Page 23 of These Shoes Weren't Made for Stalking
Mayor Holloway’s eyes narrowed on Dominic. “And what aboutyou, Mr. Steele? Isn’t your company interested in this kind of development? Don’t pretend you’re any better than me.”
I turned to Dominic, confusion and a hint of betrayal washing over me. But his face remained impassive, revealing nothing.
I thought Vertex only wanted to renew buildings, not bulldoze them? A bitter taste filled my mouth. My fingers curled into my palms, but I kept quiet.
“My company’s interests are irrelevant,” Dominic said coolly. “What matters is that you’ve broken the law, Mayor. Multiple laws, in fact.”
As if on cue, the door burst open, and two police officers entered the room.
“What is the meaning of this?” Holloway demanded.
“Richard Holloway,” one of the officers said. “You’re under arrest for corruption, extortion, criminal conspiracy, destruction of private property, money laundering, official misconduct, and accessory after the fact.”
As the officers led the protesting mayor away, I turned to Jake. “Are you okay?”
He nodded, looking exhausted but relieved. “I will be. I’m sorry for disappearing like that. I just... I didn’t know who to trust.”
“You did the right thing,” Dominic said, surprising me with his gentleness. “Those documents you took, we’ll need them as evidence.”
Jake reached into his jacket and pulled out a USB drive. “It’s all here. Everything I could find about the redevelopment plan and the mayor’s dirty dealings. I stashed another copy somewhere safe, just in case. I’ll get that one for you too.”
“You’ll need to give a statement, but afterwards, go home and rest,” Dominic said as Jake handed over the drive.
Jake hesitated. “What about Mr. Cretch?”
“Officers should be knocking on his apartment door right about now.”
I watched Jake’s shoulders relax, the worry draining from his expression. “Thank you,” he murmured.
Once Jake had left with an officer, I turned to Dominic. “What now?”
He held up the USB. “Now, we make sure justice is served.”
“About that…” My brow furrowed, watching as he pocketed the USB drive. “How did you know to call the police? The timing seems... convenient.”
“Cretch was on the list of cufflink purchasers, but he didn’t have an account on the books with that particular shop.”
“So he’d need someone to vouch for him as a new client?” I asked.
“Precisely… which raised my suspicions given his connection to the mayor. I admit, I gambled on a hunch.” Dominic’s eyes flicked away for a split second. “Sorry I didn’t give you a heads-up.”
“That’s okay.” I nodded, suddenly aware of how close we were standing. The adrenaline of the confrontation was fading, replaced by a different kind of tension. Dominic’s scent enveloped me, stirring my omega instincts.
“Leo,” Dominic murmured, his voice low and husky. “I...”
But whatever he was about to say was interrupted by a knock at the door. A police officer entered, asking for our statements.
As the officer scribbled notes, my gaze drifted to Dominic. I studied his strong jawline and confident bearing while hespoke with the officer. I caught myself admiring how his brow furrowed slightly when he concentrated. His gaze flicked to me and the steel in them melted for a split second before he turned back to the officer.
The sun was setting by the time we finally stepped out of City Hall. Late afternoon sunlight painted long shadows across the steps. The full impact of the day’s events suddenly crashed over me, pressing down like lead in my bones. My hands shook as the adrenaline drained from my body.
“Let me drive you home.” Dominic fished his car keys from his pocket.
“I can take the bus—” I stopped mid-sentence when his cool gray eyes locked with mine, fixing me with a look that left no room for debate.
“Leo.” The gentle command in his voice compelled me to yield.
“Okay,” I said with a nod.