LOGINAria’s P.O.V
I was stunned; that was the only word that fit. My mouth hung open slightly, my thoughts frozen somewhere between shock and disbelief. I didn’t know what to say or where to look, and my body refused to cooperate with my brain.
I became aware of Tory beside me before I could gather myself.
“Wow,” she murmured, then leaned closer. “I know he’s hot, Aria, but you’re making it way too obvious.&rd
Aria’s P.O.VI felt it the moment he spoke, a flutter low in my stomach, light and sudden, like something had been gently shaken awake inside me. I wasn’t sure why his words affected me so much, but they did. He wasn’t just talking to fill the silence, he wasn’t looking through me. He saw me.Not just what I did, not just where I worked, but me and somehow, he appreciated it.I looked away, my cheeks warming, unsure of what to say or how to carry that feeling without dropping it. Before I could overthink it, he was already walking ahead, heading toward the car.“We’re going out.”Those three words shouldn’t have made my stomach flip the way they did.And yet, as I stood there staring at Damien, something warm and unsettling spread through my chest—something dangerously close to excitement.Which was ridiculous…completely ridiculous.This was my
Damien’s P.O.VI watched her from the corner of my eyes, a small smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. She didn’t notice me, of course. She rarely did, that was part of who she was…quiet, careful, almost invisible but the more I watched, the more I realized just how much lay beneath those polite smiles and awkward glances.I have never been a man who misses details.It’s a habit I built over years—watching people, studying them, understanding what they show the world versus what they try to hide. Most people become predictable once you pay enough attention.Aria Summers was not predictable.The first time I saw her, she was in my bar, surrounded by three men who clearly didn’t understand the meaning of boundaries. She had looked cornered, smaller than them, but there had been something else beneath that fear. Something sharp. Something reactive.When she threw that drink in one man&rsqu
Aria’s P.O.VI should have known something was off the moment I stepped into the office building and felt… watched.Not in a creepy way, exactly. More like the air itself had shifted, like something—or someone—was waiting for me.And of course, because my life had clearly decided to spiral into something I no longer had control over…It was him.Damien Henderson stood near the elevators, looking like he had just stepped out of a magazine spread no one had warned me about. His posture was relaxed, leaning slightly back against the wall, while he held onto—
Aria’s P.O.VBy the time I made it back to my desk, I was convinced that my face was still burning, because there was no way it wasn’t obvious. No way people couldn’t see it.No way I didn’t look like someone who had just been cornered in her boss’s office, while he casually held her dignity hostage in the form of lace underwear.Fantastic. Truly the peak of professionalism.“So?” Tory’s voice cut in immediately as she rolled her chair closer to mine, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “How was the one-on-one with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Intimidating?”I forced myself to sit down, placing the files neatly on my desk like everything was completely normal, like my life hadn’t just taken a sharp turn into chaos.“It was fine,” I said, keeping my tone light, casual. “Just…questions about the revenue reports.”Tory narrowed her eye
Aria’s P.O.VI froze at the door, my hand was still on the door handle.Run. That was the only coherent thought in my head.Run now. Pretend you didn’t hear him. Pretend this never happened. Pretend last night never happened.But my feet were glued to the floor. My mind went completely numb, like someone had pressed pause on everything I thought I knew about life. My chest felt tight, my stomach twisting, and I couldn’t even think of moving.Damien turned slowly, his eyes dark and unreadable, and asked again, his voice calm but firm. “Are you planning to flee again… like you did this morning?”His voice—low, calm, controlled—wrapped around me like a chain.Shit.Slowly, I turned around.Damien Henderson stood behind his desk, sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal strong forearms, his tie slightly loosened like he had already settled into his role here. Like this room was his territory now, and I had just walked straight into a trap I didn't fully understand.“I… I think you’re mista
Aria’s P.O.VI was stunned; that was the only word that fit. My mouth hung open slightly, my thoughts frozen somewhere between shock and disbelief. I didn’t know what to say or where to look, and my body refused to cooperate with my brain.I became aware of Tory beside me before I could gather myself.“Wow,” she murmured, then leaned closer. “I know he’s hot, Aria, but you’re making it way too obvious.”My face burned instantly because of what she said, which was the truth. I knew I was gawking, but I just couldn’t stop.“I…what?” I whispered, snapping my mouth shut and tearing my eyes away. My heart was already racing, my chest tight.No, no, no, nooooo! This couldn’t be happening right now.But it was…fuck my life…this was happening!Tory smirked. “Relax, I don’t blame you. Anyone would stare.&rdq







