Chapter 46

AMARA’S POV

The car ride felt like punishment. The silence in the car was brutal.

I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, arms folded across my chest, staring out the tinted window like it could save me from the mess inside my head.

My skin still remembered his hands.

The way he pulled me closer at the gala. The way his fingers stayed a second too long on my waist. The way he looked at me like I was something he owned… even though he’d never say it out loud.

And the worst part?

I let him.

I let him touch me like that. I let him guide me like that. I let myself feel wanted. And now he was acting like it meant nothing.

Don’t be stupid, Amara.

It was just a game to him. A message to Sofia. A warning to other men. That’s all.

But if that was true, why did he look like he wanted to kill someone every time a man stood too close to me?

We finally pulled up in front of my building.

The engine went quiet but the air between us didn’t.

I reached for my seatbelt and unlatched it quickly, already grabbing my clutch.

“Goodnight,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

I didn’t wait for a response. I just reached for the door handle.

“Amara.”

I turned my head slightly. “What?”

His eyes were fixed on me. Dark, like he’d been watching me the whole ride and I’d been too stubborn to notice.

“Don’t ever let another man touch you like that again.”

For a second, I genuinely thought I misheard him.

I let out a slow laugh, the kind that came out when I was too angry to scream. “Excuse me?”

His jaw flexed. “You heard me.”

I stared at him like he’d lost his mind.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

His gaze didn’t move. “I just did.”

The arrogance. The audacity.

Something in me snapped, and it wasn’t even dramatic. It was quiet.

I leaned closer, my voice dropping. “You don’t get to control me when I'm not your woman.”

The words fell between us like a slap.

And for the first time that night, Dorian didn’t look untouchable.

He went still.

His eyes stayed on mine, like I’d finally said the one thing he didn’t have a response for.

“If I claim you…” he paused, as if even the idea tasted dangerous, “…I won’t know how to let go.”

My breath caught. 

That wasn’t even arrogance. That sounded like fear.

I hated that my body reacted, hated that my heart did something stupid inside my chest.

I blinked at him. “What are you talking about?”

His eyes stayed on me, heavy and intense. “You think you want that kind of attention from me, Amara.”

I scoffed, trying to recover. “I don’t want anything from you.”

He gave me a look. Not amused. Not convinced. The kind of look that made me feel exposed.

I turned away, gripping my clutch tighter. “This is ridiculous.”

But I couldn’t open the door. My fingers wouldn’t move. Because something in me needed to know, Needed to understand.

I faced him again, my voice quieter this time. “Why are you scared of me?”

His expression didn’t change, but I saw it—the slight tightening around his eyes, the way his shoulders stiffened like he’d been hit.

He let out a breath through his nose. “I’m not scared of you.”

“You are,” I said, certain. “You’re terrified.”

His lips pressed together. He stared straight ahead, hands resting on the steering wheel like he was holding himself back from doing something reckless.

Then he spoke, still not looking at me.

“I don’t do emotions. I don’t get attached,” he continued. “And I don’t play games I can’t finish.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Funny. Because you’ve been playing with me since the day you hired me.”

That got his attention.

He turned his head slowly, his gaze locking on mine again. “I never played with you.”

“Yes you did,” I snapped. “You stare at me like you want me, then you act like I’m invisible. You touch me, then pretend you didn’t. You act like you care who looks at me, but you won’t even admit you feel anything.”

His eyes darkened.

I could see it now—the restraint, the anger, the war he was fighting inside himself. And it only made me angrier.

“Stop acting like you’re protecting me,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “You’re protecting yourself.”

His face went hard but it wasn’t the usual coldness.

This time it looked like pain. I didn’t want to see that. He looked too human and human meant that he could break. Or worse… break me.

He leaned closer, slowly, like he couldn’t help himself. His hand lifted, fingers brushing my jaw. The touch was barely there, but it sent heat through my entire body.

I didn’t move. I couldn’t. His thumb rested near my lip, and his gaze dropped to my mouth.

I hated myself for how my breathing changed.

For how my body leaned toward him without permission. For how my mind went quiet and all I could think was—

He’s going to kiss me and I wanted it.

I wanted it so badly it scared me. His face was inches away now. His voice was rough when he spoke. “You don’t understand what you do to me.”

My heart slammed against my ribs. His hand slid lower, fingers grazing my neck.

I felt he was about to kiss me. And if he did…

I wasn’t sure I’d stop him. I wasn’t sure I’d want to.

But that was the problem because if I gave him that, I’d lose.

And Dorian was not the kind of man you gave your heart to unless you were ready to never get it back.

I pulled away quickly. His hand fell. His eyes snapped up to mine, dark with frustration.

I forced myself to breathe, forced my voice to stay steady even though my whole body was trembling.

“I won’t be your almost,” I said.

His jaw clenched like he wanted to argue.

But he didn’t.

I grabbed the door handle and pushed it open, cold air hitting my skin. I stepped out of the car without looking back. I could feel his stare burning into me as I walked toward my building, but I refused to turn around.

Because if I did… I’d run right back to him. I got inside, shut the door behind me, and leaned against it, pressing my palm to my chest. My heart was still racing. My lips still tingled like his mouth had been there.

I closed my eyes. And the worst part wasn’t that he wanted me. The worst part was that I wanted him too. Badly.