Chapter 2 - Rules of Engagement
The routine at the Vale estate had always been predictable.
Dominic woke at five in the morning, worked out in the private gym, ate a quiet breakfast prepared by his elderly chef, Mrs. Gable, and left for his offices by seven. He returned at eight in the evening, worked in his study until midnight, and slept four fitful hours before repeating the cycle.
The mansion was built to enforce isolation. Nestled on forty acres of dense forest in Westchester, surrounded by high iron gates and armed security personnel, it was a fortress designed to keep the dangerous world out—and keep Dominic inside his own head.
Until Ruby Bennett’s arrival.
On her tenth day, Ruby was tasked with deep-cleaning the primary library on the second floor. It was a massive, two-story room filled with thousands of leather-bound volumes, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a grand spiral staircase made of dark iron.
It was also Dominic’s favorite room in the house, though he rarely had time to sit in it.
At three in the afternoon, Dominic returned home early to retrieve a misplaced ledger. He walked up the carpeted stairs, expecting the usual stillness.
Instead, as he approached the library doors, he heard a low, rhythmic humming.
Dominic paused in the doorway.
Ruby was on the second-level catwalk of the library, standing on a rolling library ladder. She was reaching for a high shelf, dusting the tops of dusty encyclopedias. She was wearing her burgundy uniform, her dark curly hair pinned up in a loose, messy bun that allowed a few unruly tendrils to frame her round, pretty face.
She wasn't singing at full volume today—she was obeying his rule—but she was humming a slow, sultry jazz melody.
It was quiet, barely above a whisper, but the acoustics of the high ceiling caught the low, warm resonance of her tone and amplified it, filling the vast library with a rich, molten hum.
Dominic stood near the entrance, hidden behind the high back of a wingchair, watching her.
She moved with an effortless grace that defied her generous size. Every curve of her body shifted naturally as she swayed to her own rhythm, entirely lost in her work. She picked up a heavy book, inspected the cover, wiped the spine gently, and set it back.
"You're humming," Dominic said, stepping out into the open space.
Ruby gasped, her foot slipping half an inch on the wooden step of the ladder. She caught herself on the iron railing, clutching her duster to her chest as she looked down at him.
"Mr. Vale!" she breathed out, her cheeks instantly flushing a deep, lovely rose color. "You scared the life out of me!"
"You're violating rule fourteen," Dominic said, though his voice lacked any real bite. He stood at the base of the ladder, looking up at her. From this angle, he could see the curve of her throat, the rise and fall of her chest as she caught her breath.
"Humming isn't noise, Mr. Vale," Ruby argued gently, stepping down two rungs so she didn't have to strain her neck to look at him. "It's internal resonance. My mouth was closed."
"It travels," he said, walking to the edge of the catwalk railings. "And it interferes with my concentration."
"You're not working right now," she pointed out, glancing at his empty hands. "You're standing in a library staring at the maid."
Dominic caught himself, his brow furrowing. She was right. He had no business standing here debating acoustics with a woman who had been hired through an agency two weeks ago.
"I came for a book," he lied seamlessly.
"Oh?" Ruby perked up, her eyes lighting up with genuine interest. "Which one? I've dusted almost all of them today. History, finance, rare Italian poetry?"
"The leather-bound ledger on the lower shelf," Dominic said, gesturing vaguely toward a shelf near the window.
Ruby climbed down the rest of the ladder, her hips swaying softly as she moved past him toward the indicated section. She smelled like almond lotion and sunshine—a stark contrast to the heavy, sterile scent of old leather and furniture polish.
She leaned over to check the low shelf, her burgundy uniform stretching snugly over her full, rounded hips. Dominic’s eyes involuntarily tracked the curve of her lower back, a sudden, unfamiliar heat blooming in his chest. He cleared his throat quickly, looking away toward the window.
"Is this it?" she asked, holding up a heavy black book with silver embossing.
"Yes," Dominic said, taking it from her hand. His fingers brushed against hers—a brief, accidental touch that sent a sharp, electric shock straight up his arm.
Ruby felt it too. She froze for a fraction of a second, her brown eyes widening as she met his gaze.
Dominic pulled his hand back, gripping the book tighter. "Thank you, Miss Bennett."
"You're welcome, Mr. Vale," she said, her voice dropping an octave, becoming softer, thicker. "Will there be anything else?"
Dominic looked at her—really looked at her. He saw the genuine warmth in her eyes, the lack of fear, the quiet resilience that seemed to radiate from her presence. For six years, everyone in his life had looked at him with terror, greed, or calculated reverence.
Ruby looked at him as if he were simply a man. A grumpy, overly quiet man who desperately needed to relax, but a man nonetheless.
"No," Dominic said quietly. "That will be all."
He turned and walked toward the door, but just before he stepped into the hallway, he stopped. Without turning around, he spoke into the quiet room.
"You don't have to stop humming."
May you like
Ruby smiled, a small, triumphant curve of her lips. "Thank you, sir."
Dominic walked away, his heart beating a slightly faster rhythm than usual against his ribs.
