Chapter 5

Damien pulled me through the connecting door into his room, his grip firm on my wrist. The sound of gunfire still popped outside like angry fireworks that wouldn’t stop.

“Stay low,” he ordered, shutting the heavy door behind us and locking it. 

His room smelled like him, dark wood, gun oil, and that sharp cologne. A massive bed sat against one wall, a desk covered with papers and laptops on the other.

I yanked my arm free. 

“Your room? You think I’m sleeping in here with you while people shoot at the house?”

He moved to the window, peeking through a small gap in the heavy curtains. 

“You’re sleeping where I can protect you. End of discussion.”

I stood in the middle of the room, fists clenched. 

“This is crazy. I talked to those men like you wanted. I lied for you. Now you’re dragging me into your bedroom?”

Damien turned around. The cut on his cheek had stopped bleeding but it made him look even more dangerous. 

“Those men out there don’t care that you lied. They want blood, yours or mine. Right now I’m keeping both safe.”

A loud explosion shook the windows. I grabbed the edge of his desk to steady myself. 

“What was that?”

“Grenade. Cheap ones.” He checked his gun, sliding a fresh magazine in with a sharp click. 

“Rico will handle the east side. You just stay quiet and close.”

I watched him move, so sure, so used to this violence. 

“You do this every night? People trying to kill you?”

“Most nights,” he said, voice low. 

He glanced at me. 

“But not usually with a woman who paints pictures in her spare time.”

“Don’t mock me,” I snapped. 

“I didn’t ask for any of this. I had a good life before you and your men broke into my apartment.”

He stepped closer. 

“And I didn’t ask for Marco’s secret daughter to drop into my lap the same night he died. Yet here we are.”

Another burst of shots rang out, closer now. I flinched hard.

Damien noticed. He put his gun down on the desk and surprised me by touching my shoulder. 

“Breathe, Isabella. They won’t get inside. Not tonight.”

His hand felt warm, too warm. I shrugged it off. 

“Don’t touch me like we’re friends. You’re keeping me here because I’m useful. You said it yourself.”

“I did.” He didn’t deny it. 

“But right now that leverage is standing in my room shaking. Sit down before you fall.”

I wanted to argue but my legs felt weak. I sat on the edge of his huge bed. The sheets were black and smooth. 

“How long will this fight last?”

“Until they get tired or we kill enough of them.” 

He pulled a chair close and sat across from me. 

“Your father left a mess. Those men think taking you will fix it but they’re wrong.”

I rubbed my arms, trying to stop the shaking. 

“What did he do? Tell me the truth. No more secrets.”

Damien leaned forward, elbows on his knees. 

“Marco made deals with the wrong people. He took the money and never delivered. He also killed a few important people. People don’t forget that.”

“And you?” 

I asked, looking him straight in the eyes. “Did you want him dead?”

He stayed quiet for a moment. 

“I wanted him out of power. I wanted him dead too but I didn’t pull the trigger.”

I searched his face for lies. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because if I killed him,” he said slowly, “I wouldn’t need to keep his daughter alive. I’d have taken the empire already and moved on.”

That made a cold kind of sense. I looked away. 

“I still hate this. I hate being stuck with you.”

“Good. Hate me all you want.” 

He stood up and walked to a small cabinet. He poured water into a glass and brought it to me. 

“Drink. You’re pale.”

I took the glass. Our fingers brushed. I drank fast, mostly to hide how that small touch felt. 

“What happens in the morning if they’re still out there?”

“We talk or we fight more.” 

Damien sat again, closer this time. 

“But you stay by my side. No running off with Lena or hiding in your room. Understood?”

I set the empty glass down hard. 

“You love giving orders, don’t you?”

“I love staying alive,” he answered. 

“And keeping you alive. Two different things that happen to line up right now.”

The gunfire slowed outside. Then it stopped completely. The sudden quiet felt worse.

Damien tilted his head, listening. 

“Rico should report soon.”

We waited, minutes passed. My nerves stretched tight.

Finally, a knock sounded on the main door to his room. 

Damien grabbed his gun. 

“Stay behind me.”

He opened the door a crack. Rico’s voice came through, low and rough. 

“They pulled back, boss. But they said they’ll be back. They want the girl by morning or they’ll bring twice the men.”

Damien cursed under his breath. 

“Tell the others to stay sharp, double guards on the gates.”

He closed the door and turned to me. 

“You heard that?”

I nodded, my throat dry.

“They’re coming back for me.”

“Yes.” 

He put the gun away and looked at me for a long time. 

“Which means you sleep here tonight in this bed. I’ll take the chair.”

My stomach dropped. “No way. I’m not sharing a bed with you.”

“It’s not up for debate, Isabella.” His voice got harder. 

“I’m not risking you alone in the other room if they break through.”

I stood up, anger pushing away the fear. 

“This is too much. You can’t just decide everything about my life.”

“I can tonight.” 

He took off his shirt, revealing more tattoos across his chest and shoulders, hard muscle, and scars. He tossed the shirt on the chair. 

“Get in the bed, shoes off.”

I stared at him, face hot. 

“You’re unbelievable.”

Damien walked over and stopped right in front of me. 

“You can hate me tomorrow. Right now, get some rest. I won’t touch you unless you’re in danger.”

I wanted to scream at him. Instead, I kicked off the shoes and climbed onto the far side of the bed, fully dressed. The sheets felt cool against my skin.

Damien turned off the main lights but left a small lamp on. He sat in the chair, gun on his lap, watching the door.

I lay there staring at the ceiling, listening to his breathing. 

“Damien?”

“Yeah?”

“If they come back and break in… what will you do?”

He answered without hesitation. 

“Kill them. All of them. Then get you somewhere safer.”

I turned on my side, facing him. 

“And if you can’t?”

His grey eyes met mine across the dark room. 

“Then I die first.”

The words hung heavy between us. I didn’t know what to say back.

Outside, a single distant gunshot broke the silence.

Damien stood up fast, gun ready again. 

“They’re testing us.”

My heart raced as he moved toward the window.

This war wasn’t waiting for morning.