The city moved fast. Too fast.
By the time Adair and Dominic arrived at the foundation's downtown office, the building was already in a quiet frenzy. Phones ringing, volunteers whispering in corners, someone arguing at the front desk. It didn't take long to find Brielle—Adair's younger sister—standing in the middle of it all, arms crossed and fury in her eyes.
"There you are," Brielle snapped. "You said you'd handle the donor audit, Adair. Now two of our biggest sponsors are threatening to pull out."
Adair straightened. "I was handling it. But you didn't tell me the finance director had been replaced without my sign-off."
Brielle flinched. "Because you were too busy playing executive girlfriend up in a penthouse somewhere."
The words hit harder than they should have.
Dominic stepped forward. "Now's not the time, Brielle."
She turned to him, scowling. "This doesn't concern you."
"It does," Adair cut in. Her voice was quiet but firm. "Because I asked him to come."
That seemed to take the edge off the room. Slightly.
Adair moved past her sister toward the inner office. "Give me ten minutes. I'll fix this."
Once inside, the tension finally cracked.
She stood still for a moment, back to Dominic, breathing hard. He watched her carefully, knowing she was close to that edge again—the one between fire and collapse.
"You okay?" he asked.
"No." She turned to face him. "But I will be."
"I could have my legal team look at the contracts," he offered.
Adair gave a tired smile. "You always think everything can be fixed with a lawyer."
"No," he said gently. "I just don't want you doing this alone."
That silence again—the charged kind that held more emotion than words ever could.
"You don't have to rescue me, Dominic."
"I know," he said, stepping closer. "But I'll still be here. Whether you need backup, or just someone to remind you to breathe."
She let out a shaky laugh. "God, you're dangerous."
He reached for her hand. "So are you."
Their eyes locked, and for a second, the world outside that office didn't matter—just the burn between them, and the way it was starting to feel less like destruction and more like survival.
But before they could say anything else, Brielle opened the door, calmer now.
"The board's ready," she said, eyes flicking briefly between the two of them.
Adair nodded. "Let's do this."
She squared her shoulders, glanced once more at Dominic, and stepped into the fire she had built with her own hands.