Mated by Contract to the Alpha (Rebecca and Dominic) novel Chapter 93

Rebecca’s POV

Dominic’s expression softened. “Rebecca, if there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s your independence. Your determination to stand on your own feet is admirable, if occasionally frustrating.”

I looked up, meeting his gaze. “Frustrating?”

“Yes,” he admitted with a slight smile. “You refuse help even when accepting it would make your life easier. You insist on taking the subway when I have a car and driver at your disposal. You work in a jewelry store despite having design talent that could earn you much more elsewhere.”

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks. “I’ve always had to be the responsible one. Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve been taking care of my family in one way or another. My father’s illness, my mother’s anxiety, Jason’s… well, Jason’s everything.” I sighed deeply. “It’s just the way it’s always been.”

Dominic was quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful. When he spoke again, his voice had dropped to a lower register. “Do you know what I find most painful about watching you?”

The question caught me off guard. “What?”

“How hard you fight to carry everything alone.” His eyes had darkened, and I could see genuine emotion in them. “You’re so strong, little doe, but you don’t have to be strong all the time. Not with me.”

Something in his tone made my heart rate quicken. The air between us seemed to change, becoming charged with an energy I couldn’t quite name. Dominic rose from his seat and moved to sit beside me on the sofa, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. His thigh pressed against mine, solid and warm through the fabric of our clothes.

“Do you know what I’m thinking right now?” he asked, his voice low and intimate.

I swallowed, suddenly very aware of his proximity. My skin prickled with awareness, every nerve ending suddenly

alert. “No.”

In one fluid motion, Dominic had me pressed back against the leather sofa, his body hovering over mine. The weight of him, the heat, the scent of his cologne mixed with something more primal made my pulse race. His face was inches from mine, his eyes dark with intent.

“I’m thinking that watching you stand up to your brother–seeing that fire in your eyes–made me want you in ways I probably shouldn’t admit to in a professional setting.”

My breath caught in my throat. A rush of heat flooded through me, settling low in my abdomen. “Dominic… this is

your office.”

His lips curved into a smile that sent another wave of heat coursing through my veins. “The soundproofing is

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Chapter 93

excellent. And no one enters without my permission.”

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