Chapter 7: Morning Regrets

Sunlight filtered through the floor to ceiling windows of Damon’s penthouse. Ava stirred slowly. Her body ached in places she had never felt before. A pleasant soreness between her legs reminded her of the long night. She blinked against the brightness and turned her head. Damon lay beside her. His muscular arm draped possessively across her waist. His dark hair was tousled from sleep and their activities. He looked peaceful. Almost vulnerable. But she knew better. This man was a force of nature. And she had let herself get swept up in his storm.

Guilt hit her like a cold wave. Emma. Her best friend who had trusted her completely. The one who had shared laughs and secrets for years. Ava had crossed an unforgivable line. Multiple times. In vivid detail. She slipped out from under his arm carefully. Not wanting to wake him yet. She found her dress crumpled on the floor and pulled it on. The fabric felt cheap and wrong in this luxurious space.

She padded to the kitchen area. The open layout made the whole penthouse feel like one giant statement of wealth. She poured herself a glass of water and stared out at the city below. Last night had been incredible. Addictive even. But in the harsh morning light it looked like a mistake. A beautiful dangerous mistake.

Damon appeared behind her a few minutes later. He wore only black boxer briefs. His presence filled the room. “Running away already?” His voice was deep. Still rough with sleep. He wrapped his arms around her from behind. Pulling her back against his chest. His lips brushed her shoulder.

Ava stiffened. She set the glass down and turned in his arms. Meeting his stormy blue eyes with determination. “Last night was a one time thing. Or rather a few times thing. But it cannot happen again. I mean it this time.”

He raised an eyebrow. A hint of amusement crossed his face. “Is that so? You seemed pretty certain when you were riding me and screaming my name.”

She pushed at his chest. Not hard enough to truly move him but enough to create space. Her feisty side flared up. “Do not be an asshole about it. This is serious. Emma is my best friend. I betrayed her. If she ever found out it would destroy our friendship. I cannot live with that. So whatever this is ends here.”

Damon did not step back. Instead he leaned against the counter. Crossing his arms over his broad chest. Watching her with that intense gaze that made her stomach flip. “I like this fire in you. Most women just agree with whatever I say. You push back. It is refreshing.”

“Do not patronize me,” Ava snapped. She crossed her arms too. Mirroring him. “I am not one of your disposable flings. I have a life. A best friend I actually care about. You might be used to getting everything you want but not this time.”

He smiled slowly. It was not the predatory smirk from last night. This one held genuine interest. “There it is again. That attitude. Keep it up. It makes me want to convince you otherwise.” He reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. The touch was gentle. Unexpected. “But I hear you. Family loyalty matters. I know that better than most.”

Ava softened slightly at his words. She remembered Emma mentioning family struggles in passing. Something about their father. But she never pressed. “Look. I am not trying to play games. Last night was amazing. Too amazing. That is the problem. I cannot trust myself around you.”

Damon nodded. He poured himself a coffee from the sleek machine on the counter. Offering her one which she declined. “Fair enough. But tell me this. When you leave here today are you really going to forget how it felt? Because I will not.”

The question hung between them. Ava felt the pull again. That magnetic draw. She stepped back further. “I have to try. For Emma.”

An unexpected knock sounded at the private elevator entrance. Damon’s expression shifted. A flicker of tension crossed his face. He pulled on a robe quickly. “Stay here,” he said quietly. “It is probably just my assistant with documents.”

But when he opened the door Ava heard a woman’s voice. Sharp and familiar in tone though not Emma. “Damon. We need to talk about Father. The lawyers called again. He is making more threats about the company shares.”

Ava froze in the kitchen area. She could not see the visitor but the words sent a chill through her. Father. She had heard rumors about the Blackwood family patriarch. Something dark and unresolved. Damon had never mentioned it. She respected that. Everyone had their secrets. But hearing it now made the reality of his complicated world sink in deeper.

Damon stepped into the hallway. His voice lowered. The conversation became muffled. Ava busied herself straightening her dress. Trying not to eavesdrop. When he returned minutes later his jaw was tight. “Sorry about that. Business never sleeps.”

She studied him. “You do not have to tell me everything. I get it. We all have complicated family stuff. But that is exactly why this cannot work. Your life is intense. Mine is simple. Or at least it was.”

He approached her again. Slower this time. “My father is a piece of work. Old wounds. I will share when the time is right. If you want to hear it.” His hand brushed her arm. Not demanding. Just connecting. “But do not shut this down completely. We can be careful.”

Ava shook her head. Her heart ached with conflict. “No. I need space. Time to think. Please respect that.”

To her surprise he did not argue further. He called his driver instead. “He will take you home. No questions.” As she headed to the elevator he caught her hand one last time. “This is not goodbye. I cannot stay away from you either. But I will give you the space you asked for. For now.”

The ride down felt endless. Ava leaned her head against the cool glass. Her body still remembered his touch. The way he had looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered. But Emma’s face kept flashing in her mind. The laughter from the party. The trust. She pulled out her phone and texted Emma. Just checking in. Hope you are recovering from last night.

Emma replied quickly with emojis and a voice note about her hangover. Nothing suspicious. Ava exhaled in relief. But the guilt remained.

Back in her small apartment Ava showered. The hot water washed away the physical evidence but not the memories. She spent the day trying to focus on work. Emails about a new marketing campaign. Lunch with a colleague who droned on about office gossip. Everything felt flat. Colorless compared to the intensity of Damon.

By evening the pull became unbearable. She stared at her phone. His number was saved now. Private. Untraceable probably. She typed a message. Then deleted it. Typed again. This is harder than I thought. But we cannot.

She did not send it. Instead she went for a run. Trying to clear her head. The city streets blurred past her. Her muscles burned. But her mind kept circling back to him. The way he had listened when she talked about her job struggles. The unexpected tenderness mixed with his dominance.

Her phone buzzed as she returned home sweaty and exhausted. Unknown number. She answered cautiously.

“Ava.” Damon’s voice. Low and commanding even over the line. “I kept my word. Gave you space. But I needed to hear your voice.”

She sank onto her couch. Feisty energy rising again. “This is not space. This is calling me the same day.”

He chuckled. The sound sent warmth through her despite everything. “Guilty. But tell me you are not thinking about me too. I can hear it in your breathing.”

“I am thinking about how stupid this is,” she shot back. “And how much I miss my best friend not being a secret I am keeping from her.”

Silence stretched for a moment. Then he spoke softer. “I respect that. More than you know. My own family ties are complicated. Father issues that could drag anyone down. I will not pull you into that mess unless you want in.”

Ava’s resolve wavered. “I do not need your drama on top of my own guilt. But thank you for saying that.”

“Have dinner with me tomorrow,” he said. Not quite a question. “Not at my place. Somewhere public. Low key. We can talk. No pressure for anything else.”

She should say no. Every logical part of her screamed it. But the thought of seeing him again sent butterflies through her stomach. “One dinner. Just talking. And if I say stop after that you listen.”

“Deal,” he replied. She could hear the smile in his voice. “I like negotiating with you. Keeps me on my toes.”

They hung up. Ava tossed her phone aside. Her heart raced with a mix of excitement and dread. She was supposed to be ending things. Instead she had agreed to see him again. The pull was real. Stronger than her willpower.

Later that night as she lay in bed her phone lit up with a text from him. A simple goodnight message. Nothing explicit. Just his name and a reminder that he was thinking of her. She smiled despite herself. Then deleted the thread. Small steps toward resistance.

But deep down Ava knew the truth. Ending things with Damon Blackwood was going to be much harder than she had imagined. The drama was only beginning. Family secrets. Her loyalty to Emma. His world of power and hidden threats. And the undeniable chemistry that refused to die.

She turned off the light. Tomorrow’s dinner loomed. A test of her resolve. One she suspected she might fail. But for now she clung to her decision. She would be strong. Feisty. Unyielding.

Even if part of her already craved the moment she would see him again.