With a smirk, he looked up, watching her reaction as her expression shifted between irritation and something softer. “You seem a little more flustered than usual, Eva,” he teased, his fingers interlacing with hers.“Just—stop,” she mumbled, though her voice was softer, a trace of a smile tugging at her lips. He snickered, clearly enjoying her embarrassment as he brought her hand up to his chest, holding it over his heart as if to steady her.“You know,” he murmured, his voice low and steady, “the more you argue with me, the cuter you look.”Eva’s blush deepened, and she turned her head away, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much he affected her. But Damien didn’t let her hide. With a gentle but insistent touch, he lifted her chin once more, forcing her to meet his gaze.“You’re definitely trying to seduce me, don’t deny it,” Eva retorted, her cheeks flushing as she caught the playful and alluring gleam in Damien’s eyes. His steady gaze drew her in, and the longer s
She tried to fight back the tension, but the words came out breathless, “That’s you, Damien. Don’t get it twisted and confused here.”He smirked, delighted by the effect he had on her. He let his hand trail up to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing delicate circles against her skin. She leaned into his touch, feeling herself soften against his hand. “At least I own up to it,” he said, his voice a soft murmur against her ear as he placed a quick kiss just below it.She shifted on the bed, her hand accidentally grazing his. Before she could pull it away, he caught it, holding her fingers gently. Not wanting to give her the chance to move it away, he quickly grabbed it, releasing her cheek and shifting his weight onto his other arm.“I'm denying it because it's not true hon—mmph!” Before she could deny anything else, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a slow, deliberate kiss.His hand slipped to the back of her neck, guiding her closer so that her lips fit against his perfectly, giving him
He had promised her he would wait, and he thought he would be able to stay away from her lips until she initiates things on her own. But having tasted those delectable lips once, how can he keep himself from coming back?He didn't think a woman would ever make him this crazy. The way her body reacted to him, her breathless moans, the way her lips molded perfectly against his, and how she tried to match his pace...Everything about her made it hard for him to think about anything else aside from her.Every part of him wanted her, yet, he knew that she might not be able to enjoy his intensity.He took a deep breath, shaking his head slightly as if to clear his thoughts. “What have you done to me?” he whispered, his voice a mix of wonder and exasperation as he searched her face. “I can’t think straight. The second I’m near you, everything else just… fades.”His words made her heart pound, and she felt herself soften as she raised a hand to rest it against his chest, feeling the fast, stea
A slow, beautiful smile graced her face. For once, she did not disagree with him.Seeing that tender smile on her face, he felt his heart swell with happiness. He suddenly let go of her face to wrap his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.He was scared this was just a dream and that he had made it all up in his head. The more their relationship improved, the more he was scared of losing her. He didn't think someone would be able to sway him this much.Since when did he start to feel like this? When did his irrational fear and emotions begin to develop for her? He thought back to their first encounter as a child, where she happily greeted him despite the displeased scowl that was always on his face and his eyes that illuminated a murderous chill.All the other kids were too scared to interact with him, but she was the first to present him with a smile as blinding as the sun and as pure as snow. He now knows...even after the years of separation, his feelings for her had a
From behind Damien, Eva peeked out, her heart leaping when she noticed her grandfather, George, standing near the doorway, his expression both cold and disappointed. A feeling of dread settled over her.“Grandfather…” Her voice was small, almost drowned out by the tension in the room.“Eva.” Her grandfather’s voice was as sharp as broken glass, his disapproval clear at the scene in front of him.She had rarely heard him sound so upset, and the sting of it pierced deeper than any horn. This is the first time she would be seeing her grandfather face-to-face in years and they end up in this situation. Realizing where she went wrong, she tried to scramble out of the bed.Seeing her unease, Damien’s arm instinctively tightened around her, keeping her where she was. He cast a look toward George standing up fully and shielding her from view. “I stayed the night here. It was my choice to do so.” His voice was as unyielding as steel. Despite his current appearance, his aura was still as fright
George's face turned ashen, his eyes darkening with fury at Damien's smug declaration! His granddaughter is his treasured jewel, his prized star. She is the child he personally nurtured! Her business potential was fully developed because of him! She belonged to no one except herself. “Belongs to?” he spat. “My granddaughter doesn’t ‘belong’ to anyone. She is her own person, and I will not let her reputation be dragged through mud for the sake of your ego.” His gaze flicked coldly over Damien, his expression disgusted.“You claim that she is your lover, right?” George went on, his voice gaining a sharper edge. “Then tell me, who is the secretary that so boldly hovering around you? Or did you think I wouldn't know what is happening back there in Miami just because I'm not there? Don't think because you're from the Cross family, I wouldn't dig into your background.” George felt his face redden with anger. How dare he keep a mistress while staking a claim on his granddaughter?! Did he t
Damien’s expression softened instantly and gave her a nod. For her, he would do anything. This stubborn woman refused to ask him for anything, and now that she did, he instantly agreed. He then turned to George with a more measured voice. “I understand, sir. But know that I am here to protect her, too.”George lips pursed, “Eva, don't hide behind this birdbrain brute. You don't need a protector like him." Even in his rage, he noticed how protective this man was of his granddaughter. While it was a good and notable trait, having another woman in his life claiming to be his future wife negates all that.Julian nearly cried tears of blood when he heard the insult. B-birdbrain brute?! His anxiety was skyrocketing out the rooftop with his boss's stubborn temperament and rude behavior!Damien’s response was swift. “I plan to do more than protect her, Elder Black.” Damien tried to soften his voice to make it sound more polite, but it didn't make a lot of difference. His grandfather had hars
Eva’s heart raced at the sight of Damien speaking so fervently. For a man who kept his cards close, she’d never seen him look so passionate, so resolute about something. He wasn’t just saying this to appease her grandfather; he meant every word.George paused for a while as if weighing Damien’s words before his mouth curved in a faint, approving smile. “Well, if you’re truly that devoted, I’ll trust you with my granddaughter…….for now.”Eva’s eyes darted between the two of them, confusion taking over her expression. Had they forgotten she was right there? She opened her mouth, about to protest, but the men were already nodding as though they’d settled a contract. Marriage? Family? Leaving his precious granddaughter in Damien’s care?!They were practically planning their wedding as if she weren’t even in the room!‘Where do I get a say in all this?’Eva cleared her throat, trying to insert some logic. “Excuse me—marriage? Can we take a step back? We haven’t even officially established
Tired of the internal debate, Eva shook her head to clear the two imaginary characters off her mind. Deep down, she knew they were right. Damien’s behavior had been suffocating, but his intentions were pure. Perhaps it was time to talk to him, not fight him. She really wanted to have a proper conversation with him to explain the parts she disliked about him, and he could do the same in return. Communication should be key in a relationship. Her phone buzzed, and her heart leapt, thinking it was a message from Damien. But when she glanced at the screen, it was just a spam email. Her shoulders slumped again. Before she could overthink it, she tapped Damien’s name in her contact list and pressed call. It rang once but went straight to voicemail. Stunned, she tried again. The same result. He was ignoring her. Disheartened, she set her phone aside and decided to sleep. But sleep brought no comfort. Instead, it plunged her into a nightmare. Eva found herself walking barefoot through an
“Great! So, who commissioned her attack?” Oliver questioned.Rex hesitated. “I’m afraid that information is… private,” he said carefully, immediately regretting his words when Oliver’s cheerful expression turned dark.“Private?” Oliver echoed, his tone dangerously sweet. “Would it still be private if I cut off your fingers one by one?”Rex’s throat went dry, his pulse quickening as Oliver’s words sank in."My boss is telling the truth. We don’t know! They kept their identity hidden!" One of Rex's most trusted men suddenly spoke up." And who asked you to speak?” Oliver snapped his face towards the man who just spoke.“Hey, kiddo, you need to learn some respect for your elders. My boss has no reason to lie to Mr. Cross over here.” Even though he felt extremely intimidated by Oliver, his pride and ego couldn't allow him to shut up his mouth unlike Rex who was quick to discern that Oliver is not someone he should offend.“Shut the hell up, you!" Rex turned and barked angrily at his subo
Damien’s patience was wearing thin. He had no time for groveling and lies.Sensing his boss’s growing irritation, Eric opened his mouth to speed up the conversation, but before he could, Oliver burst into the room.“Hey, Mr. Piggy, could you shut up?” Oliver snapped, his bright yellow hoodie and ripped jeans contrasting with the grim atmosphere. He twirled a sleek switchblade in his hand, his boyish face betraying a sinister grin.Rex’s brows furrowed at the newcomer. Was this some kind of joke? Who let this disrespectful kid into the room? Besides, wasn't this one way too young to even be here? He was dressed naively young, like a baby chick with that bright clothes.“Hey, human garbage,” Oliver growled, his playful demeanor shifting in an instant. His eyes turned wild, and his grin morphed into something feral. “Don’t look at me like that.” He hurled his knife with terrifying precision, the blade grazing Rex’s neck and leaving a shallow cut. Blood trickled down, making Rex stumble b
Damien didn't speak, instead, he pulled out a gun, turning it around and examining it, a crude expression on his face.His right-hand man, Eric, stepped forward. Unlike his boss, Eric is also active and very talkative in this kind of moment when it comes to cleaning up filth like this."Take a guess," Eric said coolly, his tone sharp enough to cut glass.Rex’s eyes darted to Damien, who was calmly examining a sleek, custom-made gun. A shiver ran down his spine. He recognized the weapon—a modified Smith & Wesson, known for its devastating effects. The bullets it fired didn’t just kill, they tortured, leaving behind excruciatingly slow, acid-induced agony. It was an acid that burned through everything until the pearly white bone was exposed. That pain alone would have people begging for death over mercy.Mr. Damien, I-I’m not sure of the purpose of your visit. V-velvet vipers hasn’t interfered with the Cross’s business—”“Blood fist.” Damien’s icy voice cut through the tense atmosphere,
Just as Rex reached for his expensive wine again, the door to the room burst open with a thunderous crash, silencing the revelry in an instant. Crimson laser dots swarmed the room, targeting every man, freezing them in place.Rex barely blinked when he saw the commotion. It was not something new to have enemies barge into the place he was having fun. Probably, it would end with another threat conversation before the other party leaves. Calmly, he sipped his drink and set it down. But just as his fingers released the glass, a bullet shattered it, spilling the expensive liquor onto his custom Dior shoes."Bold little bastards," Rex muttered, his patience wearing thin. Reaching into his waistband, he pulled out a pistol.Upon seeing the lethal weapon in his hand, the women beside scattered like frightened mice, their shrieks piercing the tension-filled air. They weren't women who worked for the clan, instead, they were just simple escorts and prostitutes called in to please these big-sho
After switching the light on, her eyes landed on a set of bags near the couch. The scent of familiar dishes wafted through the air, and her heart twisted painfully. He had brought her favorite foods, likely intending to eat with her.He had wanted to eat with her. Her chest prickled with guilt and for a moment, she hesitated.But then she glanced at the shattered vase she had thrown in anger, and the guilt was replaced by frustration. Gathering the bags, she marched to the door and opened it to find Damien’s bodyguards standing stiffly outside.“You must be hungry standing out here all day,” she said, shoving the bags into their hands. “Take these. I’m not in the mood to eat.”The men exchanged bewildered glances.“Lady Boss, are you sure—”“If you don’t want them, throw them away,” she said curtly, shutting the door before they could protest further.“We can't really toss this away, can't we? This is too expensive." One of the bodyguards said, glancing at the bag while the others nod
His scowl deepened, and for a moment, she thought he might explode. But instead, he bit back whatever retort had been on the tip of his tongue. He knew that pushing her further would only backfire.“I understand you hate hospitals,” he said after a long pause, his voice gentler. “But staying here and resting is for your own good. You’re too stubborn to take care of yourself, so I have to do it for you.”Did he view her as a child? Why was he so persistent in keeping her here? She could recuperate somewhere else with a personal doctor — anything was fine, as long as it wasn't this chemical-filled location brimming with painful memories.Eva’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I don’t need your intervention.”His eyes narrowed, his irritation simmering just beneath the surface. “Don’t be stubborn—”“You’re a hypocrite,” she shot back before she could stop herself. Well, to some extent, she was hypocritical."Ehm, ehm……you demand me to not be stubborn, but here you are again, also being st
Eva felt her heart ache at the tone of Damien's voice, so small and fragile, like that of a lost child. Her chest tightened with guilt for having pushed him to this point. Her logical mind chastised her for taking things too far, while her heart yearned to soothe and comfort him.“Will you do it again?” she asked softly, her fingers tracing gentle circles over his rough, calloused hands.Immediately, his hand shifted to clasp hers tightly, intertwining their fingers in a firm yet comforting grip. Her heart skipped a beat at the gesture, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her lips.“I can’t promise you a definite no,” he admitted, his deep voice muffled as he rested his head on her shoulder. He breathed her in—the intoxicating, calming scent of jasmine filling his senses and clouding his mind. “But I will try my hardest to be lenient.”She paused, unsure how to respond. Sensing her silence, Damien tightened his hold on her fingers, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.“Are you sti
Eva’s heart pounded as she searched for a way to diffuse his anger. She knew that escalating this tension would only make things worse. Desperate, she decided to play a different card—a gamble.“Tell me, how would you like to handle the consequences? Perhaps I should start with—" He was interrupted when she abruptly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. The suddenness of her action made him freeze in place.“What are you doing?" He blinked. "Damien," she murmured softly, her voice sweet and soothing. She pressed her face against his chest, rubbing her cheek against the silk of his shirt.His body stiffened, his clenched fists trembling at his sides. "This won't work," he said, though his voice had lost its sharp edge."I'm cold," she whispered, her words muffled against his chest."Eva," he warned, but his tone lacked conviction."Won’t you hug me?" She tilted her head up, gazing at him with wide, pleading eyes and a slight pout on her lips. Her heart ski