“Let’s see what he has to say for himself,” she said, proud of how steady her voice sounded.
Moments later, the conference room door opened. A uniformed officer escorted Dominic Steel inside, and Valeria’s world tilted on its axis.
He was even more imposing than she remembered from the crime scene. Broad shoulders filled out his dark suit jacket, and he moved with the controlled grace of someone comfortable withviolence. When his eyes met hers across the room, recognition flared between them like lightning.
Her bear surged toward the surface, demanding she claim what was hers and end the torment of an incomplete mate bond. The desire was so powerful it made her dizzy.
Gabriel noticed the sudden tension immediately. “Everything okay?”
Valeria forced ice into her veins and her voice. “Fine. Let’s get started.”
Dom’s expression shifted from recognition to confusion to something that looked like hurt as she turned away from him. Gabriel gestured to the chair across from them, and Dom sat down.
“Mr. Steel, thank you for coming in voluntarily,” Gabriel began, his tone professional but not friendly. “You’re here as a person of interest in the murder of Rebecca Matthews. You’re not under arrest, but you have the right to have an attorney present.”
“I don’t need an attorney,” Dom said, his deep voice sending vibrations through Valeria’s chest. “I want to help find out who killed her.”
Gabriel opened his notepad. “Let’s start with the timeline. Walk me through your contact with Ms. Matthews from the beginning.”
Dom’s account matched what he’d told Valeria at the crime scene. Rebecca Matthews had called Steel Protection Tuesday evening, said there were people who might want to hurt her, refused to give details over the phone, and insisted on an in-person meeting.
“What time was this call?” Gabriel asked.
“Around seven PM.”
“And you scheduled the meeting for nine AM the next morning?”
“Wednesday morning, yes. She said she was scared and needed help soon.”
Valeria took notes, fighting to keep her handwriting steady while Dom’s scent of pine and leather filled her senses. Her bear kept trying to surface, kept insisting this was wrong, that she was betraying her mate by sitting here like a stranger taking notes on his potential guilt.
Gabriel slid the photocopied evidence across the table. “These fragments survived the fire at Ms. Matthews’ house. Any idea what this might mean?”
Dom studied the pages, his brow furrowing as he read. Valeria watched his face carefully, looking for any sign of recognition or guilt. Instead, she saw genuine confusion.
“She was investigating organized crime?” Dom asked, looking up from the papers.
“She was investigating protection rackets,” Gabriel said, his tone sharpening. “You run a protection business. Explain the difference.”
Dom’s jaw tightened. “Steel Protection is a licensed security company. We provide legitimate protection services to people who need them. We don’t extort anyone.”
“Convenient timing though,” Gabriel pressed. “She discovers your operation, calls for help, ends up dead.”
Valeria’s pen froze on her notepad. The accusation hung in the air like a blade, and she watched Dom’s reaction carefully. Instead of anger or defensiveness, she saw something that looked like genuine pain.
“I came here to help her. To help this town,” Dom said quietly. “Why would we kill a potential client?”
Gabriel leaned forward. “Because she knew too much about your real business model.”
“Detective Reynolds,” Valeria found herself saying before she could stop herself. Both men looked at her in surprise. She’d almost defended Dom, almost blown her cover to protect him. “Sorry. Continue.”
Dom’s eyes found Valeria’s across the table, and she saw desperation there. He was looking to her for support, for some sign that she believed him. The mate bond pulled at her so strongly she had to grip her pen to keep from reaching out to him.
But she couldn’t. She had to sit here like a professional, like someone who’d never felt her soul recognize its other half.
Gabriel made a note in his file. “That’s all for now, Mr. Steel. Don’t leave town. We’ll be in touch.”
Dom stood slowly, his eyes never leaving Valeria’s face. She saw hurt there, confusion, a desperate need to understand why she was treating him like a stranger. The mate bond screamed at her to acknowledge him, to give him some sign, anything.
