CHAPTER TWO

DAMIAN

I watched Elena as she twirled her pasta around her fork, her eyes focused on the plate, but I could see the smile playing at the corner of her lips. She was trying to be all casual about it, but I knew better. When she was like this—sitting across from me, trying to act like everything was just normal—it meant she was either hiding something or she was too wrapped up in me to care about anything else.

"You're looking awfully serious over there," I teased, resting my chin on my hand and leaning forward a little. "What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

Her eyes flicked up to mine, her lips curving into a mischievous grin. "Just thinking about how I'm being forced to eat this expensive food when I could be home with a bowl of cereal."

I raised an eyebrow, my lips curling into a smirk. "Cereal, huh? You’re a classy one, Elena."

She rolled her eyes dramatically, which only made her look more adorable. "Oh, don’t act like you don’t love it when I’m just a little bit of a mess."

I chuckled, leaning back in my chair. "A little bit?" I gave her a pointed look. "You’re a complete disaster, and I love every second of it."

Her laughter rang out, and I couldn’t help but watch her, completely mesmerized. There was something about her—something that made everything else around us disappear. Sure, she tried to act tough sometimes, like she didn’t need anyone, but I knew better. Underneath all of that, she was more than just the quiet, sarcastic girl everyone thought she was. She was so much more than that.

"Whatever," she said, shrugging off my comment with a carefree flick of her hand. "I can’t help it if I’m too simple for your extravagant taste in food."

I smirked again, leaning forward just a little more, closing the space between us. "Simple, huh? You think that’s all you are? Cute, but no." I leaned back, crossing my arms and giving her a knowing look. "You’re more complicated than you let on. I’m still figuring you out."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but I could see the playful spark behind them. "You’ve had what, almost two years now? Still haven’t figured me out?"

"I don’t know," I drawled, letting my gaze slide lazily over her face. "I think I’m getting closer every day. But if you’re not going to help me out, then I guess I’ll just have to do it on my own."

I saw the way her breath caught when I said that, the way her chest rose a little faster as if she couldn’t quite handle the pressure of my words. It made me want to lean in more, to close that tiny distance between us and see just how much I could make her squirm.

But then, I leaned back in my chair again, just to toy with her a little longer. I liked watching her try to keep it together when all I wanted to do was see her lose control. The thought of it alone had my blood running hot.

She glared at me playfully, but I could see the hint of a blush creeping up her neck. "You're insufferable," she muttered, reaching for her drink and taking a sip to hide the way her lips trembled.

I laughed softly, my eyes never leaving hers. "I know. But you like it."

She rolled her eyes again, but the smile tugging at her lips gave her away. "You have an ego the size of this whole restaurant, Damian."

"Not ego," I corrected her, leaning in just a little bit, letting the playfulness in my voice drop into something a little darker. "Confidence."

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a challenging grin. "Confidence, huh? You’ve got some nerve."

"Confidence is the key to getting everything you want," I said smoothly, keeping my voice low. "And I know exactly what I want."

Her gaze dropped to my lips for just a second, and I could feel the tension between us tightening. She was trying to act like she didn’t care, but I knew better. Every little thing she did, from the way she bit her lip to the way she leaned in just a little bit when I spoke, told me everything I needed to know.

"You think you can just get whatever you want, don’t you?" she asked, her voice softer now, like she was trying to keep it casual, but there was a hint of curiosity there too.

"Pretty much," I answered with a shrug, my voice dripping with confidence. "I don’t really do things by halves, Elena. If I’m going for something, I’m going to get it. No questions asked."

She stared at me for a moment, her expression unreadable. But I could see the way her hands fidgeted with the napkin in her lap, the way her breathing had slowed down a fraction. She was trying to hide it, but I could tell. She liked the idea of me getting what I wanted, especially when it came to her.

"How long are you going to keep pretending like you don’t want the same thing?" I asked, my voice low and coaxing. "Because, Elena, we both know you’ve been dying to give in to me for months now."

She blinked, taken off guard, but I could see the way her cheeks flushed under the weight of my words. She didn’t say anything, just took another sip of her drink to cover it up.

I leaned back again, my smirk widening. "Yeah, I thought so. But don’t worry," I said, my voice dropping into something almost tender. "I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait for you."

She looked up at me, her eyes meeting mine in a moment that felt like it stretched on forever. She was looking at me like she was trying to figure out if I was serious. But I wasn’t going to break the gaze. I wasn’t going to look away. Not when I knew what I wanted. Not when I knew what was happening between us.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak again, my phone buzzed in my pocket, vibrating against the table. My eyes darted to Elena’s, and I could see the flash of disappointment in her expression, but I had no choice.

I reached for my phone, glancing at the screen. It was a number I didn’t recognize, but I knew exactly who it was. I excused myself with a quick smile and stepped away from the table, heading toward the corner of the restaurant for some privacy.

I answered the call with a low "Damian Moretti."

The voice on the other end was rough, as though the person was trying to keep his emotions in check. "Damian... It’s Luca. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but... your father... he’s gone."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, the blood draining from my face. "What? What the hell are you talking about?" I said, my voice coming out colder than I intended.

"Your father," Luca repeated, his voice tight. "He passed away. It was sudden. We tried everything we could, but..."

The world felt like it was spinning around me. My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to grasp what he was saying. My father—gone?

"Damian, I’m so sorry," Luca continued, but I couldn’t hear anything else. My mind was a blur of shock, rage, and disbelief. I gripped the phone tighter, my nails digging into the plastic as if it would somehow keep the world from falling apart.

I hung up the call without another word, the phone slipping from my hand as I stared blankly at the restaurant floor, my chest tight with emotions I couldn’t even process.

I needed to go. I needed to leave. But first, I had to get back to Elena. And I had no idea how I was going to tell her