Chapter 8 - The Declaration at Sunrise
The rain had cleared by five o'clock in the morning.
When the Escalade pulled up the winding driveway of the Riverdale estate, the sky was painting itself in brilliant shades of pink, gold, and soft purple.
Clara was standing on the front porch, wrapped in a heavy wool cardigan, holding a warm cup of tea. She hadn't slept a single minute all night.
When she saw Dominic step out of the car, unhurt, her heart leaped with an overwhelming rush of relief.
She dropped her tea cup onto the porch table and ran down the stone steps.
Dominic saw her running toward him. He threw open his arms.
Clara threw herself into his embrace, wrapping her broad arms tightly around his neck, burying her face into his chest, weeping with pure joy.
“You came back,” she sobbed. “You came back...”
Dominic wrapped his powerful arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet, pulling her flush against his broad body, resting his face in her dark curls.
“I told you I would,” Dominic whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
He set her feet back on the ground, but he didn't let go of her waist. He looked down into her tear-streaked face, his dark eyes burning with an intense, raw devotion that made her breath catch.
“Clara,” Dominic said, his voice trembling slightly. “For ten years, I thought I was built for nothing but violence and business. I thought my life was meant to be cold.”
He reached up, gently wiping her tears with his thumbs.
“Then you walked into my life,” Dominic continued softly. “A woman with a soft smile, a huge heart, and the courage to stand up every single day despite the pain the world threw at her.”
Clara stared at him, her heart hammering against her ribs.
“Dominic...” she breathed.
“I love you, Clara Jenkins,” Dominic stated clearly, leaving no doubt in the universe. “I love your smile. I love your kindness. I love your beautiful, soft body. I love every single piece of you. And I want to spend the rest of my life making sure you are loved the way you deserve.”
Clara let out a ragged sob of happiness.
May you like
She reached up, wrapped her hands around his neck, and pulled the most feared man in New York down into a deep, passionate, breathtaking kiss.
Dominic gasped against her mouth, his arms tightening around her, pulling her close as the golden rays of the rising sun washed over them on the stone driveway.
