CHAPTER 2: The Countdown Begins

The house was complete and utter chaos.

"It's going to be Christmas Eve! It's almost Christmas Eve!"

Alec's five-year-old daughter squealed, her tiny boots stomping loudly against the hardwood floor. She sprinted in circles through the living room, waving a tangled strand of tinsel like a ribbon. She was loudly belt-singing a Christmas hymn completely off-key, her face flushed with pure holiday excitement.

"Sweetheart, wait! Stop running for just one second," Alec pleaded, breathing heavily as he chased after the little whirlwind.

He held a pair of thick wool mittens in one hand and a hairbrush in the other. He lunged, catching her by the waist. Her small body squirmed, laughing maniacally as the cold air from the hallway brushed against them. Alec desperately tried to smooth down her chaotic bedhead and slide the mittens onto her tiny, wriggling hands before they had to head out the door.

Buzz! Buzz!

The sudden, harsh vibration of his phone cut through the laughter. Alec froze. His heart slammed violently against his ribs. He dragged the phone out of his pocket, his thumb trembling as he swiped to answer.

"Alec," he barked, his voice tight.

"Detective Alec, sorry to disturb you on your vacation," the frantic voice of his colleague from the precinct crackled through the speaker. "But we had to call. We just got solid intelligence. Dominic has been actively trying to track you down since the second he stepped out of those gates. We need to know right now—do you require force protection?"

Alec’s breath hitched. A cold, heavy weight dropped into his stomach.

He's already moving.

"No," Alec snapped, his voice dropping to a harsh, fierce whisper so his daughter wouldn't hear. "End the call immediately."

"Wait, Detective—"

"I said hang up!" Alec ordered, slamming his thumb down to kill the connection.

His hand was shaking so badly he almost dropped the device. He stared at the dark screen, his mind racing, trying to force his panicked breathing to slow down. For Dominic to let the fact that he's looking for me slip to the force... he has something up his sleeves. Alec gripped the phone tightly, a desperate sense of defiance flaring in his chest. Or maybe... maybe the bastard just can't find me.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force himself to believe his own reassurance.

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Meanwhile, across the city, the atmosphere was dead silent and suffocating.

In a dark, shadow-drenched room, the air was icy cold. The only light came from the glowing blue monitors of a high-tech tracking station. A cyber-specialist sat at the desk, his fingers flying across the keyboard, sweat dripping down his neck.

Standing directly behind him in the shadows was the towering silhouette of a man. The oppressive, terrifying aura radiating from him made it hard for the specialist to even breathe.

"S-sorry, sir..." the specialist stammered, his voice cracking with sheer terror. He stared at the screen where the signal trace had just died. "The call wasn't long enough. He hung up too fast to track his exact location."

Out from the darkness, Dominic stepped into the dim light.

He didn't look angry. Instead, a dark, breathless smile spread across his lips, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous, obsessive hunger.

"Aww..." Dominic murmured, a low, rumbling chuckle vibrating in his chest.

He tilted his head, completely captivated by the challenge. The thought of Alec running, struggling, and hiding only made the blood rush faster through his veins.

"We are so in love," Dominic whispered into the empty room, his hand tracing the edge of the cold monitor. "He knows me so well."

Dominic’s gaze darkened, his smile turning razor-sharp, filled with an unyielding promise of possession.

"I have to find him before Christmas Eve... so he doesn't spend it alone."