Lie To Me In Diamonds

CHAPTER 6: HIS VOICE IN THE DARK

Nadia’s lips were still burning.

Damian had walked away. Like he hadn’t just pressed her into a wall and kissed her until she forgot her own name. Like he hadn’t slid his hand under her gown and squeezed.

Like she wasn’t standing there with shaking legs and a racing heart.

She pressed her back harder into the marble column and tried to breathe. Everywhere was too loud. The quartet too soft. The air too thick with perfume and money. It seemed more like her senses had just being heightened.

_What the hell just happened?_

Across the room, Damian was already back in conversation. Laughing with investors. Charlotte at his side again. His face was blank. Like the last 5 minutes never happened.

Nadia hated him for that.

She hated herself more for watching.

An hour passed.

Damian didn’t look at her. Not once.

Nadia drank two more glasses of champagne she didn’t want. She smiled at people she didn’t know. She let Elias pull her into another dance just to see if Damian would react again. She wanted to punch him, she wanted to trigger him, make anger flash in his eyes, make him jealous. He didn’t budge.

He didn’t. But she felt him watching. She knew he was.

At 9:14 PM, he grabbed her hand tight, leading her out of the piercing eyes of everyone, leading her into his car.

“What is it Damian,time for you to go? What if I don’t want to go yet, is this all about you,huh?!” She said in a frustrated tone

And it all hit her. Maybe she was just a puppet to him, to catch people that made him loose someone ‘dear’ to him, she felt stupid, so stupid.

The ride home was silent and Nadia was thankful when the car reached the garage, she got out and the sound of their heels was the only sound that could be heard, she could tell Damian was walking right behind her, she opened the giant door.

The plush and clean tall, transparent glass that made the view of the city possible giving her that wonderful view she loved so much, she stopped in her tracks and she heard Damian stop too. There she stood, admiring the city’s view, it was magnificent.

Nadia turned on him. “You kissed me.”

Damian took off his jacket. Threw it. “I know.”

“Then you walked away like it meant nothing.”

“It didn’t mean—”

“Don’t lie to me!”

Damian stopped. He looked at her. Really looked. Anger in his eyes. Exhaustion.

“I kissed you because I couldn’t watch him touch you,” he said, voice low. “I walked away because if I didn’t, I would’ve done it again. Right there.

The air left Nadia’s lungs.

“Damian—”

He stepped closer. “This isn’t real, right? That’s what you said.”

“It’s not—”

“Then why are you shaking?”

She was.

He reached up and brushed his thumb over her cheek. The same way he had in the hospital. Careful.

“Nadia,” he said. “I don’t know what this is. But I know it’s not fake, all I am doing is to protect you” His two hands covered her face now, his look held something she couldn’t comprehend_guilt and so much longing and vulnerability.

Nadia stared at him. At the way he was looking at her like she was the only real thing in the room.

She should’ve said no. She should’ve walked away.

Instead she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down.

She kissed him.

It was different this time. Not angry. Not for show.

It was messy. Desperate. Real.

His hands came up to her face. To her hair. He kissed her back like he’d been waiting. Savouring the moment,their chest heaving hard. She kept moaning his name, when his mouth touched other places, he grabbed by her hip as her legs went around his waist, he pinned her to the transparent glass that felt cold against her bare back, exploring her mouth with his luscious lips and moaning in satisfaction, cupping her wide ass cheeks.

“Is this okay? Let me know if you want me to stop” he rasped hard. His eyes looked like he had been possessed by something, possessed by her. Fuck, it felt damn good.

“Pls don’t stop Damian, not now”

He takes off the straps of her gown, exposing her round and perky breasts, making him more hard than he already was. He was sure he was going to take her tonight. They both wanted this.

He brings his mouth and suckles on it gently, her moans feeling the room, it felt like heaven, she arched her back as she struggled to find ways to express her pleasure. His hand was everywhere, then he stopped, abruptly, like he was conjured to. Placed her down and staggered back, his eyes looking guilty like he had allowed himself cross a boundary he didn’t want to cross.

Their breaths were hard, Nadia’s eyes holding a lot of confusion as she struggled to put up the straps of her gown, suddenly feeling so aware of how exposed her body was to his bare eyes.

The air between them was still hot.

"Shit," Damian muttered, running a hand through his hair. His chest rose and fell like he’d just run ten miles. “Nadia, i’m sorry.”

The words hit her like cold water.

"What?" she whispered. Her voice cracked. She fumbled with the straps of her gown, pulling them back up over her shoulders. Her skin felt too exposed, too seen, under his eyes now.

Damian turned away first. He grabbed his jacket off the floor where he’d thrown it. He wouldn’t look at her.

“This shouldn’t have happened,” he said, voice rough. “Not like this. Not here.”

Nadia blinked. The heat from a minute ago was gone, replaced by a hollow ache in her stomach.

“So that’s it?” she asked. “You kiss me like you’re drowning, and then you say sorry?”

Damian didn’t answer. He walked past her to and started to ascend the strairs. His hand was on the second stair when he paused. He didn’t turn around.

“Go to bed, Nadia,” he said quietly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

And then he was gone. She heard the door click shut behind him from a distance nd the silence rushed in.

Nadia stood there for a long time. Her arms came up automatically, covering her chest, like she could hide the way her body was still trembling.

What had she done wrong?

Was it her? Did she push too hard? Did she say the wrong thing?

She looked down at herself. Her lipstick was smudged. Her hair was coming out of its pins. She looked wrecked.

She hated that he could make her feel like this and then just… leave.

With shaky steps, she walked to her room down the hall. She didn’t turn on the light. She took a quick shower trying to wash away all the kisses that Damian discarded, slipped on an icy blue night dress, and sank onto the edge of the bed and stared at nothing until her eyes burned and finally closed.

---

She was having the same familiar dream again, but this time, it started differently.

Darkness. Then salt.

She could smell the ocean. Hear waves crashing, soft and rhythmic.

Warm sand under her bare feet.

She was walking behind him. Tall. Broad shoulders. The sun was setting and painting everything gold. He didn’t turn around yet, but she knew him. God, she knew the shape of him. Her heart was beating so fast it hurt.

“Wait,” she called, but her voice sounded like a whisper on the wind.

He stopped. Turned.

And then she saw his face.

Damian.

But not the Damian from the ballroom. This Damian was softer. Younger, maybe. His eyes weren’t guarded. They were looking at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the entire world.

He crossed the distance between them in two strides and pulled her into him. His hands were in her hair, and he was kissing her.

Not angry. Not desperate.

Reverent.

Like he’d been waiting years to touch her and was afraid she’d disappear if he blinked.

She could feel the heat of him through his shirt. His lips moved to her jaw, to her neck, and she arched into him, laughing because it felt so good, because she was happy.

“I love you, Nadia,” he murmured against her skin. His voice was low and sure. “Always.”

Always.

The word settled in her chest like a promise.

Then the sand was gone.

The sky went white.

A blinding light. Screaming tires. Glass.

She was in a car. Metal twisting. Her body jolting. Something sharp pierced her side and she screamed, the sound tearing out of her throat.

Blood. So much blood.

Hands on her. Shouting. Sirens.

And through the pain, through the chaos, one face.

Damian. Leaning over her in the wreckage. His shirt soaked, his eyes wild with panic.

“Save her!” he was yelling, his voice breaking. “Save her, please! Nadia! Stay with me! Don’t you dare close your eyes!”

“Nadia!”

---

Nadia shot upright in bed with a scream.

“DAMIAN!!”

The door slammed open 10 seconds later was there in an instant. Shirtless. Black joggers riding low on his hips. His hair was a mess like he’d just rolled out of bed and run.

“Nadia, hey, hey,” he said, dropping to his knees in front of her. He grabbed her face in both hands. “You’re okay. You’re here. Breathe with me.”

She was crying. She didn’t even realize it until she felt his thumbs brushing tears away. Her whole body was shaking.

“It was—” she gasped. “The car. The lights. You were there. You were shouting—”

“I’m here,” he cut in, pulling her against his chest. He held her so tight she could feel his heart pounding. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. Nothing’s going to happen to you.”

She clutched the front of his shirt, sobbing into him. “Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said into her hair.

After a while, her breathing slowed. He pulled back slightly.

“Do you want some water?” he asked softly.

She shook her head immediately, gripping his wrists. “No. Don’t go. Please stay.”

Something in his face broke.

“Okay,” he said. “Okay. I’m staying.”

He stood and pulled back the covers on her bed. “Come on. Lie down.”

She let him guide her down, but when he started to pull away, she grabbed his hand.

“Who are you, Damian?” The question came out small, fragile.

He froze.

She sat up on her elbows, tears still on her cheeks. “Who exactly are you? I’ve been having these flashes since I got here. More like memories. It happens when I’m close to you. Or in my dreams.I can’t explain it”

Damian stared at her. For a second she thought she saw panic flash across his face. Then he smoothed it away.

He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into a hug.

“It’s just your imagination, Nadia,” he said, his voice careful. Too careful. “Or a bad dream. You’ve been through a lot. Stress can do that. You’re safe here with me. That’s all that matters.”

She wanted to believe him.

But when she pulled back, she looked straight into his eyes and saw it. He was lying.

And something in her snapped. Before she could think, she reached up and grabbed his face and kissed him.

It wasn’t tentative this time. It wasn’t asking.

It was claiming. It was something more than familiar, it was the thought of that dream that filled her mind and how real his lips had felt on hers.

Her mouth was on his, hot and sure, and for a heartbeat he went stiff. Then he made a sound low in his throat and kissed her back.

His hands came up to frame her face, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones. He tasted like sleep and something darker, like he’d been holding back and couldn’t anymore. He kissed her like he was answering a question she hadn’t asked. Slow at first, then deeper, like he was memorizing her.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing hard.

Damian rested his forehead against hers. His arms came around her and he hugged her so tight it knocked the air out of her. She could feel his heart racing.

“Damian,” she whispered.

“Yes,” he said, voice muffled in her hair.

He tried to lay her down and pull the covers up, but she caught his wrist.

“Get in with me,” she said.

He hesitated. “Nadia—”

“Please.”

After a long second, he nodded. He climbed in behind her, careful, like she might break. He pulled her back against his chest and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“You’re safe,” he whispered into her hair. “I’m here now, Nadia.”

She fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.

---

Morning light was soft through the curtains.

The smell of coffee and butter woke her first.

Nadia opened her eyes to a tray on the bed beside her.

Damian was sitting there, in a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up. He had a gentle smile on his face that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Breakfast,” he said, nodding to the tray. “Eggs, bacon, toast, baked beans, and coffee. The way you like it. Well. The way I think you like it.”

She sat up, surprised and stupidly happy. “You remembered?”

“I pay attention,” he said. He pushed the tray toward her.

She ate, and offered him a piece of toast. He shook his head with a small, polite smile.

The tension from last night was still there, humming under the surface. But the morning was nice. Quiet. His care was in everything — the way he made sure her coffee wasn’t too hot, the way his eyes kept flicking to her like he was checking she was still okay.

When she finished, he cleared his throat.

“I found something,” he said. “Marco Varela. He’s holed up in Dubai. There’s an auction in three days at 4pm. He’ll be there.”

Nadia put the cup down. “Dubai.”

“We need to be there tomorrow,” Damian said. “To get in place.”

She nodded, resolve hardening. “I’ll dig more. Find out how we get to him. Who he’s meeting. Security.”

“Can I ask you something?” curiosity flashing in her eyes, he nodded, adjusting his sitting position.

“Why is bring Marco down so important to you?” He looked taken aback

“ It’s quite…. personal, it’s nothing to worry about” she narrows her eyes looking for answers but decided to let it go, he was obviously not ready to share.

“Okay, I respect your decision”

Damian nodded, relief flickering across his face.

The telephone in Nadia’s room rang, Damian reached out for it.

Damian frowned. “Gary, yes…who? Be right there” he nods before setting the phone down.

“Is there a problem?”

“Gary called, he said Charlotte is here and refuses to leave”

Charlotte. Charlotte?? What the hell was she doing here,this early?

An idea hit Nadia and her eyes gleamed in excitement at the thought.

“Let’s go then, we don’t want to keep her waiting, do we?” Damian narrows his eyes in suspicion but excitement was also evident in his eyes, She gets out of bed,ruffles her hair and walks with Damian, taking glorious strides down the long trail of stairs.

Charlotte was standing in the hall with a bouquet of white lilies and a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She looks over Nadia, the sight of them holding hands and being close seemed to piss her off but she covered it up quickly, waved a hand at Nadia quickly.

“Damian,” she said sweetly. “I was in the area and thought I’d drop by, I didn’t see you at the other house, I knew you would be here, but I didn’t know Nadia would be here too”

Nadia felt something cold slide down her spine. Her guts definitely She stepped close to Damian, slid her hand up his chest, and rose on her toes to kiss his jaw.

“Morning Charlotte,” she murmured, loud enough for Charlotte to hear. “Sorry, Damian is quite busy at the moment. A hot moment was interrupted just now, I was hoping we could get back to it. You know how this things are, especially when a woman is so close to….releasing” she teased while standing in front of Damian and making him hold her waist while looking deep into Charlotte’s eyes

Oh right, two can play your game bitch! She thought and grinned in satisfaction

Damian went completely still. His eyes darkened. He was loving this, Charlotte has always been so pushy and he had had it with her, but Nadia was doing something to him it made his member hard, it made him want to take her to his room and make intense love to her till she could remember what they once were.

At her pace Damian,he reminded himself. Right! At her pace. For now, he chose to enjoy this seduction from this hot woman who had always moved things in his life.

Instead, his hand came up and settled on her waist. “Yeah,” he said, voice low. “We should.”

Charlotte’s face went red. The flowers in her hand crumpled. She burned with rage

“You—” she started, then threw the bouquet on the ground and stomped on it. She shot Damian a look full of a promise to make him regret this.

Then she turned and stormed off.

The second the giant doors closed, Nadia laughed, breathless and triumphant.

She turned to make a joke. “Did you see her face, she was….”

The words died in her throat.

Damian’s eyes were black with lust. He wasn’t smiling anymore.

Before she could speak, he swept her off her feet.

“Damian, what are you doing?” she gasped as he carried her up the stairs.

He kicked his bedroom door open and laid her down on the bed. He hovered over her, hands on either side of her head.

“You said you wanted to get back to our hot moment,” he said, his voice rough and controlled. “I think we should get down to it.”

Nadia stared up at him, heart hammering.