Page 28 of A Cobbled Conspiracy
More shouted questions, but Katherine was already stepping back. “That’s all we have time for today. Thank you.”
Blake’s security team immediately moved to escort us toward the waiting car, but even in the controlled chaos, I could feel the weight of cameras and attention. Dominic’s arm tightenedaround me, his alpha instincts clearly on high alert after weeks of essentially being held in a cage.
“Just a few more steps,” Blake murmured as we reached his car. “Then we can get you both home.”
The car door closed behind us, finally giving us privacy from the cameras and chaos. Dominic immediately pulled me against his side, his face buried in my hair as if he needed to reassure himself I was real.
“I can’t believe this is over,” he said quietly, his voice rough from weeks of careful control finally breaking.
“It’s over,” I confirmed, pressing closer to him. “You’re free. You’re innocent. And you’re never going back.”
Dominic held me close, his scent enveloping me—stronger now, edged with lingering notes of stress, but fundamentally him. It brought such relief that I gasped against his neck, feeling the separation anxiety dissolve into fierce contentment. His arms constricted around me, his grip turning iron-tight until my ribs protested and I had to tap his forearm. He released me instantly, that familiar crooked smile tugging at his lips as a low, rumbling sound of apology escaped his throat.
“Leo.” My name on his lips sounded like a prayer answered.
He pulled back just enough to look at my face, his gaze searching mine with an intensity that made butterflies dance in my belly. The wariness I could see there made my heart ache for what he’d endured. “Are you all right? Blake said you’ve been to the doctor twice due to stressed bond symptoms?—”
“I’m fine.” I reached up to cup his face, feeling the sharp line of his jaw. “What’s important right now is that you’re here with me.We’re going to talk about everything, but first…” I leaned toward him, and his mouth met mine halfway.
The kiss tasted like five weeks of longing and the promise of never being separated again. Around us, I dimly heard Blake clearing his throat and the distant sound of traffic, but the bond hummed with such contentment that everything else faded to background noise.
When we finally broke apart, Dominic rested his forehead against mine. “I missed you so much it felt like losing half my soul.”
“You’re never losing me,” I said fiercely. “And we’re going to make sure no one can do this to us again.”
Blake’s throat clearing grew more pointed. “As touching as this reunion is, we should probably get out of here before someone with a camera realizes where we are—these windows aren’t tinted.”
The drive back to Blake’s building was quiet except for the sound of our breathing and the city traffic outside. I found myself more interested in the solid warmth of Dominic beside me than in anything else. His hand found mine, fingers intertwining with a grip that suggested he was as reluctant to break contact as I was.
“Are you hungry?” I asked quietly. “When’s the last time you had a real meal?”
“Ravenous,” he said, his attention focused entirely on me. His thumb absently traced patterns on the back of my hand. “Prison food isn’t exactly… but I don’t want to talk about that right now. Food can wait.”
I squeezed his hand, understanding. Five weeks of institutional hell, and now he was free. The last thing he needed was to relive it by explaining the details.
When we finally reached Blake’s apartment, I could see the exhaustion weighing on Dominic’s shoulders despite his obvious relief. His eyes kept tracking to me, as if he needed constant visual confirmation that I was real, that we were together.
When we entered the door, Dominic briefly glanced at the investigation board with its spiderwebs of red string connecting photographs and documents we’d gathered, but I could feel through the bond that his focus was elsewhere. His fingers fidgeted against mine, his gaze darting around the room and then back to me like a man trapped in a body suddenly two sizes too small.
Blake's eyebrow arched, his gaze flicking between us with amused interest.
“There’s probably a lot to catch you up on, Dom, but I think you need some time to decompress first.” Blake waved Penny and Jake to the door. He gestured vaguely, but his meaning was clear. “Why don’t you two take some time to reconnect while we go get some food? We can brief you on everything later tonight.”
“Yeah,” Penny added. “We can go check on the shops, make sure everything’s secure. And Dominic will need clothes. We can pick up a few things before grabbing some takeout for everyone.”
They went to their rooms to change into more comfortable clothing and then gathered their things with the kind of efficient discretion that suggested they knew exactly what was about to transpire. Penny squeezed my shoulder as he passed, whispering, “I’ll call before we come back, k?”
I nodded, watching as they filed out the door.
And then we were alone.
The silence stretched between us for a moment, heavy with the effects that weeks of separation and desperate need would do to a new bond. Dominic was studying me with an intensity that made my entire body respond, his alpha scent growing stronger in the enclosed space.
“Leo,” he said quietly, “are you sure? You’ve been through so much stress, and I don’t want?—”
I crossed the room and pressed my mouth to his, cutting off his careful consideration. The kiss was desperate, hungry, full of everything I’d been unable to say during supervised visits and monitored phone calls.
When we broke apart, both of us were breathing hard.