Chapter 159: Lie Down Honestly

Chapter 159: Lie Down Honestly

"You're awake? Then lie there and stop hiding from me. You think there's a single scar on your body I don't know about?"

Penelope's eyes were bloodshot as she stared him down, her voice thick with tears and raw fury. Fat droplets splashed onto Dominic's hand.

Dominic watched her come undone, his throat working hard as he swallowed.

"Penelope, don't cry. I'm not dead yet."

He was still using that casual tone, trying to calm her down—which was like throwing gasoline on her already frayed nerves.

Penelope threw down the bloody gauze and grabbed his collar with both hands, yanking his upper body toward her.

"Why did you lie to me? You knew you were the perfect antibody Preston's been looking for. Why did you use me as bait?"

"You watched me run around like an idiot chasing leads. You watched that bastard Jonathan threaten me. Did that make you feel heroic?"

She was practically screaming in his face, scalding tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping straight into his open collar.

Dominic watched her rage quietly, a dangerous storm brewing in his eyes. Suddenly, he grabbed her slender wrist.

His grip was shockingly strong. He yanked her into his arms, and Penelope tumbled onto the edge of the couch.

Before she could react, Dominic had her pinned between the control panel and the couch back, his movements leaving zero room for negotiation.

The sharp scent of blood mixed with his raw masculine presence surrounded her completely, making her entire body tremble.

His solid frame was like an immovable mountain, trapping her in this confined space until even breathing became difficult.

"I kept it from you because I know exactly how you are. If you'd found out, you would've gone after Preston alone."

Dominic locked eyes with her, his gaze possessive as a starving wolf guarding its kill, giving her no escape.

His rough hand gripped her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. Each word seemed dragged through clenched teeth.

"I've been crawling through dirt for twenty years. I belong in hell. But not you. You're staying in the sunlight where you belong."

Penelope was shaking with fury at his twisted sense of protection. She struggled to push him off.

"My life is mine to decide. You don't get to die for me, you arrogant bastard. What gives you the right?"

Dominic stared into her reddened eyes, his throat working violently as the obsession in his gaze exploded.

"Because you're my life. Do you understand that, Penelope? You're the only reason this worthless life keeps going."

He practically snarled the words through gritted teeth, each syllable heavy enough to shake her soul.

Penelope froze completely. Something detonated inside her head, and she forgot how to breathe.

Dominic suddenly lowered his head and crushed his mouth to hers, swallowing all her fury and shock.

It wasn't really a kiss—more like a punishment, a savage claiming. There was nothing gentle about it.

He was like a beast finally unleashed, stealing every bit of air from her mouth with ruthless hunger, as if he wanted to devour her whole.

His lips, cold from blood loss, swept through her mouth with uncompromising force, claiming every corner.

Penelope's hands were pinned above her head against the couch back by one of his, leaving her trapped beneath his storm.

She let out a muffled sound of pain, tasting the metallic tang spreading between their lips—blood seeping from the corner of Dominic's mouth.

She'd been ready to shove him away, but the moment her hands touched the burning scars across his broad back, all her strength vanished.

An indescribable ache and heartbreak drowned every rational thought. She surrendered, closing her eyes and slowly wrapping her arms around his neck.

Penelope began clumsily returning his kiss—awkward, half-defiant—but it instantly ignited the dark fire in Dominic's eyes.

Feeling her surrender, the madness in his gaze gradually receded, replaced by a devastating tenderness and possessiveness that could drown her.

He softened slightly, his tongue prying her lips apart and tangling deeply with hers, as if branding her very soul.

The monitoring room filled with nothing but their ragged breathing, the temperature climbing at a terrifying rate.

Dominic's rough hand slid slowly down her spine in an invasive caress that made Penelope's entire body tremble uncontrollably.

Just as they teetered on the edge of complete loss of control, Penelope's phone on the control panel buzzed violently.

The jarring sound cut through the quiet room like ice water, shattering the bloody, intimate haze.

Penelope snapped back to reality and shoved Dominic off, gasping for air, her face flushed crimson.

Dominic, interrupted, glanced darkly at the buzzing phone, displeasure and murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

Penelope took a deep breath, forced down the churning emotions, straightened her disheveled clothes, and quickly crossed to grab her phone.

The screen showed an anonymous MMS from an untraceable number. She frowned slightly and opened it.

The moment the high-resolution photo appeared, Penelope's pupils contracted sharply. Her blood seemed to freeze solid.

In the photo, Dominic wore professional overseas mercenary tactical gear, holding a heavy sniper rifle, his expression cold as a killing machine.

And standing behind him, grinning darkly, was Preston—the man who'd driven them to the brink.

The Dominic in the photo even showed that distinctive dark red scar on his neck, with no visible signs of forgery or manipulation.

The sniper rifle barrel bore the skull emblem unique to Preston's mercenary unit. Every detail was so real she couldn't find a single flaw—like a poisoned needle stabbing straight into her most vulnerable defense.

The photo's lower right corner showed a clear timestamp: three years ago, Aurelia border.

Penelope stared at the face on screen, her fingers trembling violently, bone-deep cold crawling up her spine.

She whipped around, eyes impossibly complex as they found Dominic still sitting on the couch, breathing slightly rough. Shock and disbelief filled her gaze.

The Dominic who'd just sworn she was his everything had been standing alongside Preston three years ago. What kind of monstrous deception was this?