Chapter 241: Chapter 25 Perfect Plans Destroyed
Dominic’s POV
I was counting down every minute until Gemma would finally come to my private penthouse after her shift at the boutique. Tonight, I had orchestrated something extraordinary for my goddess, and the anticipation was eating me alive as I sat behind my mahogany desk, completely unable to focus on the Thorne family’s money laundering operations that demanded my attention.
By the afternoon, restlessness consumed my entire being. I decided to grab espresso from the building’s private café and patrol the corridors to settle my nerves. That’s when I accidentally intercepted Zoe’s encrypted call with Ivy, discussing their strategic mission to infiltrate the mall and inspect some designer pieces Gemma had mentioned during their previous reconnaissance.
A stroke of tactical brilliance hit me like lightning. I rushed back to my command center and began mobilizing the crew one by one. If one woman from our inner circle was deploying to that location, I knew with absolute certainty that the entire female battalion would follow. It was an unbreakable law of warfare with them.
We coordinated our operation with military precision. Arriving early at the target zone, we established our surveillance post at the café overlooking Gemma’s boutique, maintaining perfect visual control of all entry points. The moment we identified the women’s convoy entering the mall, we executed our infiltration, advancing directly to the shop and claiming strategic positions facing the fitting room area.
The murderous glare Gemma directed at us could have incinerated steel. Her dark eyes screamed that we had completely lost our sanity showing up in her territory like this.
However, the other boutique employees displayed an entirely different reaction. They swarmed us like vultures to fresh blood, flirting with shameless aggression and clearly attempting to provoke Gemma’s jealousy. I could see the deadly fire building behind her professional mask, but she maintained her composure with the restraint of a trained assassin.
I anticipated our women would execute us when they emerged from their fashion reconnaissance mission. Instead, witnessing the female employees practically draping themselves across us triggered their territorial instincts. They decided to mark their property with lethal precision. Watching Zoe transform into a sweet, possessive queen as she advanced toward her target was absolutely magnificent.
Our women successfully intimidated several of the aggressive employees into strategic withdrawal, but one refused to acknowledge the threat. I recognized her immediately as the woman who had previously been entangled with Gemma’s pathetic ex-boyfriend, and she was determined to penetrate Gemma’s defenses. When she escalated to blatantly provocative advances, I knew it was time to demonstrate my position with unmistakable clarity.
I moved directly to Gemma and claimed her mouth in a deep, possessive kiss that left zero room for misinterpretation. The message was crystal clear: I belonged to her completely, and she was under my absolute protection. Zoe, never one for diplomatic subtlety, helped reinforce the point by forcing the persistent employee into complete retreat.
Perfect synchronization struck when Gemma’s supervisor arrived and granted her early release from duty. We had just completed our shopping expedition and decided to commandeer the mall’s restaurant for dinner. I was practically vibrating with excitement about Caleb’s employment proposition for my goddess. Finally, she would escape that exhausting retail position and work civilized hours in a secure environment under our family’s protection.
I pulled her against me and whispered against her ear, "I swear on my honor I didn’t orchestrate this arrangement with Caleb. He genuinely requires someone he can trust completely as his executive assistant."
"I believe you without question," she replied softly. "It’s an incredible opportunity. I’ll negotiate the terms with him properly, and I’ll likely accept and abandon the boutique."
"That would bring me immense peace of mind. You’ll be infinitely safer within our organization."
"It would provide me greater security too. Nick won’t be able to harass me at a corporate office. Additionally, my mother has decided to liquidate the house. We’re planning to acquire a fortified apartment instead."
"That’s exceptional news! My future mother-in-law possesses brilliant strategic instincts!" Relief flooded through my system because Gemma’s current residence was a security catastrophe with its vulnerable perimeter walls and unprotected access points.
Gemma laughed at my enthusiastic response and rewarded me with a tender kiss.
"You know, I genuinely appreciated your demonstration at the boutique today," she said, pressing another soft kiss to my lips.
"What specific action did I take?"
"You made it absolutely clear to Vanessa that you belong exclusively to me," she whispered seductively against my ear.
"Naturally! I am completely yours, my goddess. I don’t comprehend how you managed it, but you possess me entirely."
"I love hearing that declaration! You earned significant points today."
"Will that guarantee me an extraordinary night with you?"
"That will guarantee you an absolutely incredible night with me," Gemma promised with confidence and heat radiating from her voice.
"Halt right there, you two!" Xavier interrupted dramatically. "I refuse to witness this torture session. I’m the only one still suffering in this brotherhood, despite maintaining exemplary behavior, yet my redhead continues playing impossibly hard to obtain."
"The most well-behaved member here is clearly my prince," Zoe jumped in defensively. "Even though you degenerates keep attempting to corrupt his innocent soul."
We were all enjoying the lighthearted conversation when catastrophe struck without warning. Several women approached our table and literally launched themselves onto my lap, Caleb’s, and Xavier’s. Beatrix had materialized with Elza and Yara Rossi as her backup.
This was about to become a complete nightmare.
They had the audacity to plant calculated kisses on us, but the situation turned truly toxic when the despicable Yara began broadcasting loudly about the night she had allegedly spent with Caleb during Heidi’s farewell gathering.
The temperature at our table plummeted to arctic levels. Our women stared at us with pure homicidal intent before standing abruptly, collecting Jude and Finn, and turning their backs on us completely. I exchanged rapid glances with Caleb and Xavier, and through perfect silent communication, we all rose simultaneously, allowing those manipulative serpents to crash to the floor. Then we pursued our furious women at full speed.
But they refused to acknowledge any explanations. My heart shattered as I watched Gemma climb into Zoe’s armored vehicle. The extraordinary night I had spent hours orchestrating evaporated before my eyes. I wanted to eliminate those devils who had destroyed everything.
We executed the only logical strategy remaining: retreated to Xavier’s fortress to drink ourselves into oblivion while awaiting intelligence reports from Jude and Finn.
The news came quickly and was thoroughly depressing. Jude reported that the women were absolutely furious and completely unwilling to listen to any rational explanations. They had barricaded themselves in Zoe’s apartment and were apparently plotting our collective destruction.
Then my phone buzzed with a text from Zoe that made my blood run cold: "Don’t even think about contacting Gemma tonight, Dominic. She’s done with all of you lying bastards. And if you think this job thing with Caleb will fix anything, you’re delusional. Stay away."
I stared at the message, my hands shaking with rage and desperation. This couldn’t be happening. Not when everything was finally falling into place. Not when Gemma was finally trusting me completely.
"Caleb," I said, my voice deadly serious. "I don’t care what happens between us and them. You’re not withdrawing that job offer. Gemma needs that position, and she’s going to get it regardless of this disaster. She deserves security and safety, even if she never speaks to me again."
Caleb nodded grimly. "Agreed. The offer stands no matter what."
I poured another glass of whiskey and stared out into the night, plotting how I was going to win back my goddess and make those three witches pay for destroying the most important night of my life.
