Page 54 of Paws and Claws

"Money talks." Bruce spread photos across the table - doctored images showing Dominic meeting with known Hunters. "These say you've been quite chatty with them."

"Those are fake." Dominic leaned forward, his eyes burning with intensity. "Just like the ones you used to frame Tabitha."

"We also have audio." Bruce played a recording of what sounded like Dominic's voice discussing plans with the Hunters. The quality was poor, obviously manipulated.

"Getting sloppy with your fabrications." Dominic's lion prowled closer to the surface. "First Tabitha, now me. Running out of people to frame?"

"You led us right to them last night." Bruce's smile didn't reach his eyes. "How else would you know where to find them?"

"Because unlike you, I actually investigate instead of fabricating evidence." The lion's growl leaked into Dominic's voice. "You're going down for this, Bruce. Both the frame jobs and working with the Hunters yourself."

"Big words from someone in cuffs."

Dominic's lion clawed at his insides, demanding retribution as he stared Bruce down across the interrogation table. "You don't have enough evidence to hold me here and you know it."

"Maybe not for the Hunter charges." Bruce's smirk made Dominic's blood boil. "But resisting arrest? That's another story."

The pieces clicked into place. The ambush in the alley, yanking him around like a common criminal - it had all been calculated to provoke a response. Dominic's fist clenching and swinging had been exactly what Bruce wanted.

"That's why you grabbed me off the street," Dominic seethed. "Trying to manufacture probable cause."

"You raised your fist at a police officer." Bruce shrugged, but his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "That's resistance in my book."

"We both know that's not what happened."

"My report will say different." Bruce hauled Dominic up roughly by the arm. "Let's get you settled in your new accommodations."

The basement holding cells smelled of stale air and desperation. Bruce marched him down the dimly lit corridor, his grip unnecessarily tight. Dominic's lion roared for release, but he kept his expression calm. He wouldn't give Bruce the satisfaction.

"I will make you pay for this," Dominic promised, his voice deadly quiet.

Bruce yanked the cell door open with a metallic screech. "Good luck proving anything." He unlocked the cuffs, shoving Dominic inside. "Your word against mine."

The cell door clanged shut with finality. Bruce wrapped his hands around the bars, leaning in close with a vicious smile. "Oh, and don't worry about that little witch of yours. I'll makesure she goes down hard for everything - might even arrange for her to disappear altogether."

Dominic's lion surged forward with protective fury, his hands gripping the bars until his knuckles went white. The metal groaned under his grip as he fought to keep the beast contained. The thought of Bruce anywhere near Tabitha made him want to tear him apart right now.

"If you touch her," Dominic's voice dropped to a dangerous growl, "there won't be enough left of you to arrest."

Bruce just laughed and walked away, his footsteps echoing off the concrete walls. But Dominic had seen the flash of fear in his eyes at the threat. His lion purred with satisfaction. Bruce would learn soon enough - you don't threaten what belongs to a lion and walk away unscathed.

Dominic paced the cramped holding cell, his boots scuffing against the concrete floor. The lion inside him hated being caged, making his skin crawl with restless energy. Six hours had passed since Bruce locked him in here, and his thoughts kept circling back to Tabitha.

"Damn it all," he muttered. The memory of leaving her asleep in his bed that morning made his chest ache. He should have woken her, warned her about Bruce.

His lion lurked closer to the surface as he imagined Bruce going after her. The metal bars creaked under his grip as he fought down the urge to shift and break free. But that would only prove Bruce's accusations right.

"Come on, think," he told himself, forcing his breathing to slow. "She's smart. She'll figure out something's wrong when you don't show up or call."

The thought of Tabitha brought an unwilling smile to his face. Just yesterday he would have worried about her causing any unnecessary trouble, but now? Now he hoped she'd raisehell looking for him. His troublemaker witch with her wild magic and wilder heart.

"Who would have thought?" he mused, leaning against the cool cell wall. "The rule-following sheriff falling completely in love with the town's biggest rebel."

The admission settled something in his chest. His lion roared with satisfaction - it had known all along she was meant to be theirs.

24

DOMINIC

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