill over. I cleared my throat. "Thanks." The word came out quieter than I intended.
Gabriel leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, his gaze sharp. "So, what's the plan now? I assume you didn't call me here just for a pep talk."
I took a deep breath, my fingers tightening around the pen in my hand. "We need to start building a case against Victor Rex. For real this time. No more waiting, no more second-guessing.
I want every piece of evidence we have—every scrap, every lead. We dig deeper, we connect the dots, and we make sure he has no way out." Gabriel let out a low breath, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "Lexi… we've tried this before. He's got the damn superiors in his pocket. It's not going to be easy." My grip on the pen tightened until my knuckles ached. "I don't care how hard it is." My voice was steady, but rage burned beneath it, white-hot and unrelenting. "He doesn't get to walk away from this. Not after what he's done. Not after what he almost did—to me, to Max."
I slammed my hand on the desk, the sound cutting through the room. Gabriel blinked but didn't flinch. "If it's the last thing I do," I continued, my voice like steel, "I'll bring him down." For a moment, silence stretched between us. Then Gabriel's lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. "That's the Lexi I know."
He leaned back, nodding. "All right. I'm in. Let's take this bastard down." The weight in my chest loosened just a little, and for the first time that morning, I allowed myself a small smile. "I knew I could count on you." "Obviously," he said, standing up and stretching. "I mean, who else would put up with you?"
I rolled my eyes. "So damn funny." He grinned. "I try." Then, his expression sobered just slightly. "I'll get started on the evidence. You just focus on keeping Max safe, okay?" I met his gaze, nodding. "Deal."
As the door clicked shut behind Gabriel, silence filled the room again, pressing against me like a heavy fog.
I exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over my face before reaching for my phone. My fingers hovered over the screen. A message to Dominic. It shouldn't be that hard.
Just a simple 'thank you.' Just acknowledging what he did for me, for Max. So why did my chest feel tight? Pushing away the ridiculous hesitation, I typed out the words.
Lexi: Thank you for what you did the other day.
I hit send, then set my phone down, staring at it like it might bite me. The screen remained dark. No immediate response. I leaned back in my chair, tracing the rim of my coffee cup with my fingertip. Maybe he was busy. Maybe he wouldn't even respond.
Not that it mattered. It wasn't like I was expecting anything— The phone vibrated against the desk.
I jumped a little before snatching it up, pulse kicking up a notch.
Dominic: You're welcome.
That was it. Just two words. Simple. Direct. I swallowed, gripping the phone a little tighter. My thumb hesitated over the keyboard again, that same damn hesitation creeping back in.
I shouldn't be nervous. It was just Dominic. Just Dominic, who had saved me and my son. Just Dominic, whose presence had settled something inside me in a way I couldn't quite explain.
I exhaled sharply, pushing those thoughts aside and typing out my next message before I could overthink it.
Lexi: Are you free today?
I'd like to meet and talk, if that's okay with you. This time, his reply came almost instantly.
Dominic: Are you kidding me? Just tell me the time and place, and I'll be there.
The corners of my lips twitched before I could stop them. I shook my head at myself, quickly typing back.
Lexi: I'll send the address and time soon.
I dropped my phone onto the desk, rubbing my thumb against my palm as if that would somehow ground me. My heart was still beating a little too fast, my skin a little too warm. It was just adrenaline. It wasn't like I was looking forward to seeing him.
…Right?
To Be Continued...