Chapter 2

Ariana 

It took me a few seconds, maybe longer than that to convince myself that I wasn't imagining things. That this wasn't some cruel trick my exhausted mind was playing on me.

Because once upon a time, those same eyes used to look at me like I was something precious. Like I was the only person in the world that mattered. There used to be warmth in them. Life. A softness that made me feel safe whenever he looked my way.

Now all I could see was darkness. Danger. And emptiness in a way that didn't feel human anymore.

A shiver crawled down my spine. It made my skin tingle with a traitorous kind of heat, and I hated myself for it. Because that man—this man—was no longer the one I loved. No longer the boy I gave myself to on the night of our graduation.

He was power wrapped in an expensive suit. Commanding. Cold. A stranger with familiar eyes.

Damien stood slowly, the scrape of the leather chair behind him sounding louder than it should have in the suddenly quiet club.

His gaze dragged over me in a way that looked like irritation.  "So this is what you've been up to?"

"Seducing men for money?" he continued, his lips curling slightly. "And letting them put their hands all over your body."

For a moment, words failed me. Out of everything he could have said after six years...

That was what came out of his mouth? A sharp laugh escaped me, bitter and disbelieving.

"Wow." I shook my head. "You really haven't changed. Damien."

A dark look crossed his face.

"And you have?" he chuckled with no humor in it."You're still the same, Ariana."

Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten painfully. Like he still thought he knew me after everything.

I folded my arms across my chest, more to stop my hands from shaking than anything else.

"You showed up out of nowhere acting like some terrifying god everyone is scared of, and the first thing you do is insult me?"

Damien took a slow step forward. Then another. The air suddenly felt too thick to breathe properly.

"You allowed that bastard touch you," he said instead. "And you expect me to believe you're still that saint?"

His gaze dragged over me slowly from head to toe, and heat rushed angrily beneath my skin.

A bigger scoff left me.

"Why?" I tilted my head. "Are you jealous?That another man has access to what you lost?"

The words had barely left my mouth before his tall intimidating frame towered over mine. 

My breath hitched as he whispered. "You think I don't see it in your eyes?"

His fingers brushed slowly against my bare arm, sending a violent shiver through me despite how badly I wanted to hate it. Before I could think of holding it together or letting lose, his hand slid around my waist, pulling me flush against him. A soft gasp escaped me.

God. Being this close to him again felt dangerous.

His chest pressed against mine. His scent surrounded me completely—whiskey, smoke, and something that still felt horribly familiar.

Our faces were so close our lips were only a breath apart.

"Is this how he touched you?" Damien whispered.

His hand moved slightly against my waist, sinful enough to make my stomach twist.

I hated myself for reacting. Hated the way my breathing betrayed me. I tried to look away, but his fingers suddenly curled beneath my jaw, forcing my eyes back to his.

"Look at me while I'm talking to you." He hoarse-voiced, and God if that didn't send heat rushing through me all over again.

His eyes darkened as they searched my face.

"No one has that kind of power over your body except me." he went on again, this time around his hand went sideways to the front of my tummy. God! It was through the fabric of my clothes yet I felt like my body was going to catch fire. 

My heart slammed violently against my ribs as I remembered exactly what it felt like to belong to him.

His eyes went down to my lips before lifting them to meet my eyes. "Tell me how you survived the fire,"

The softness of his tone somehow hurt more than his anger. For one dangerous second, memories flashed through my mind too fast to stop them. Him holding me close. Kissing me. And promising me forever before everything turned ugly.

 I snapped myself back to reality shoving against his chest and maintaining a good distance between us. "You lost that right six years ago," 

His eyes darkened with a mixture of resentment and anger.  I could still feel the heat of his hand through the thin fabric of my dress. 

I hated that part of me still remembered him too well. I turned around quickly before I do something stupid like stare at his mouth again and imagine him kissing me all over my body. 

"Name your price."

His voice cut through the air so suddenly my steps halted. My fingers curled into fists before I slowly turned back around.

"What?"

Damien leaned against the table behind him casually, but the look in his eyes was anything but relaxed.

"Be my mistress."

Time seemed to stop. I stared at him, my lips parting in shock. The humiliation hit me first. Then anger. 

"Wow."

I shook my head, trying to ignore the sting building behind my ribs.

"You really think that's all I am? Someone you can buy into your bed whenever you want? Convenient. Disposable."

"Aren't you?"

We held each other gaze for a brief seconds before I diverted my eyes swallowing bile down my throat. 

"Sorry but I'm not that girl anymore, Damien."

Something crossed his face. Like I had hit that perfect nerve. 

Good.

Right then, my phone vibrated inside my pocket.

I pulled it out, grateful for something to break the tension before I completely lost control of my emotions.

"Hey, honey," I said immediately after answering, my eyes never leaving Damien's face.

"Have you picked Lily up already? I'll be on my way soon."

Damien's brows furrowed. Confusion flickering in his eyes. 

I slipped the phone back into my pocket and turned away. But before I could take more than two steps, his hand suddenly wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back. 

"You have a daughter?" He asked. 

Slowly, I looked down at his hand gripping me before lifting my eyes back to his.

"My personal life is none of your business."

I yanked my wrist free. And without looking back again, I walked away.

**

Sleep didn't come easily that night. I was restless. Angry. And every other feeling in between that I didn't have the strength to name properly.

I kept turning in bed, staring at the ceiling like it had answers it refused to give me. 

And by morning, I felt it in my bones. I told myself one thing over and over again. I won't see him again. There was no reason to. No space for him in my life anymore. Six years had proven that much.

So when I stood in front of the mirror, tying my hair back, I held onto that thought.

"Nothing will go wrong," I whispered.

I grabbed my bag and stepped out. The scent of fried egg and coffee hit me instantly. 

"Good morning, mummy."

My daughter's voice came. Bright. Soft. Alive.

"Good morning, baby," I said, walking over and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Seeing her like this—so full of life was the only reason I could still call some days good. Thank Goodness when I came home last night she was fast asleep and Tessa was busy with her night shift that she didn't notice the state I was in.

Lily swung her legs happily as she eat her breakfast. And that alone had me smiling too. 

Tessa walked out of the kitchen a moment later, a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in her hand.

She placed it in front of me. "You are not skipping breakfast today."

I sighed, dropping my bag beside the chair. "I wasn't planning to."

She raised a brow. "That's a lie," she said simply, sitting across from me.

I rolled my eyes. "Come on—"

"And after work today," she cut in, pointing her fork at me, "You're going to tell me why the hell you called me honey last night,"

Oh well...only if she knew why I said that. 

Tessa and I weren't just friends. She was my stability in the chaos. My emergency contact in life. A virtual assistant by profession, but in reality, she had become the person who kept me afloat when I was too tired to do it myself.

We met two years ago when I couldn't afford proper childcare and she had offered to help temporarily. Temporary had turned into permanent without either of us questioning it too much.

I reached for my fork, avoiding her gaze.

"Its nothing," I muttered.

She scoffed. "You're a terrible liar."

Lily giggled from her seat, swinging her feet under the table, completely unaware of the tension.

"By the way, when you pick Lily from school today, please call me. I want to speak-"

The voice from the TV halted me from completing my statement. 

"...following the report from yesterday...S&M Publishing House has officially declared bankruptcy following allegations of fraud and financial misconduct..."

"...the company is expected to shut down immediately as investigations continue..."

The rest of the sentence blurred into background noise as I sat there, fingers still, staring at the screen.