The Fears Of A Billionaire

Chapter 14: The Recornings

The room was a pressure cooker, and the silence was deafening. Dominic's heart pounded as Graves' men surrounded the table, their guns pointed at him, Alyssa, and the other guests. Time seemed to slow, and for a brief moment, Dominic saw the culmination of all his fears, everything he had been running from. This was it—Graves had them.

Alyssa's face was as unreadable as ever, but Dominic could feel the fear emanating from her. Laura's voice crackled in their earpieces again, the urgency unmistakable. "We have to abort, now. I repeat, abort!"

But it was too late.

Graves smirked, pacing in front of the room like a lion who had already cornered his prey. "You see, Dominic," he said, his voice steady and mocking, "I knew you were trying to bring me down. The moment you resurfaced in the media, I had eyes on you. Your moves were clumsy, desperate."

Dominic's mind raced. How had Graves known? Who had betrayed them?

"You were never going to win this game," Graves continued. "Not against me."

The tension broke when one of Graves' men grabbed Alyssa by the arm, forcing her to stand. Dominic instinctively lunged forward, only to be met with a cold gun barrel pressed against his chest. He froze, his pulse hammering in his ears.

"Careful," Graves warned, his voice taking on a dangerous edge. "I wouldn't want you to make this worse than it already is."

Alyssa struggled against her captor, her eyes blazing with defiance. "You think you can keep this hidden, Graves? The world will find out. You can't stop everything."

Graves chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, but I already have. You see, my dear Alyssa, I've controlled far worse situations than this. You and your husband are just small players in a much larger game. And you've lost."

Dominic's mind screamed for a solution, but he could see no way out. The feds wouldn't storm the island now—not with Graves' men holding them hostage. All they had left was their wits, and the odds were stacked against them.

A heavy silence fell over the room once again as Graves took a seat at the head of the table, gesturing for everyone to sit. "Now," he said, leaning back, "we're going to have a conversation about what happens next."

Dominic could feel the walls closing in. He had to act fast.

Graves looked at Dominic with a calculated expression, as though he was considering how best to break him. "I could end this right now," Graves mused, his fingers tapping the surface of the table. "I could make sure neither of you ever leave this island."

Dominic stared back at him, not saying a word. Fear and adrenaline coursed through his veins, but he couldn't afford to show weakness. Not now.

"But that's not what I want," Graves continued, his voice dripping with condescension. "What I want... is for you to disappear quietly. I'm giving you a chance to walk away, Dominic. You and Alyssa can vanish from the public eye, leave your empire behind, and I won't have to ruin you."

Dominic's jaw clenched. This was worse than a threat—it was a dismantling of everything he had fought for. Graves wanted to erase him, to make sure Dominic would never challenge him again.

"I don't think you fully understand what's at stake here," Dominic said slowly, trying to find his footing. "You can't bury this. The feds are watching. Your network isn't as secure as you think."

Graves laughed, genuinely amused. "Dominic, I've been dealing with law enforcement for decades. I have judges, senators, and executives in my pocket. Do you think I'm afraid of a few agents lurking offshore? I own them."

The weight of the situation hit Dominic like a freight train. He knew Graves was powerful, but hearing it laid out so bluntly made him realize just how outmatched they were. If Graves truly had that kind of influence, then there was no safe way out. Not unless...

Unless Dominic gave him something else.

"I have a counteroffer," Dominic said, his voice steadier than he felt. Graves raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Oh?" Graves leaned forward. "Do tell."

Dominic took a deep breath, the words forming in his mind before he spoke them. "You don't need to kill me or force me into hiding. Instead, let's make a deal. I'll give you access to something far more valuable than revenge or erasure. Information. Strategic partnerships that you don't have yet."

Graves tilted his head, considering. "And why would I need anything from you?"

"Because," Dominic continued, "you're losing control. The legal pressure is mounting, and even if you can buy some people off, there are others who won't be swayed so easily. You need a new way to secure your assets, a way to stay ahead of the investigations without drawing more attention."

Dominic was bluffing, but he had to make it sound convincing. He knew Graves was paranoid, always looking for ways to stay ahead of his enemies. If he could convince him that Dominic had inside knowledge, that there were loopholes Graves hadn't considered, it might be enough to buy them some time.

Graves narrowed his eyes. "And what exactly are you offering?"

Dominic took another calculated risk. "The new AI system we've been developing at Hayes Industries. It's more advanced than anything on the market, including what your team has been working on. It could give you the leverage you need to stay untouchable."

For a moment, Graves didn't respond, but Dominic could see the gears turning in his mind. It was working—Graves was considering the offer.

Finally, Graves leaned back, a slow smile spreading across his face. "You always were good at negotiating, Dominic. Alright. I'm listening."

Alyssa shot Dominic a look of disbelief, but he couldn't meet her gaze. He knew this wasn't a real solution—it was a stalling tactic. But it was the only way to keep them alive long enough to figure out an escape.

"We'll draw up the terms," Graves said, waving his hand. "But don't think for a second that I trust you. If you cross me again, Dominic, I'll make sure you and Alyssa disappear for good."

Dominic nodded, the knot in his stomach tightening. He had bought them some time, but the real battle was far from over.

Later that night, after Graves had left them under close watch in a luxurious guest suite, Dominic and Alyssa finally had a moment alone. Alyssa was fuming.

"Are you out of your mind?" she hissed, pacing the room. "You just handed him our biggest secret! Do you realize what's at stake?"

"I didn't have a choice," Dominic whispered harshly. "If I didn't offer something, he would've killed us on the spot. We're still in this fight, Alyssa, but we have to be smart."

Alyssa stopped, her eyes blazing. "Smart? He's going to use that technology to solidify his control. You can't just hand it over."

"We won't," Dominic assured her. "We're going to use it against him."

Alyssa's brow furrowed in confusion. "How?"

Dominic sat down, rubbing his temples. "Graves may think he has us, but he underestimates us. We'll draw up a deal, give him a version of the system, but we'll build in a backdoor. Something that we can exploit later. We'll have a way to take him down from the inside."

Alyssa hesitated, then nodded slowly. "It's risky."

"It's our only shot," Dominic said, meeting her gaze. "We either outsmart him, or we don't make it out of this alive."

As the night wore on, the plan began to take shape. They would give Graves what he wanted just enough to make him believe he was in control. But behind the scenes, they would set the stage for his downfall.

In the end, Dominic knew one thing for certain: the battle wasn't over. It had only just begun.