The edge of control

Aria Pov:

The penthouse felt smaller with them in it, like the walls were closing in, trapping me with their presence.

Damien and Kade had taken over my space, their voices, their scents, their energy filling every corner until I could barely breathe without feeling them.

I hated it. I hated how they made me feel caged, watched, judged.

But worse, I hated how part of me didn’t mind it at all.

It was late afternoon, the city outside my windows painted in shades of gold and shadow. I stood in the kitchen, pouring a glass of wine to steady my nerves, the memory of that hooded figure on the street still clawing at the back of my mind.

Damien was in the living room, his laptop was open, scrolling through security feeds like a man possessed. Kade lounged on the couch, one leg slung over the armrest, tossing a stress ball in the air with infuriating nonchalance.

“You gonna keep pacing like a caged tiger, princess?” Kade’s voice cut through the silence, his eyes glinting with that familiar mischief. “Or you gonna sit down and let us do our job?”

I shot him a glare, gripping my wineglass a little too tightly. “Your job? What, babysitting me? I didn’t ask for this.”

He caught the ball mid-air, his grin fading into something sharper. “You didn’t ask to be a target either, but here we are. That guy today? He wasn’t just some creep. You felt it too, didn’t you?”

My stomach twisted, and I looked away, hating how he saw right through me.

“I don’t know what I felt,” I muttered, taking a sip of wine to avoid his gaze.

“Bullshit.” Kade swung his legs off the couch and stood, closing the distance between us in a few lazy strides.

He stopped just short of me, close enough that I could see the faint scar above his eyebrow, the way his tattoos curled under the sleeve of his shirt.

“You’re scared, Aria. And you should be.”

“Back off, Torres,” Damien’s voice snapped from the living room, it was low and dangerous. He didn’t look up from his laptop, but his shoulders were tense, his fingers pausing on the keys. “She doesn’t need you crowding her.”

Kade didn’t move, his eyes locked on mine, challenging. “Maybe she does. Maybe she needs to hear it. Someone’s coming for her, Ward. You wanna pretend it’s all under control, but we both know it’s not.”

I stepped back, my heart was now pounding, caught between Kade’s heat and Damien’s ice.

“Stop it,” I said, my voice sharper than I meant. “Both of you. I’m not some damsel you get to fight over. If I’m in danger, tell me what you know. No games.”

Damien finally looked up, his gaze cutting through me like a blade. “We don’t know enough. That’s the problem. The letter, the SUV, the man today, they’re connected, but we don’t have a name. Not yet.”

“Not yet?” I laughed, the sound brittle. “So what, I just sit here and wait for someone to try again? For another letter, another car chase?”

Damien stood, his movements was precise, and controlled, like every step was calculated. He crossed the room, stopping just outside my personal space, his presence overwhelming.

“You don’t wait. You listen. You stay where we can see you. You do what we say.”

I bristled, stepping toward him, defiance was now burning in my chest. “And if I don’t? What, you gonna tie me to a chair?”

His eyes darkened, something flickering in them, something that wasn’t just anger.

“Don’t tempt me, Aria.”

The air between us crackled, it became thick with tension, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe. His gaze dropped to my lips, just for a heartbeat, before he turned away, his jaw tight. “Stay out of trouble. That’s an order.”

Kade snorted, breaking the moment. “Good luck with that, Ward. She’s trouble in heels.”

I wanted to snap at them both, to tell them to go to hell, but the truth was, I was rattled. The letter, the man in the hoodie, the way my life was spiraling out of my control, it was all too much.

I set my wineglass down, my hands trembling, and headed for my bedroom.

“I’m taking a shower. Try not to break down the door.”

Kade’s laugh followed me. “No promises, princess.”

The hot water didn’t wash away the fear, no matter how hard I tried. I stood under the spray, letting it burn my skin, hoping it would drown out the noise in my head. But all I could think about was that letter, those words: We’ll take what you love most. What did I even love? My father’s empire? The money, the parties, the life I’d been handed? None of it felt like mine anymore.

I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped out of the bathroom, only to freeze.

Damien was in my bedroom, standing by the window, his back to me. My heart lurched, part anger, part something else I didn’t want to name.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” I demanded, clutching the towel tighter.

He turned, his expression became unreadable, but his eyes flicked over me, lingering on the water dripping down my shoulders. “Checking the windows. They’re not secure.”

“Not secure?” I stepped closer, my voice rising. “This is the top floor of a high-rise, Damien. What, you think someone’s gonna climb thirty stories?”

“You’d be surprised what people can do when they want something bad enough.” His voice was low, almost a growl, and it sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

I opened my mouth to argue, but then I saw something, it was a glint of something outside the window, a shadow that moved too fast. My breath caught, and Damien’s head snapped toward it, his body tensing like a coiled spring.

“Get down,” he barked, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the floor. My towel slipped, and I scrambled to hold it, my heart hammering as he crouched over me, his body became a shield. His hand was still on my arm, his grip firm, his breath warm against my cheek.

“What was that?” I whispered, my voice shaking.

“I don’t know.” His eyes scanned the window, his body still covering mine. “But I’m not taking chances.”

The door burst open, and Kade stormed in, his gun already in his hand.

“What’s going on?” His gaze flicked from Damien to me, sprawled on the floor, my towel barely covering me. His jaw tightened, but he didn’t comment, just moved to the window, checking the lock.

“Movement outside,” Damien said, his voice clipped. “Could be nothing, maybe a drone.”

“A drone?” I sat up, clutching the towel to my chest, my pulse racing. “You’re serious?”

Kade glanced back, his eyes dark, no trace of his usual smirk. “Dead serious, princess. Someone’s watching you. And they’re not playing.”

Damien stood, pulling me up with him, his hand lingering on my arm a second too long.

“Get dressed. We’re moving you to the safe room until we clear this.”

“The safe room?” I yanked my arm free, my voice rising. “You’re locking me in a box now? This is my home!”

“It’s not a home if it’s not safe,” Damien snapped, his eyes burning into mine. “You want to fight me on this, fine. But you’re not dying on my watch.”

Kade stepped between us, his voice low, almost gentle. “He’s right, Aria. Just for tonight. Let us figure this out.”

I looked between them, my chest tight, my world shrinking. They were right, and I hated it. Hated the fear, the loss of control, the way their presence made me feel both safe and trapped.

But most of all, I hated the way my body responded to them, to Damien’s fierce protectiveness, to Kade’s quiet intensity.

“Fine,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But this isn’t over.”

Kade’s lips twitched, a ghost of his usual grin. “Never thought it was, sweetheart.”

As I turned to grab clothes, my heart still pounding, I felt their eyes on me, it was heavy and unyielding. The threat outside was real, but the tension in this room, the pull between us, was just as dangerous. And I wasn’t sure which scared me more.

What the fuck is wrong with me?