Damien didn’t knock. He shoved the door open like he’d been holding back rage for miles.Because he was. How dare James Bennett tell him to leave Chloe? Who did he think he was?Damien’s anger was interrupted by the sound of whimpers as he walked in.“Chloe,” his voice thundered through the room.She was still on the floor, back against the wall, eyes glassy and distant. Her arm was cradled against her chest.When she saw him, she shuddered.“Damien…” she whispered.He crossed the room in three strides and dropped to his knees beside her. His eyes zeroed in on the red mark on her arm.“What the fuck is this?” he hissed, reaching out but not touching—afraid he might hurt her more.Chloe looked away.He grabbed her gently, but firmly. “Chloe. Who did this to you?”She swallowed hard before answering “My Father.”He stared at her, and then realization crashed down. “He put his hands on you?”She flinched at the venom in his voice but nodded slowly.“Tell me exactly what he did.” He was b
Damien watched Chloe as she picked out her outfit for her meeting with her father.“Are you sure you’re okay going alone?” He asked sitting up in the bed.“Yes, I am.” She said sharply.“And what if he tries to lay his hands on you again.” “He won’t, he’s probably drowning in guilt right now.” She said as she picked out a blue suit. “That’s what he always does.”“So you don’t need some sort of emotional bodyguard,” Damien asked as he chuckled.“I’ll be fine Damien, thank you for the offer, but this is something I need to do on my own.”“Very well then.” He said, buttoning up her jacket. “I’ll let myself out. Call me if there’s anything.”“I will,” Chloe said. Picking up her handbag as she headed toward the door.“And Chloe…” Damien paused. “I’m proud of you.”She smiled and gave a slight nod before heading out.As Damien got himself ready to leave, his phone buzzed in his pants pocket.He picked it up in a swift motion. “Talk to me.” He said.“Damien” Ethan’s voice came in sharp. “We
The night air burned in his lungs.Ryan stumbled forward, one hand pressed against the jagged wall of a crumbling alleyway, the other clutched at his side. Every breath felt like fire, sharp and uneven, tearing at his chest. His vision swam, streets melting into shadows. He hadn’t made it far. He knew that. But it was far enough that he didn’t know where he was anymore.Far enough that Damien’s men hadn’t caught up to him. Yet.His clothes were soaked with sweat and dirt, his shirt torn from catching on a fence during the escape. One of his shoes was missing. He couldn’t even remember where he lost it. Blood trickled from his lip, he must have bitten it when he fell the last time.He kept looking over his shoulder, convinced he’d see someone in a black coat rounding the corner, eyes cold, hand already reaching for him. But the alley stayed empty. Only the echo of his unsteady footsteps filled the silence.A garbage bin rattled somewhere behind him. Ryan jumped, heart nearly bursting o
Ethan froze. He held the phone to his ear, listening to the single word Damien had just said. “Speak.”And that wasn’t like Damien. Not really. Not when they were alone. He was trying to be formal.Ethan’s mind shifted in an instant. He didn’t say anything at first, buying himself a second or two of silence to think.Damien was never careless. Which meant this clipped command, was a signal. An indication. Someone was listening.And Ethan had a damn good guess who it was.“Put it on speaker,” Chloe said, arms crossed tight over her chest.“Chloe, what’s the meaning of this?” Damien grunted.“I just want to know, that’s all. I want to know I’m not crazy for feeling like something’s off.”“You don’t trust me?”“I’m trying to,” she said, stepping forward. “But you’re making it hard.”For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air was thick with tension. Damien looked down at the phone still in his hand, Ethan’s name glowing on the screen, then back up at Chloe.He shook his head and Chloe s
Damien sat on the edge of his bed, still dressed in black slacks and the shirt he hadn’t bothered to unbutton since he got home. The night stretched quietly around him, the city humming just beyond his windows. He hadn’t turned on the lights. He didn’t need them.His mind was elsewhere.Chloe’s voice had echoed in his head the entire ride home. “Put it on speaker.”The way she’d looked at him—uncertain, cautious. Like she wasn’t sure who she was standing in front of.It shouldn’t have bothered him. But it did.She was right to question him. He wasn’t being honest with her. Not fully. But the fact that she noticed, meant he slipped. And Damien never slipped.He leaned back, exhaling, his fingers dragging through his hair.Then there was Ryan, he had told Ethan to let him go. He wasn’t scared of the consequences of Ryan’s escape. Because there was none. Ryan wasn’t going to say anything, he didn’t dare. Because if he did, he knew it would only get worse for him.A ding sounded from the
The ceiling was a blur of white, flickering faintly with the hum of overhead lights. Ryan blinked once. Then again. His eyes focused, slowly adjusting to the sterile brightness around him. His body ached, not the sharp kind of pain, but the heavy, dragging kind, like gravity itself, was stronger today. His lips were dry. His throat was sore. But when he turned his head and saw her, Sienna face off with her sister, arms folded, eyes red from exhaustion, something in his chest lifted. He asked quietly, “What’s going on here?” Sienna’s head shot to her side. Her eyes widened. “Ryan?” He tried to sit up, but she was already at his side, gently pressing him back down. “Hey—don’t move. You’re okay. You’re safe.” He let out a shaky breath. “Where the fuck am I?” “Hospital,” she said softly, brushing some hair off his forehead. “You’ve been out for hours.” He scanned the room slowly. His gaze landed on the second figure standing and staring at him. “Chloe…” Her name left his mouth bef
The hospital hallways were quieter now, dimmed for the night, with only the low hum of machines and muffled voices behind closed doors. Damien walked through them with the calm of someone who belonged there, even though he didn’t.“Mr Cross,” a nurse stopped him. “Where to?”“I’m here for Ryan Hastings,” Damien said, his hands crossed behind his back.“Mr Cross, visiting hours are over.” She said trying to hide a blush.“I know that but…come on.” Damien smiled sheepishly.She glanced around the hallway, making sure no one was watching.“Okay, I can give you 30 minutes. Room 212.”“Thank you.” He said giving her a wink. When he reached Room 212, he paused.Ryan was alone. The lights were low but bright enough to see across his bruised face. He lay half-propped up, bandages still fresh, IV hooked to his arm, but his eyes were open. Barely.Damien opened the door slowly, quiet enough not to be heard. Ryan sat up as soon as he heard the slight creek of the door.“Sienna,” he said quietly
“Can I come see you tonight?” Chloe’s voice sounded calm over the phone. But Damien could tell she was far from calm or fine.It had been nearly 2 days since she last saw him and he knew she’d either be pissed or worried.However, his voice came in like a thunderbolt. “No,” he said bluntly. He hadn’t been in the right frame of mind since his previous call. And he couldn’t afford her seeing him like this. Uncertain, worried, and frustrated.“No?” Chloe repeated. “What do you mean?”“I mean I have a lot going on and I can’t afford luxury meet-ups,” Damien said coldly.“I see, didn’t know that’s what I was - a luxury meet-up.” The sarcasm pressed down the weight of her words.“Chloe, you know that’s not what I mean.” Damien attempted to clear his intentions.“Then what do you mean Damien? How long are you going to keep living in this mysterious world of yours, which you never let me in.”“This is not the time for this Chloe, it’s not. I just need you to-“Damien rubbed his forehead, he d
Chloe was still speechless.Sienna had told her she’d left Ryan, and for the first time in a long time, she saw her sister break down.Sienna told her all that happened, and she apologized—not just with words but with a sincerity Chloe hadn’t expected.Chloe had apologised too, for not seeing the hurt Sienna kept in for so long, for not understanding her sister even when Sienna tried to make up for things.It didn’t fix everything, not overnight, but it was enough. Enough to move on. Enough to begin again.Now, with the weight of that conversation still fresh in her mind, Chloe pulled up in front of Damien’s penthouse.Her car was full of suitcases and shopping bags. Damien had told her to take it lightly. She hadn’t listened.The doorman greeted her with a knowing smile and offered to help, but Chloe waved him off. She wanted to do this herself. Carry her life, box by box, into a new beginning.By the time she reached the penthouse floor, her arms were aching. She knocked once—which
The soft hum of the city filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, distant and muffled, like it belonged to someone else’s life.Sienna stirred beneath the crisp white sheets, blinking against the light leaking through the curtains. Her body ached—not in pain — maybe a little bit, but in memory.She sat up slowly, the cool air wrapping around her as the blanket slid off her bare skin. The other side of the bed was empty. Sebastian was gone.The silence didn’t feel cold, just quiet.She drew her knees up and hugged them, resting her chin on top. Her mind felt cluttered with thoughts she didn’t have the energy to untangle. Last night had been a blur of tension, exhaustion, comfort… need.And now, this morning, she didn’t know what it meant—if it meant anything at all.She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood. Her dress was draped neatly over the armchair, her heels placed side by side beneath it. He’d been careful. Thoughtful, even. That didn’t make it easier.Sienna s
Sienna stirred her drink slowly, the ice clinking in the glass as the low hum of the bar buzzed around her.The place was dimly lit, crowded enough to disappear in, quiet enough to think.She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting when she left the house, but this—this stillness—was a welcome contrast to the storm in her chest.Her lipstick smudged faintly on the rim of the glassy. The music was low and moody, shadows falling softly over her face. She looked tired—like someone who’d just had a truth slapped into them and didn’t know what to do with it.A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.“Well, well,” Sebastian said as he slid into the seat beside her. “Seems like Bennett girls have a thing for meeting Cross boys in bars.”Sienna looked at him, confused. Her brows furrowed.Sebastian caught her expression and rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish. “Uh—Damien mentioned he met Chloe in a place like this. That’s all.”She didn’t respond, her gaze drifting back to her glass
Damien and Sebastian sat across from each other in the quiet of Damien’s living room.The morning had broken, but the storm of the past week still hung heavy in the air.“Marcel’s getting impatient, Damien,” Sebastian said bluntly.Damien exhaled, gaze flicking up to the chandelier’s golden glow before drifting toward the stairs.“What would you have me do, Sebastian? It’s not like I can break him out.”“No, but we do have a way to get him out—and it’s going cold.”Damien’s jaw tensed. “Have you spoken to Ryan since I left?”Sebastian scoffed. “Spoken to Ryan? Damien, the only encounter I’d have with Ryan would end with him dead.”“I want nothing more than to put Ryan in the ground too… but—”The front door shut abruptly.Chloe stood there, a trolley in hand. Her face was calm, but the pain in her eyes said everything.Damien rose instantly. “Good morning,” he said softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek.“Good morning. Can I see you for a minute?”“Sure.” Damien turned to Sebastian. “Gi
Chloe twirled gently beneath the motel sheets, Damien’s arm wrapped snugly around her waist, anchoring her to him like she was something precious he didn’t want to lose again.She shifted to face him, smiling softly as she watched him sleep—peacefully, as though the chaos of the past few days had never touched him.But Chloe knew that it had in more ways than one and this was the only good sleep he’s gotten since he began searching for her.There was something beautiful about seeing him like this. Vulnerable and at ease.She leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek, then eased back onto her pillow, content to watch him breathe.“What do I do to get another one?” he murmured, a sleepy smile tugging at his lips, eyes still closed.Chloe flushed. “Maybe just exist.”He stirred, then opened his eyes fully and immediately pulled her closer into his chest.“You’re really here,” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face.“I guess I never left you. Not truly.” Her voi
Chloe took in a deep breath as the weight of Damien’s presence behind her pressed on her chest.She still hadn’t looked back, afraid of what would come if or when she met his gaze.So she sat still hoping that this moment was a dream.But it wasn’t, the sharp edge of Damien’s voice cut through the air again. “Chloe, I’m here.” He said.“I know that Damien.” She finally said. Her breath came in short gasps.“The question is, why?”“Because I needed to see you. I needed to know if you were okay.” He sighed.Chloe nodded her head slowly. “Well, here we are.” She sighed grudgingly.“Can you give me a chance to explain myself?” He asked.Chloe got up immediately. “And why would I do that?” She scoffed. “So you can feed me more lies?”“No, so I can make things right.” She chuckled. “How could you make things right Damien? What do you possibly want to say that could defend the fact that you used me in a game of revenge? You used me as a pawn in something that I did not know about — that I h
The sky was deep navy, fading into black, the stars barely visible above the wisps of coastal fog rolling in from the sea.Nina’s feet sank into the cold, damp sand as she trudged along the shoreline, her lips were chapped and salty from the salt the wind blew from the ocean, the hem of her dress soaked through and heavy.The beach was nearly deserted—just the sound of waves crashing and the distant hiss of wind sweeping over the dunes.“Chloe!” she called out, her voice echoing into the dark. “Chloe, where are you?!”But there was no answer—only the waves.Nina had been searching for hours—since early morning, when Chloe stormed out, leaving her standing in silence. She had checked the nearby cafes, walked up and down the coast, and asked two lifeguards and a gas station clerk, but there was nothing.Her voice was starting to give out.“Please, Chloe,” she whispered, holding her arms close to her chest. “Just let me know you’re okay.”The wind picked up, blowing her hair into her fac
Chloe sat down on the couch, grasping the phone with more force than she knew she had. She stared at the messages and then stared into thin air.She couldn’t believe it, her best friend had been keeping something like this from her.Chloe’s thoughts were interrupted by the creaks on the staircase. “Chloe,” Nina called out, wearing a sock on her left foot, “You’re up already.” She said as she came down.Chloe took in a deep breath, as she stood up slowly facing Nina.Nina noticed the sour look as she looked up at her.“Is everything okay?” She asked her friend.“How long have you been lying to me?” Chloe said softly.“Chloe, what are you saying?” Nina asked chucking nervously.“I trusted you Nina and this is what you do?” Chloe snapped.“What on earth are you talking about?” Nina snapped back.Chloe didn’t say a word, she just lifted the phone to Nina, scrolling through the missed calls and texts from Damien.“Now it all makes sense. Your late-night walks. Your constant visits to the
Nina walked slowly towards the couch, her arms still wrapped around herself. As she sat down, she sunk in, looking up at Damien.“I don’t have control over motel furniture.” He said, hands tucked in his pocket.Nina shook her head. “So…the truth. Why did you hide it all from her?”Damien stepped closer bowing his head.“Things were complicated. I had just been betrayed by my nephew and I’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to strike.” He paused for a bit.“It didn’t take long before I found Ryan, he had changed his name and taken on a new life. But he was never smart enough to cover up his tracks. It took three years to put CrossCorp into place. It was well known in New York, so it wasn’t hard to get it up and running when I came to Atlanta.”“Are you saying you started a whole new life in Atlanta for Ryan’s sake?” Nina asked surprised.“Something like that,” Damien said. “When CrossCorp became desolate due to Ryan’s actions, my younger brother Marcel — his father, took the fall fo