Dominic turned to me, his eyes bloodshot and furious. “It’s so he can torture you in front of me before he kills you. It’s the only reason he’d want you alive. He knows if he gets you, I’ll be close behind. It’s about him showing power and control. If I come to heel, he wins.”
“Wh-what are we going to do?” I looked at each of them. “Are we even safe here if he calls this in?”
“This is my place. No one knows of its existence except a select few that I trust with my life. We’re safe here. For now.” Dominic breathed out and came back to sit in front of me. He took my hands in his. “I’m sorry I got you into this. I fucked up.”
“I came to you, remember?” I said, my voice shaky. “And he hasn’t ordered it yet. So there’s that.”
He sighed. “I didn’t have to agree when you approached me, but I was greedy and wanted you. In fact, at this point in time, you may have actually been safer with Ivanov.”
“I wasn’t safer with him,” I seethed, pointing at Fallon. “Ask Fallon. He was there for a hell of a lot of it. He knows what I went through. He knows what it was like for me.”
“She would’ve been safer if she’d never met any of us,” Fallon said with a grunt, staring down at his hands.
“Let’s get a few things straight.” I turned back to Dominic.
He looked like he hadn’t been sleeping. His hair was a mess, and his eyelids were heavy. We needed to do this though.
“Is Fallon a king yet, or did he risk his life for nothing?”
Vincent’s dark gaze darted from Fallon to Dominic as he leaned forward. Fallon looked up, his brows crinkled.
“It’s fine. Everything is a mess right now. I haven’t done much to earn the title,” Fallon started, but I got up and went to him.
Dominic didn’t try to stop me. I fell to my knees in front of Fallon and cradled his face. He stared back at me, so much emotion in his eyes it made my heart beat harder.
“You saved Levin. You saved us all. If it weren’t for you, things could have gotten really bad. You helped get Levin and me out of there. You did what Dominic told you to do. You deserve to be part of the kings.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, princess, but that was all you. You fought me on it and won. I was prepared to leave, remember? I was going to leave Levin.”
“But you didn’t,” I said.
He gave me a sad smile. “I guess.”
“He’s alive because of you. You know it. So am I. So is Natalia.”
“I agree,” Vincent called out.
I looked over my shoulder at him and then to Dominic, who was staring at Fallon.
“Dominic?” I asked. “We need Fallon. You know we do. He came through. He saved even you. You almost had to rape Natalia. He stopped that too. His distraction stopped it from happening to me.”
A muscle thrummed along Dominic’s jaw. “He’s in.”
“What?” Fallon whispered, his voice shaking, his eyes widening. “I’m in?”
“You’re in,” Dominic repeated in a stronger voice. “But if you so much as step out of line, you’re out. You’re dead. There are still rules you need to follow. You’re in, but I need you to stick with the lords. We need the inside track.”
“OK,” Fallon said without hesitating. “I’ll pull double duty.”
“So that’s it?” I asked, breathing out and getting to my feet.
Dominic nodded. Vincent let out a whoop. I rushed to Dominic and threw my arms around his neck. His arms immediately snaked around me and held me tightly.
“Thank you,” I choked out, pulling away.
He smiled down at me, sadness and worry in his green eyes. “Qualsiasi cosa per te, mia regina. Anything for you, my queen.” He cradled my face, his brows crinkled. “Are you feeling OK? Your face is so bruised.” He sounded physically pained by the observation.
“I’m fine,” I said, placing a kiss on his lips. “Just a little sore.”
He nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Go to him.” He released me and stepped away.
I studied him for a moment. He visibly swallowed, a muscle twitching in his jaw. I backed away from him and turned to Fallon, who was on his feet. Vincent looked from Dominic to me to Fallon then back to me.
Fallon approached and dragged me into his arms. His lips found mine, and he kissed me deeply, stealing my breath and sealing our fate.
He was in. He was a king.