Chapter 6 – What A Discovery

“And if you say no?” he repeated, smiling like a man who thought he'd already won.

I was halfway up the stairs, one hand on the railing, trying not to show how fast my heart was beating. Damian stood at the bottom like he owned the air between us.

He didn’t blink. “Then Ethan ruins you.”

The words hit hard. I laughed once, too sharp. “You think threatening me will help?”

“I think you misunderstand me,” he said, stepping forward. “I’m not buying you. I’m protecting everyone and my company.”

“That sounds a lot like ownership to me,” I said. “What do you want? A pet to stand beside you in those shiny suits?”

He tilted his head, amused. “If you were decoration, sweetheart, I’d put you where everyone could see.”

My cheeks burned before I could stop them. “You’re impossible.”

“Maybe,” he said. “But I get things done.”

I turned away, climbing another step. “You can’t just decide what happens to me.”

“I can decide what happens to Ethan,” he said evenly.

That made me stop. He stayed at the bot