Chapter 13: Cracks in the Armor
843 Words
Elena barely slept.
The night with Dominic had been passionate, emotional, and intense. But in the quiet darkness after, the weight of what they’d shared—and what it all meant—pressed down on her.
When she opened her eyes the next morning, he was gone.
The space beside her in the bed was cold. His scent lingered in the sheets, but the man himself had vanished like a dream she wasn’t sure was real.
She sat up slowly, pulling the covers around her, staring at the city skyline beyond the glass. Had she imagined it? The way he’d held her like she was something precious. The way his voice cracked when he confessed he remembered her—if only a little.
Her heart twisted.
“Elena?” a soft voice called from the doorway.
She turned to see Dominic’s housekeeper, a kind older woman with silver hair and warm eyes. “Mr. Romano asked me to let you know he had to leave early for a meeting. He said to tell you he’ll call.”
Elena nodded silently, forcing a polite smile. A call? After everything that happened?
Was that it?
She quickly got dressed, folding the note Dominic had left on the nightstand.
> “There are things I need to figure out. Last night wasn’t a mistake—but it wasn’t simple either. Don’t leave the office. I’ll find you later.” —D”
Not simple? That much was clear. But it felt like he was already pulling away.
By the time she returned to the office that morning, the buzz of daily business had resumed as if nothing had happened. No one knew what had passed between them the night before. No one knew that she’d touched the heart of the man everyone thought was made of stone.
“Elena!”
Her best friend, Maya, popped into view, clutching a coffee in one hand and a folder in the other. “Where were you this morning? I texted you twice.”
“I… overslept,” Elena lied, offering a tight smile.
Maya tilted her head. “Girl, you look like you didn’t sleep at all. Spill.”
“Not now,” Elena whispered. “Later. Maybe.”
But Maya’s eyes narrowed. “Is this about Dominic?”
Elena blinked. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, please. You think I haven’t noticed the way he looks at you lately? The tension between you two could cut glass.”
Elena’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. She didn’t want to lie to Maya—but she wasn’t ready to tell her the truth either.
Thankfully, the moment passed when Dominic’s executive assistant appeared and asked Elena to bring some files to the 52nd floor.
She gathered them quickly and made her way upstairs, nerves twisting like a knot in her stomach. She hadn’t seen Dominic since last night. Part of her wanted to demand answers. The other part… just wanted him to hold her again.
When she stepped into his office, he was standing by the window, his back to her. The view of the skyline stretched behind him, sharp and cold. He turned when he heard her enter—and for a second, his expression softened.
“Elena.”
“Sir,” she said, her voice clipped, defensive.
He flinched slightly at her tone. “You’re upset.”
“Do you blame me?”
He walked closer, slowly, his eyes searching her face. “I meant what I wrote. Last night wasn’t a mistake.”
“Then why did you disappear before sunrise like I was just some—some office fling?”
He exhaled. “Because I was scared.”
She blinked. “You? Dominic Romano? Scared?”
He gave a dry laugh. “I haven’t let anyone in for years. And now here you are, this woman who not only gets under my skin—but saved my life once and then walked right back into it without even trying. You think that doesn’t terrify me?”
“Then stop running,” she said quietly.
A beat of silence. Then two.
“I don’t want to,” he whispered. “But the deeper I fall, the harder it’ll be when this crashes. And I’m not sure I can survive another crash.”
She stepped closer, placing a hand on his chest. “Then don’t fall alone.”
Their eyes locked, the air between them thick with something fragile and dangerous.
“I want you, Elena,” he said, voice low, rough. “Not just for a night. But I don’t know how to be the man you need.”
“Let me decide what I need,” she whispered, and kissed him.
It wasn’t a kiss of passion, but one of promise. And when he kissed her back, it wasn’t with hunger—but with hope.
But just outside the office door, someone else had heard everything.
Maya.
And the shock on her face told Elena that this secret was no longer safe.
- Writer
