Chapter 389
Evelyn felt a pang of guilt for nearly causing that car accident earlier. Her hands still trembled slightly on the steering wheel. She didn’t dare drive another mile—not when their lives were at stake.
But Dominic had been drinking. There was no way he could take the wheel now.
Pulling out her phone, she quickly opened a ride-hailing app to summon a driver.
Dominic watched her with curious amusement.
His brow furrowed slightly when he saw her typing in her contact details. “Will that really get us a driver?”
In his world, either he drove or his chauffeur did. Taxis were foreign to him. Ride-hailing apps? Completely unheard of.
“Of course it will. It’s incredibly convenient. Here, let me show you how it works.” Evelyn flashed him a grin, patiently guiding him through the steps.
Dominic listened quietly, his gaze softening as her voice wrapped around him like warm honey.
Ten minutes later, a driver in his mid-thirties, glasses perched on his nose, pulled up.
The man was efficient. Within thirty-five minutes, they arrived safely at the Blackwood estate.
As soon as they stepped inside, Evelyn headed straight for the shower.
Dominic watched the bathroom door click shut. His jaw tightened.
He shrugged off his coat, pressing a hand to his left arm as he strode toward the study.
A sharp sting shot through him at the pressure.
Rolling up his sleeve, he examined the wound. Blood seeped through the fabric.
He grabbed the first-aid kit from the cabinet, disinfecting the injury with practiced ease.
Next came the topical anesthetic, followed by a clean bandage.
His movements were precise, automatic—as if he’d done this a hundred times before.
Once finished, he stashed the kit away and ducked into the guest bathroom for a quick shower. Changed into pajamas, he returned to the bedroom and sank into the plush mattress.
With Lanie and Isabella visiting Reginald Blackwood, the mansion felt cavernously empty.
Only the two of them remained.
Dominic leaned back against the headboard, flipping open the financial newspaper from the nightstand.
Twenty minutes later, Evelyn emerged, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders.
She tiptoed toward the bed, then launched herself into his arms.
Her elbow grazed his wound. A low groan escaped him before he could stop it.
Evelyn froze.
In a flash, she yanked up his sleeve.
Her breath hitched at the sight of the bloodstained bandage. “You’re hurt? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Dominic tugged his sleeve back down. “It’s nothing. Just a scratch. Already taken care of.”
Her mind flashed back to the crash—how he’d shielded her without hesitation. That wound was because of her.
“Don’t do that again,” she whispered, guilt lacing her voice. “I can handle myself. It kills me seeing you hurt because of me.”
Dominic caught her chin, pressing a kiss to her misty eyes. “You’re mine. Protecting you isn’t optional.”
Before she could protest, he crushed his mouth to hers.
Evelyn tensed, afraid of jostling his injury, but his grip was unrelenting.
Trapped against his chest, she melted into the kiss, his heartbeat steady beneath her palm.
At some point, her clothes vanished. His powerful frame pinned her to the mattress.
They knew each other’s bodies too well. There were no preliminaries.
Evelyn tried to pull away. “Your arm—”
Dominic nipped her earlobe, his voice rough. “Rx, I’m fine.”
Any protest died on her lips.
As she arched beneath him, he murmured against her skin, “Don’t worry about Olivia. It’s complicated, but I’ll handle it.”
Evelyn’s surprise melted into something hotter, fiercer.
The air thickened. The room burned.
It was a night of tangled sheets and whispered promises.
Meanwhile, at the Lockwood residence...
“Miranda, it’s late. Stay the night,” Lorraine urged, squeezing the younger woman’s hand.
She was more than pleased with her distant niece.
Miranda came from a prestigious family, freshly returned with a business degree from abroad. Spoiled? Yes. But Lorraine believed a little willfulness suited a woman.
She’d always dreamed of uniting the Lockwood and Lerche families through marriage.
When the Lerches moved overseas, she’d given up hope.
But now Miranda was back—and Lorraine’s ambitions reignited.
The Lerches were wealthy. An alliance would only benefit the Lockwoods.
More importantly, Miranda might be the one to tame her unruly son.
Ever since Maxwell met Evelyn, his life had spiraled.
Then Dominic Blackwood severed ties, demanding Maxwell divorce Evelyn immediately. The fallout nearly bankrupted Lockwood Corporation.
Even after the divorce, the damage was done. The company was a shell of its former self.
Lorraine had a plan.
She saw the way Miranda looked at Maxwell. If she could orchestrate their marriage, it might just save Lockwood Corporation.
Miranda hid a smirk. “Thank you, Aunt Lorraine. I’d love to stay. I’ve missed you terribly.”
Her tone was sweet, but her mind raced with possibilities.
This was exactly where she wanted to be.