Page 93 of Bound in Ruin

"Your turn," I say, pointing a fry at her. "What’s your favorite food? Because if I ask about your past dates, I might just find them and kill them.”

She laughs again. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Tell me. Favorite food. And don't give me some high-class bullshit—what do you actually eat when no one is watching?"

"Easy," she answers instantly, not a single second of hesitation. "Instant ramen with a ridiculous amount of hot sauce and melted American cheese slices stirred in at two in the morning."

I stare at her, deadpan. "That sounds like a hate crime against cuisine."

"It is an elite comfort meal and you will respect it!" she protests, swatting my arm while giggling. "What about music? What’s on Dominic Kane’s secret playlist when he isn't trying to look like a ruthless businessman?"

"Old-school jazz," I admit softly, looking out at the dark horizon. "Coltrane, Miles Davis. My mother used to play it on an old record player when the house was quiet."

Rosalia grows still beside me, her expression softening. She doesn't push or pry into the mention of my mother; she just leans her shoulder heavier into mine, letting the silence breathe for a second before shifting to something lighter.

"Stupid fears," she demands, her eyes twinkling under the moonlight. "Go."

I groan, running a hand over my face. "I am not telling you that."

"Dominic! I just confessed my trashy ramen habit to you. Equal exchange!"

I sigh, defeated. "Moths."

She blinks. "Moths?"

"They have no flight plan, Rosalia," I say, totally serious. "They just aggressive-bump into your face out of nowhere. It's erratic and unnatural."

She bursts into another fit of laughter, clutching her stomach against the hood of the car. "The terrifying mafia Don is afraid of tiny, confused butterflies!"

"You said stupid fears," I mutter, though a wide smirk tugs at my lips as I watch her.

We sit out there on the hood of the car for hours, trading pieces of ourselves like secrets in the dark. We talk about childhood dreams—how she wanted to be a marine biologist before her family's reality locked her in, how I briefly wanted to build race cars before I was forced to take over the Kane enterprise.

For the first time since we walked down an aisle together, we aren't a political alliance, we aren't enemies playing a lethal game of chess, and we aren't damaged people walking on eggshells around our pasts.

We're just a man and a woman, sitting on the hood of a car in the middle of the night, slowly finding out we’ve fallen hard for each other.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

ROSALIA

Having breakfast with my husband is quickly becoming my most favorite activity.

The morning sun streams warm and bright through the tall windows of the dining room, illuminating the spread of fresh fruit, pastries, and coffee laid out on the table.

Underneath the linen tablecloth, Dominic’s large hand is warm over mine, our fingers loosely laced together. Down by my feet, Yapper is letting out little excited yaps every time a crumb lands near his nose, his tail thumping rhythmically against the hardwood floor.

Sitting across from us, Keane is quietly sipping his black coffee while reviewing a stack of morning briefs, while Helena moves back and forth from the kitchen, beaming at the sight of the two of us.

"I still can't believe it," Helena says, setting a fresh carafe of orange juice on the table, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "The Guardian interview drops in just three days. I honestly can't wait to see what the two of you actually said about each other."

I roll my eyes playfully, taking a slow sip of my coffee. "Oh, please, Helena. We said nothing but stark truths. If you’re looking for fairytale romance, you won’t find it.”

Dominic lets out a smooth laugh, his thumb gently stroking the back of my hand. "What? Please. I was a complete gentleman."

"That's what frightens me," I tease back, unable to hide the bright smile breaking across my face.

It’s been two days since our date at the beach, and honestly... I’ve never been happier. The constant anxiety that used to live in my chest has dissolved into something soft and real. For the first time in a very long time, I feel like I am exactly where I belong.