“Cut the crap, Victoria,” I snap, my hands balling into fists at my sides. “What are you playing at? Why are you doing this to Damien—to us?”
She leans back against her desk, a smirk playing on her lips. “Oh, darling, I’m not ‘playing’ at anything. I merely pointed out the obvious. Damien has a… let’s call it a ‘colorful’ history. Are you sure you know the man you’re sleeping with?”
Every insinuation is a needle under my skin, but I refuse to let her see me flinch. “I know he’s not the monster you’re trying to make him out to be.”
“Is that so?” She circles me like a predator, her presence invasive and unwelcome. “Tell me, Lily, when you’re in his arms, do you ever wonder what those same hands have done? The secrets they’ve kept?”
“Stop it!” My voice cracks like a whip, raw and powerful. “Whatever happened in Damien’s past, we’ll face it together. Your mind games won’t work on me anymore.”
“Such conviction.” She tuts, shaking her head with mock pity. “You’re playing with fire, little girl. And you’re bound to get burned.”
“Then let it burn,” I say, my heart a drumbeat thundering in my ears. “But know this, Victoria—your hold over him ends tonight.”
Her laughter chills me to the bone, but I stand my ground. This is more than just a confrontation; it’s a declaration of war. And I am ready to fight.
9 - 10
My pulse hammers in my ears, a relentless drumbeat that drowns out Victoria’s malicious laughter. The cold air of the dimly lit room clings to my skin, sending shivers down my spine as I witness the twisted satisfaction on her face. Her eyes gleam like chips of ice; she feeds off the chaos she creates.
“Damien will never be free of me,” she purrs, her voice a sinister melody. “He’s bound by chains only I can unlock.”
Her words slice through the thick tension, daring me to break. But I refuse to crumble under her gaze. Damien is more than his past, more than the shadows that dance around him. He’s the man who’s shown me the light in darkness, the strength in vulnerability.
“Your games are pathetic,” I spit out, my voice laced with venom. “You think you can scare me away? I love him, and your sick pleasure won’t change that.”
Victoria’s face contorts into a snarl, her composure slipping. “Love?” she scoffs. “What do you know of love, child? You’re just a pawn in my game. And I’m not done playing yet.”
But before she can continue her assault, the door slams open. Damien storms in, his towering frame seeming to consume the space, his presence an inferno that blazes through the chill. His gray eyes lock onto Victoria, igniting with a fury that could sear the soul.
“Enough,” he commands, his voice slicing through the room like a blade. “This ends now, Victoria.”
His stride is purposeful, every step a declaration of war. He stands protectively in front of me, a shield against the tempest.
“Damien,” she begins, her tone switching to one of feigned innocence, but he cuts her off with a growl.
“Your poison has spread far enough.” The words are a low rumble, thunder before the storm. “I won’t let you hurt Lily. I won’t let you use my past to destroy what I have found with her.”
I watch, heart in throat, as Damien confronts the demon of his past. His body is coiled tension, a spring wound too tight. Victoria tries to maintain her facade, but beneath it, I see the flicker of uncertainty.
“Are you going to throw away everything for her?” Victoria sneers, gesturing toward me with a manicured hand. “She doesn’t know you. Not like I do.”
“Then she is lucky,” he retorts, his voice unwavering. “Because she knows the man I am trying to be, not the monster you cling to.”
Their standoff is electric, charged with the energy of unspoken battles and hidden scars. It’s clear that this is more than just a clash of wills—it’s a fight for redemption, for the right to forge a future without the shackles of yesterday.
“Damien,” I whisper, reaching out to touch his arm. My fingers brush against the hard muscle, tracing the inked stories etched into his skin. He glances at me, and in that moment, I see the resolve solidify in his gaze.
“Go ahead, Damien,” Victoria taunts, her confidence wavering. “Prove how much she means to you. Prove that you’re not the man I know—the one who craves control, power… dominance.”
“Shut up, Victoria,” Damien hisses, the menace in his voice palpable. “You may think you know me, but you have no idea what I’m capable of—especially when it comes to protecting the ones I love.”
In a swift motion, Damien pulls me behind him, shielding me from Victoria’s toxic glare. I can feel the heat radiating from his body, the raw power that simmers within him. His breath is ragged, a testament to the storm of emotions he harbors.
“Leave her out of this,” he demands, the threat in his voice unmistakable. “If you want to come after someone, come after me. But you will not win this time.”
Victoria’s smirk falters, her mask slipping. “You’ll regret this, Damien Blackwood,” she spits out, her voice trembling with rage.
“Perhaps,” he acknowledges, his gaze never leaving hers. “But I’d rather live with regret than watch Lily suffer because of you.”
