Chapter 6

Damian couldn’t bring himself to leave her like that and go home. The thought of leaving her alone twisted his gut with a need he was scared to admit out loud. The thought of Aria just sitted alone in that tiny room probably crying her eyes out was something he didn't even want to imagine. He had to know she was safe, that she hadn’t crumbled completely in the aftermath of seeing Ethan.

The street outside Sweet Haven was slick with rain, the city’s lights reflecting off the wet asphalt. Damian, still sitted in his car parked at the side of the café, hesitated for a moment, gripping the steering wheel. He then walked out of his car and made his way back to cafe before he could talk himself out of it.

He pushed open the door, the smell of vanilla and coffee still lingering. He made a beeline to the backroom, she was still on the tiny couch where he had left her.

She was hunched over, knees drawn close to her chest, shoulders shaking. Her hands pressed against her face, hair falling messily around her as if trying to hide from the world. Panic radiated from her, raw and unfiltered, and for a brief moment, Damian froze. The sight alone causing a sharp pain in his heart. But he quickly snapped out of it, running to her side.

“Aria…” he said softly, stepping closer, careful not to startle her.

She jerked upright, eyes wide and glistening. “E-Ethan?” she whispered, voice trembling.

“No,” Damian said firmly, closing the gap between them. “It’s me. Damian. I’m here.”

She flinched, hands scrambling as if to push him away, panic-fueled, arms flailing. She was looking at Damian but it felt like she was seeing someone else. He had never seen someone so scared before. She swung at the air blindly, landing a weak hit on Damian"s shoulder in her frenzy.

“Aria!” he barked, his voice low but commanding. He moved faster now, catching her hands in his, holding her gently but firmly. “Look at me! It’s not him. It’s me!”

Her body froze under his grip. She blinked, trying to process, but tears streamed freely down her cheeks. Damian held her close, letting her hands slide from his as her breathing caught in uneven gasps.

“It’s okay,” he said softly, kneeling beside her. “You’re safe. No one’s going to hurt you.”

“I… I thought…” Her voice cracked, reduced to a whisper. “I thought he...he…”

“I know,” Damian said, voice gentle. “I know you were scared. But you’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

He let her lean into him, her head against his chest, letting the steady rhythm of his heartbeat anchor her own. And for the first time since Ethan had appeared, she allowed herself to feel a flicker of relief.

“Why… why are you doing this? Why do you care?” she whispered after a long moment, voice muffled from her head being tucked close to him.

The question caught him off guard. 'Why do I care? ', he thought. He wasn't sure why. It wasn't like they were buddies. He's supposed to be enforcing her eviction from the cafe but somehow he keeps getting himself in her personal life.

"Because no one deserves to be alone.", he finally answered. But somehow it felt like he was talking more about himself than Aria.

Her chest heaved as she tried to steady her breathing. Damian’s warmth enveloped her, his presence a stark contrast to the chaos of the day. She hated that she depended on him already, that her body leaned toward him without permission, that her heart pounded in ways she didn’t understand.

“It's easier that way though,” she admitted quietly. “I… I’m used to being alone.”

“I know,” he said softly, voice low, grounding. “But you don’t always have to be.”

She tried to pull away slightly, but his hands held her gently, impossibly strong yet careful. “I don’t want to be a burden,” she whispered.

“You’re not,” he countered firmly. “Never. Not to me.”

Her stomach fluttered at his words. He sounded so certain, so controlled, and yet there was warmth there, like a quiet acknowledgment that made her chest ache in ways she refused to analyze.

She finally pulled back, enough to look at him fully. Gray eyes locked onto hers, searching, concerned, protective.

“Okay,” she said softly. “Okay… maybe a little help is okay.”

A faint chuckle escaped his lips. “Good. That’s all I ask.”

The air was thick as they locked up Sweet Haven. Damian moved to stand close, offering his arm. She hesitated, then allowed him to guide her outside, the rain having tapered into a drizzle.

The ride was quiet, save for the soft hum of the expensive car engine and the occasional splash of water on the streets. Damian’s hands gripped the wheel, senses sharp. Every shadow, every glint of reflective glass made him tense. He’d learned long ago to trust instincts, and right now, every instinct screamed that they were being followed.

And in the same breath, a black sedan appeared behind them, he didn’t flinch. Not outwardly. He noted the plate, the model, the way the car stuck to their movements like a shadow.

The same car seemed to have been following them from the cafe. It was keeping a distance though so he couldn't be so sure.

"Take the next turn by you left," He was jolted back by Aria's direction. He took the turn and glanced at the rearview mirror. Not long after, the black car also took the turn.

Damian took a sharp turn to the right and pressed on the accelerator. Aria looked at him, startled.

"What's going on? You're going the wrong way." She turned back to see what Damian kept glancing at in the rearview mirror.

"Are we being followed?" Aria asked, voice small.

"Don't worry about it. I'll shake them off."

Aria slid down in her seat, going pale. Damian reached out grabbing her hand and gave it a form squeeze, earning a look from Aria.

True to his word, after a few minutes of aimless sharp turns, they lost the car. He kept driving for a while on the main road just to be sure.

"Put in your address on the GPS so you can just catch a quick nap while I drive us back. I don't think we were being followed. Sorry for worrying you." Damian said lieing through his teeth.

This seemed to have a snapped Aria back to reality. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Color rushing back to her skin.

"It's fine. You were just looking out for me. Thanks Damian." She offered him a small smile while putting in her address in the GPS.

That smile was enough to push down the guilt Damian felt for lieing.

The apartment door swung open, and Mila bounded over with her usual high-energy enthusiasm. “Aria! You’re back! Are you okay? You look… shaken!”

“I’m fine,” Aria said immediately, waving her off. “Really. It's just the rain, I'm a little cold.

It was clear she didn't buy it but she didn't press on the subject. Instead she said, " ...you brought a guest."

It didn't really sound like a statement, more like a question.

"Yeah. Damian meet my roommate, Mila. And Mila met Damian." Aria breezed through the introduction.

"Your...?" Mila pressed on

"Friend." Damian answered for her, extending his hands for a handshake. Mila took it, throwing a teasing smile towards Aria. Aria chuckled, shaking her head as she walked in heading straight to her room. Not before inviting Damian in.

Damian lingered by the door, scanning the room with quiet precision before allowing himself a small exhale. He followed Aria to her bedroom, stepping in cautiously, giving her space.

“You need rest,” he said softly. “And a chance to let your mind breathe. Let’s focus on something else for a while.”

She leaned against her bedframe, hesitant. “Fine...”

They sat together, sharing stories, light and heavy, laughter and quiet confessions. Damian spoke about childhood mischief, a memory of sneaking cookies from the kitchen, getting scolded by his father, and it being the reason he forced himself to believe he wasn't a sweet tooth.

Aria laughed softly, genuinely, and for the first time in days, her panic and fear seemed to melt away. The tension between them shifted subtly, the slow burn of attraction simmering just beneath the surface.

And before they knew it, they were sitting close enough for her to feel the warmth of his arm, the subtle brush of his leg against hers. She wanted to pull back, to fight the pull, but she didn’t. She found herself leaning closer, drawn to the steadiness he offered, the safety, the unspoken promise that he wouldn’t let anyone hurt her.

Mila burst in with tea, breaking the intimacy. “Here! I made some for you!” she chirped, her enthusiasm filling the room.

Aria smiled faintly, accepting the cup. Damian stood, bowing his head slightly. “uh...i guess I'd call it a night here...Goodnight, Aria. Mila.” His voice was calm, polite, but there was a softness in his eyes when he spared a glance at Aria .

“Goodnight,” Aria murmured, her heart still racing from the closeness they’d shared. Mila echoing a goodnight too.

He left, leaving her with the residual warmth of his presence, the lingering pull of desire, and a sense of safety she had rarely allowed herself to feel.

As Aria sipped her tea, she realized that nothing would ever be simple again. Damian had crossed into her life in ways she hadn’t expected, shaking the foundations she had built to protect herself. And she didn’t know whether to fight it or surrender.

The storm outside mirrored the storm inside her, chaotic, unpredictable, and dangerous. But for the first time, she didn’t feel completely alone in it.