I found my phone tucked into the side pocket of my bag, not sure when Dom stuck it there, but I carry it with me to bed.
A band of recessed lights built into the crown molding surrounding the room gives a nice soft glow. But even without it, there’s enough ambient light from the city beyond the windows to light my path. Not that there’s much to dodge in this room. The bed looks bigger than a normal king-size mattress with a large padded leather headboard. Matching—simple but, I’m sure, expensive—nightstands flank either side of the bed.
As I walk around the foot of the bed, circling to the far side, I untuck the blankets. I don’t know what sort of person sleeps with their feet trapped like that, but it’s not me.
With nothing left to do, I climb into the bed and sit with my legs under the blankets.
It’s not even that late, but with winter almost here, it’s already dark outside. And emotional exhaustion is real and upon me.
But before I lie down, I have one more thing to do.
Letting out a breath, I turn my phone back on.
I owe King more of an explanation.
The screen is just lighting up when it changes to show an incoming call.
Savannah.
I groan.
I’m tempted to turn my phone right back off, but I sort of doubt this is the first time she’s tried calling.
Dragging the walls up around my heart, I hit answer. “Hey, Savannah.”
There’s a pause, followed by a noisy exhale. “Dammit, Val. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you forever.”
“Sorry.” I wince, feeling guilty all over again. “I was having a bit of a, um, moment, so I turned my phone off.”
“I’ll say,” she huffs. “Will you explain to me what’s going on? King hasn’t been real clear on the details.”
I turn the phone to speaker, setting it on the bed in front of me so I can press my hands to my cheeks. “In King’s defense, I kinda blindsided him with it.”
“He’s acting like the whole world is ending.” I can hear Savannah’s eye roll. “And I get that he doesn’t like surprises, but I don’t see the big deal. He trusts Dom. To some degree, at least.”
She doesn’t see the big deal?
“I’m not sure…” I start, but she keeps talking.
“I mean, Dom can be a little scary, but he was nothing but nice to me that time he brought me to his place.”
My mouth drops open.
“Not to mention hot.” Savannah makes a humming sound.
“Wait.” I shake my head. “You know who Dominic is?”
“Dominic,” she repeats. “I only met him that one time, so that probably doesn’t qualify as knowing him. But I get it now, why you had a different name in your phone. King would’ve lost his shit about you guys dating.”
“Yeah…” I trail off.
She doesn’t know.
Savannah has no idea that I had no idea who Dominic was. That I was tricked into this marriage for the sake of Dom having access to The Alliance. Whatever that means.
“King said you were pretty upset,” Savannah says cautiously.
Does King know the full extent of it? Would he have put that together? I mean, he had to, right?
I pinch my eyes shut and think back through the interaction.
King was pissed that I married Dom. And he was pissed that Dom was demanding entry into The Alliance, which is when he made that comment about Dom tricking me into bed.
And King knew I was crying. He saw me.
But did he put it all together? Or does he think I was just upset over them not getting along?
Could King really think I’ve known who Dom was all along and that I’ve kept it a secret because I thought he’d be mad?
“Val?” Savannah says, probably concerned over my silence.
I could tell her.
I could tell her everything.
Then she’d go to King and demand he free me. And then King and The Alliance and Dominic and the Chicago mafia would go to war.
For what?
For me?
I’m not worth that.
“Sor—I mean, yeah, I was. Having both those guys yelling at each other was kinda a lot.” I try for a light tone. “I overreacted to them overreacting.”
“You sure you’re okay?” Her sincerity almost breaks me.
“I’m sure.”
Savannah says something that’s muffled before she speaks back into the phone. “King is asking to talk to you.”
My eyes widen as I stare down at the phone. “Uh, can you tell him that I’ll call tomorrow night? It’s been a long day, flying in from Vegas this morning and then driving all the way down here.” It’s hard to believe that’s all happened today.