جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

Laura's POV The music was already blasting through Brenda's house, and I was already hearing it from the bedroom. Outside, the poolside was transforming into a chaotic pool party. I could hear the laughter of our coursemates. Inside the room, we were in a state of absolute emergency. Brenda was feeling nervous which was very unlike her. "Hurry up, Laura!" Brenda snapped, furiously pulling a bright neon pink bikini over her hips. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at my own string bikini. My feet felt like pure lead. Honestly, I had lazy feet today. I was just so weary about parties after everything that happened at the last one. My head flashed back at Damien, Stephen, and the anonymous text message. Part of me just wanted to curl under the covers and hide from the world, but it still felt thrilling for me. My world seemed chaotic but it wasn't as mundane. "I don't know, Brenda," I muttered, holding the fabric tightly. "Maybe I should just sit this one out.

Laura's POV.My hand instinctively grabbed the edges on the table.The papers fluttered to the wide-plank oak floor, completely forgotten.Damian didn't step back. He stepped directly between my parted knees, trapping me against the edge of the desk. His grip on my waist was iron, holding me firmly in place while his other hand removed the robe I threw on my bikini."Damian..." my voice came out as a breathless gasp, my heart hammering wildly against his palm."Look at me, Laura," he commanded, his hand moving in a slow, deliberate circle that sent a sharp wave of heat straight to my core.I raised my eyes up to meet his eyes. His dark gaze was storming, filled with a terrifying mix of cold possession and raw, unbridled desire."You think you can wear this at a college party, drink with boys, and come back to me smelling like another life?" he murmured, flicking the hook of my bra, and flung it. He leaned in until his lips were barely an inch from mine.His hand slid slowly up from my

Richard’s POV. My left shoulder was throbbing with a dull, nagging ache. It was from where the front bumper of that sports car had clipped my bike’s frame some minutes ago. I leaned back against the wall of the locker room, holding a heavy ice pack firmly against my bare strap. "Dude, you’re out of your mind," Marcus muttered, tying his skates on the wooden bench across from me. He shook his head, looking at me like I had completely lost my head. "Brenda Steels literally rammed her car into your sportbike in the middle of a packed campus parking lot. You could’ve broken an ankle or a wrist right before the match could even start!" "She tried," I corrected him softly, a cold smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. "She missed." Marcus looked at me incredulously. "Both of you are out of your minds. Don't tell me you have a soft spot for her," Marcus scoffed, pulling his jersey over his head. "No, her dad is one of the stakeholders funding the team, Marcus.” I reminde

Damian’s POV It was already eight pm, and the corporation was quiet. Down below, the city lights flickered like a grid of cold diamonds, but up here, in my corner office, there was only silence. I sat behind my massive mahogany desk, tapping a heavy silver pen against the dark wood. I couldn't focus on the financial reports sitting in front of me. Every time I tried to get busy, I didn't see numbers or corporate acquisitions. I saw her. Laura. Her face from the stadium box kept playing on a loop in my mind. The delicate curve of her neck. The way her breath hitched when I leaned in close. The fierce, desperate look in her brown eyes whenever she tried to fight the pull between us. It was getting out of hand. I was forty-eight years old, a man who built an empire on ruthless discipline and cold logic, yet it seemed like I was completely consumed by my daughter’s twenty-one-year-old best friend. A quiet buzz came from the intercom on my desk. "Mr. Steels," my secretary’s voice

Laura’s POV.When I opened my eyes, followed by a yawn. The early morning brightness filled the room.It took more than a second before I was fully awake. I stared at the white ceiling before looking sideways in search of Damien. I remembered sleeping on his chest.Damian was sitting on the opposite end, his long legs stretched out, back resting against the headboard. He was shirtless, exposing the broadness of his chest, exposing tan, firm skin and the faint trace of dark hair. My eyes caught the tattoo on his arm.He cleared his throat to catch my attention.His dark eyes were heavy, hooded with sleep, but intense enough to send a sharp jolt straight down my spine."Good morning, Laura," he murmured, his voice a low, raspy rumble that sent my core aching and watering."Good morning," I whispered, my throat dry. I pulled the blanket up higher, suddenly aware of my bare legs and our close proximity. "Did you... did you sleep at all?""I don't need much sleep," he replied softly, his