Chapter 99
Chapter 99:
“You’re overthinking it,” Dallas said, his voice cutting through the quiet. He didn’t look at me, his gaze fixed on the concrete wall ahead, his hand resting casually on the gear shift. But I knew he was hyper-aware of every breath I took.
“I’m not,” I lied, my voice sounding thin. “I’m just preparing. Augusta isn’t just your aunt, Dallas. She’s a legend in the restoration world. And she hates—” I swallowed the word. “She hates incompetence p>
“She hates weakness,” Dallas corrected, finally turning his head. His dark eyes bore into mine, intense and unyielding. “And you are not weak, Adella. You stood on a balcony last night and told a monster you weren’t afraid of his fire. Do you think an old woman with a magnifying glass is a threat compared to that p>
“She’s your family,” I whispered. “I want her to respect me. Not because of a contract — because I earned it p>
𝖡𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗎𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗈𝗇
Dallas unbuckled his seatbelt and shifted, his massive frame suddenly filling my entire field of vision. The air in the car grew heavy, charged with the static electricity of his presence. He reached out, his calloused fingers grazing my jawline, tilting my face up until I had no choice but to drown in his gaze.
“Listen to me,” he commanded, his voice dropping an octave, vibrating in my chest. “You walk in there with your head high. If anyone — Augusta included — tries to make you feel like less than you are, you remind them who you belong to. You are not just an employee today, Adella. You are my wife. Use that power p>
His words weren’t just a pep talk. They were an authorization — a weapon he was placing in my hands.
Before I could respond, he leaned in. His lips crashed against mine, hungry and possessive, stealing the breath from my lungs. It wasn’t a gentle kiss — it was a claim. His tongue swept into my mouth, tasting me, marking me, while his hand tangled in the hair at the nape of my neck. A shiver ran down my spine, my body reacting instantly to his touch. Even without a wolf to howl in recognition, my heart hammered a frantic rhythm, knowing exactly who he was to me.
For a moment, the garage, the job, the impending war with the Hyde Pack — all of it vanished. There was only Dallas.
He pulled back reluctantly, his forehead resting against mine, his breathing ragged, his pupils blown wide.
“I should go,” I breathed, though my body made no move to leave. “I’ll be late p>
Dallas ran his thumb over my lower lip, which I knew was swollen from his kiss. A dark, predatory satisfaction flashed in his eyes. “Go,” he rumbled. “But remember this feeling p>
I reached for the door handle, my heart racing. But before I pushed it open, a surge of boldness took hold of me — perhaps it was the lingering taste of him, or the way he looked at me as if I were the most precious thing in his world. I wanted more than protection. I wanted to be truly his, body and soul, marked in a way no contract could replicate.