Chapter 4
Dominic did not carry Mia immediately.
He wanted to.
Every instinct in him wanted to lift her from the stone floor, climb the ladder, and place her in sunlight before the cellar took one more breath from her.
But panic breaks fragile bodies.
And Mia was watching Nathan like one wrong movement could send her back into darkness.
So Dominic slowed down.
That was how he survived dangerous rooms.
Not by moving first.
By making every movement count.
He removed his knife from inside his sleeve and cut the last strip of fabric around Mia’s ankle.
Nathan saw the blade from above and tensed.
Dominic noticed.
“Interesting,” he said.
Nathan’s expression stiffened.
“What?”
“You looked more afraid of the knife than the woman tied in my cellar.”
The foyer went still.
Harper clung to the guard’s hand.
One of the men at the door glanced toward Nathan.
Nathan forced a bitter laugh.
“Dom, you’re emotional.”
Dominic’s eyes lifted.
“No.”
The word was quiet.
Absolute.
Nathan stopped smiling.
Mia whispered, “Please don’t let him near Harper.”
Dominic’s face changed.
Only slightly.
But every guard saw it.
He looked upward.
“Move Harper behind me.”
A guard gently lifted the little girl farther from the open hatch.
Harper struggled.
“No! Mommy!”
Dominic softened his voice without looking away from Nathan.
“Harper, stay with Vincent. I’m bringing her up.”
The child cried but obeyed.
Mia heard Harper’s feet shuffle away and finally let out one broken breath.
Dominic wrapped the jacket tighter and slid one arm behind her back.
“I’m going to help you stand.”
She nodded.
It took three tries.
On the second, her knees failed.
Dominic caught her before she hit the floor.
Nathan leaned over the hatch.
“She needs medical attention.”
Dominic looked up slowly.
“That is the first true thing you’ve said.”
Nathan’s face hardened.
“I’m trying to help.”
Mia’s fingers dug into Dominic’s sleeve.
“No.”
The word came out raw.
Dominic looked at her.
She forced herself to speak louder.
“He told me no one would hear me.”
Nathan’s eyes flashed.
Then he recovered.
“She’s dehydrated. She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”
Dominic helped Mia take one step toward the ladder.
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“She knows enough to point.”
Read Chapter 5 👉 Because Nathan tried to use Mia’s weakness against her, but Dominic saw fear sharpen her memory instead of erase it.
