Fatal DesireS

Jessica sat on the edge of the plush bed, her fingers tightening around the sheets as she watched Damien with wary eyes.

His presence in the room was overwhelming, towering, dominant, and unreadable. Everything about him screamed power, but there was also something oddly calculated in the way he spoke, as if he were measuring her reactions, testing her.

Her pulse thrummed in her ears.

"So," she started, forcing her voice to be steady, "you're telling me you picked up a complete stranger, brought her to your home, changed her clothes, and now you're feeding her breakfast? That's... normal to you?"

Damien leaned against the doorway, his blue eyes locked onto hers with an almost amused glint. He was breathtakingly handsome, but in a way that felt dangerous, like a predator watching his prey.

"I don't do normal things, sweetheart." His voice was smooth, but there was an edge beneath it. "And you're not just any stranger, are you?"

Jessica stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He smirked but didn't answer. Instead, he pushed off the doorway and strode toward her with slow, deliberate steps. Her breath caught.

He crouched beside the bed, his eyes level with hers. The heat of his proximity sent a shiver down her spine.

"You saved my life once, didn't you?" he murmured.

Jessica's stomach twisted.

No. It couldn't be.

It had been a year ago, a rainy night. She had been walking home when she stumbled upon a man covered in blood, barely breathing. She hadn't thought, hadn't hesitated. She had rushed to help him, dragging him to safety before calling for help.

She had never seen his face clearly.

Could it really be him?

Jessica's throat tightened. "...You were the man I found on the street?"

Damien tilted his head slightly, his icy gaze never wavering. "You sound surprised."

Jessica exhaled sharply. "You were unconscious. I never got your name, and you disappeared before I could even ask questions."

His smirk deepened. "I tend to disappear when it suits me."

Jessica swallowed hard. What had she gotten herself into?

She had assumed she had saved a regular man, not someone who exuded danger and wealth with every breath he took.

She shook her head, standing abruptly. "Okay. You know what? Thank you for… whatever this is, but I should leave."

Before she could take another step, Damien grabbed her wrist.

It wasn't painful, but it was firm - commanding.

Jessica's heart stuttered as she met his intense gaze.

"Not so fast," he said in a voice that made her stomach tighten. "I'm not done with you yet."

Jessica's nerves were on edge as she sat stiffly on the couch, her fingers gripping the hem of the oversized shirt Damien had given her the night before. He had let her change back into her own clothes, but the feeling of his presence lingering on her skin refused to fade.

Damien sat across from her, legs crossed in a way that spoke of confidence and control.

"Why are you really here?" she asked, unable to shake off the tension crackling between them.

His gaze sharpened. "I told you. You saved my life. Now, I'm curious."

Jessica's breath hitched. Curious? About what?

He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. "People don't just help strangers without expecting something in return. So tell me, Jessica, what did you want that night?"

Her chest tightened. He didn't trust good deeds. He probably never had a reason to.

She let out a slow breath. "Nothing. I didn't want anything."

Damien studied her for a long time as if testing the truth in her words. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed, low, dark, and almost disbelieving.

"You're either the most naive woman I've met," he murmured, "or the most dangerous."

Jessica frowned. "Dangerous?"

His smirk was slow, sinful. "Men who owe debts tend to pay them one way or another. If you wanted, you could have cashed in on saving my life. Yet, you didn't. Either you're a saint... or you're waiting for something bigger."

Jessica exhaled sharply. "I don't need anything from you, Damien. Just let me go."

He went silent for a moment, then suddenly stood, towering over her once more.

"Alright," he said smoothly, stepping aside. "You're free to leave."

She blinked. Just like that?

Suspicion curled in her stomach, but she wasn't about to question it. Jessica grabbed her bag and headed for the door, her heartbeat steadying.

But just as she reached for the handle, Damien spoke again—his voice softer, yet laced with something that sent a chill down her spine.

"Be careful, Jessica."

She hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. "Why?"

His icy blue gaze held hers, unreadable. "Because now that I know you exist, I might not be able to stay away."

Her stomach flipped, heat rushing to her cheeks, but she forced herself to turn and walk out.

She needed to get far away from Damien.

Before he pulled her into something she wouldn't be able to escape.