Fatal DesireS

Jessica wasn't quite sure when she first noticed the change.

It wasn't like a light bulb flicking on, more like a dimmer switch being turned up just a notch.

Maybe it was in the way Damien's gaze lingered just a bit too long, as if he was trying to decipher a puzzle that she didn't even know existed.

Or perhaps it was the fact that he started popping into the café with the frequency of a regular who just discovered their favorite flavor.

Always in that same corner table, sipping black coffee like a noir film character, keeping a careful watch.

Now, to be fair, it wasn't in a creepy way. Damien never sat there ominously, like a figure in a shadowy thriller.

No, it was more subtle like he held an invisible thread connecting them, and she could feel the tug of his attention.

It was the kind of attention that should have freaked her out, but instead, it wrapped around her curiosity like a warm scarf on a chilly day.

"You're distracted," Lauren's voice sliced through her thoughts like a hot knife through butter, pulling Jessica back to the present.

Jessica blinked and realized she had been staring at her latte as if it contained all the secrets of the universe.

"I'm fine!" she exclaimed, perhaps with a bit too much enthusiasm, as she slid the cup onto the counter.

Lauren smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Fine? You just poured oat milk into black coffee and didn't even notice. How's that for attention to detail?"

Jessica felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. Talk about embarrassing.

Her mind was clearly somewhere else, caught in the whirlwind created by Damien's sudden frequent appearances.

It wasn't just that, though. It was the way he seemed… different these days. Cooler. Collected. Like he was always two to ten steps ahead of the game.

And the strangest part? It felt like whatever was brewing in his mind had something to do with her.

That evening, something felt off. Damien didn't show up.

Jessica hated how much she noticed. It had become sort of a ritual, a comforting routine where he would swing by, exchange a few words with her, and sometimes even wait until her shift ended to walk her home. Not that she'd ever asked him to. He just kind of… started doing it.

And now, with a gaping absence in her day, the silence felt heavier and a little too loud.

Jessica found herself tapping her phone, hesitating before opening their last message thread. She had never texted first, so this felt like a bold leap into the unknown.

> JESSICA: Are you avoiding me?

She bit her lip after hitting send, half-convinced she was overreacting. After all, Damien was a busy guy.

He probably had more pressing matters than hanging around a barista who had once saved his life, not that she was keeping score or anything.

A reply came back quicker than she anticipated.

> DAMIEN: No.

Her frown deepened. That was it? No elaboration, no dry wit, no quirky comeback that usually left her chuckling?

Before she could plunge deeper into her thoughts, another text dinged.

> DAMIEN: I'll pick you up after your shift. Don't leave without me.

Her heart raced at his sudden urgency. She wasn't sure what unnerved her more; the fact he felt so adamant about picking her up or the fact that he hadn't even bothered to ask if she wanted him to.

And for reasons she couldn't quite articulate, she found herself wanting to say yes.

As the clock ticked down her shift, anticipation twisted into something like anxiety.

By the time she stepped outside, there he was, leaning against a sleek black car that definitely wasn't his usual ride.

Jessica noticed everything, the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes scanned their surroundings before settling on her.

Was he trying to catch a glimpse of something she couldn't see?

"Jessica," he called out softly. "Get in."

The tone left no room for debate.

She felt a frown crease her forehead. "Damien, what's going on?"

"Now."

That single word hung in the air like a definitive exclamation point.

With a wary heart, Jessica slid into the car, wrestling with the strange sense of compliance.

It was as if his voice had a magical quality that compelled her to obey, very mysterious and a tad unnerving.

Silence enveloped them as they drove, and Jessica hated every second of it, especially coming from him.

"Are you going to tell me what this is about?" She finally broke the quiet spell, unable to take it anymore.

Damien's grip on the steering wheel tightened, and she thought for a moment he might sidestep her question, like avoiding a puddle.

Then he surprised her, voice calm but edged with tension. "You were being watched."

Her heartbeat hitched. "What?"

His voice remained steady. "Last night. At the café."

Shock rippled through her. "How do you know that?"

His blue eyes flicked toward her, just for a heartbeat, before returning to the road.

"You knew," she said slowly, realization dawning. "And you didn't tell me?"

A heavy silence filled the car. "I handled it," he said finally, the words clipped like an unsheathed sword.

"Handled it?" she echoed, her voice rising in disbelief. "What does that even mean?"

He remained silent, and that was when her heart sank. She knew the truth without him saying another word.

Something had gone down, and it wasn't just a harmless little adventure.

"Damien," she urged gently, searching his face for answers. "Did you do something?"

His jaw clenched, and in that moment, she knew, he had.

Jessica turned her gaze forward, thoughts spiraling. Damien was not just any businessman.

The lines between protection and peril blurred, and she suddenly felt like she was sailing on uncharted waters.

Meanwhile, a couple of blocks away, a man sat in a parked car with his gaze locked on Damien's vehicle.

A phone rang, breaking the stillness of the night.

He answered, his voice low and sinister. "They're moving," he said.

Another voice crackled through. "Should we follow?"

The man smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "No. Not yet."

A heavy pause lingered, filled with unspoken tension.