Chapter 46 Not Letting Her Have Her Way
Courtney's POV
I didn’t like this. Not a little. Not in a “this feels risky but manageable” kind of way. No—this sat deep in my chest, heavy and sharp, like instinct screaming at me that something was very, very wrong. I stood in the middle of the living room, arms crossed tightly over myself, watching Damian as he ended the call. His expression was calm. Too calm. And that made it worse.
“She wants to meet you,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “Alone.”
Damian didn’t deny it. That alone was enough to send irritation flaring straight through me.
“Absolutely not.”
He looked at me then, one brow lifting slightly.
“Courtney—”
“No,” I cut him off, stepping closer. “No, you don’t get to just accept that like it’s a normal request. It’s not. It’s her.”
The fact that the woman's name hung between us, even though none of us said it, was enough to make my jaw tighten.
“I’m going with you,” I added firmly. “I don’t care what she said. I’m coming to make sure that bitch doesn’t try something.”
Damian’s gaze held mine steady, unreadable. Then he moved. Fast. One second, I was mid-argument, the next his hand was on my waist, pulling me into him with enough force to knock the breath right out of me.
“Damian—”
He didn’t let me finish. His mouth was on mine, hot and sudden, stealing the rest of my protest before it could even form. For a second—
It worked. My mind blanked. Completely. The anger, the worry, the spiral of thoughts—all of it gone under the weight of him.
His grip tightened at my waist, his other hand coming up to cradle the side of my face as the kiss deepened, deliberate and consuming. God.
My fingers curled instinctively into his shirt, pulling him closer, my body responding before my brain had a chance to catch up. And then—
I kissed him back. Harder. Just as intense. Just as intentional. And when I pulled away, breath uneven, eyes blazing—
“Nice try,” I murmured.
Damian’s lips curved faintly.
“I wasn’t trying anything.”
“Liar.”
But my hands didn’t leave him. If anything, my grip tightened.
“You think you can distract me?” I added, narrowing my eyes. “That’s not how this works.”
“It worked for a second.”
“Barely.”
He huffed a quiet breath, but there was something softer in his expression now. Something careful.
“Courtney,” he said, his tone shifting.
There it was. The real conversation.
“I don’t want you involved in this meeting.”
I felt my expression harden instantly.
“Too bad.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
We stared at each other, neither backing down.
“I’m not letting you walk into something with her alone,” I continued. “Not after everything we know. Not after what she’s already done.”
“She asked for me,” Damian said evenly.
“And you think she’s going to play fair?” I shot back. “You think this is just a polite little conversation over coffee?”
“No,” he said bluntly.
That made me pause. Just for a second.
“Then why are you even considering this?” I demanded.
“Because,” he said, his voice low, controlled, “this is the first time she’s invited a conversation instead of forcing one.”
I blinked. Processing.
“And that matters?”
“It means she wants something,” Damian replied.
“And you think she’s just going to request whatever the hell she wants nicely?” I challenged.
“No.”
“Then what—”
“I think,” he cut in, “this is an opportunity.”
I stared at him like he’d lost his mind.
“An opportunity to what? Get ambushed?”
“To get answers.”
That stopped me. Not completely. But enough. My gaze searched his.
“And if it’s a trap?”
“It probably is.”
My stomach twisted.
“And you’re just… walking into it?”
“Yes.”
“Damian—”
He pulled me closer again, not as abruptly this time, but just as firmly.
“I know what I’m doing,” he said.
“I know that, dammit!"
"Then you understand that I just don’t want to see you hurt.”
The words hit differently. Softer. Heavier. I felt when my expression shifted, but I didn’t back down.
“I’ve already been hurt,” I said quietly.
His jaw tightened.
“I’m still standing,” I waved my good arm up and down my body.
“That doesn’t mean I’m okay with risking it again,” he countered.
“And I’m not okay with you going alone,” I fired back immediately.
Silence. Tension. Neither of us willing to yield. Then I took a breath, my voice steadying.
“After everything Marcus and Anna went through,” I said, “we made a promise.”
Damian’s gaze flickered slightly.
“To always have each other’s backs,” I continued. “No matter what came at us.”
My hand pressed lightly against his chest.
“This counts as one of those scenarios.”
He held my gaze for a long moment. Then—
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Small. But real. My eyes narrowed immediately.
“Don’t smile at me like that,” I warned. “This isn’t cute.”
“It’s a little cute.”
“Damian.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
I stepped closer, forcing him to focus entirely on me.
“You take me with you,” I said, my voice firm, unwavering, “or I follow you anyway.”
His brow lifted slightly.
“You wouldn’t.”
I didn’t even blink.
“Try me.”
A beat. Then—
He exhaled softly, shaking his head just a fraction.
“You’re impossible.”
“And you love it.”
His lips twitched again. He didn’t deny it.
“Courtney—”
My gaze sharpened.
“Be on your guard,” I said. “At all times.”
He went still. Because this wasn’t banter anymore. This was instinct. Warning.
“Felicia Ardent isn’t interested in us,” I continued. “Not really. Not as people.”
Damian’s expression darkened slightly.
“She wants control,” I said. “That’s it. That’s all she cares about.”
My voice dropped.
“And we cannot let her have it.”
A beat of silence followed. Then—
Movement. Three doors opened almost in sync. I glanced over as Peter, Marcus, and Bella stepped out into the living room, all varying degrees of half-awake and disoriented.
“…Why are you two up?” Marcus asked, rubbing his face.
Peter squinted at them. “Why does it feel like something’s wrong?”
Bella crossed her arms immediately. “Because something is wrong.”
I glanced at Damian. He didn’t hesitate.
“Felicia called,” he said.
That woke them up instantly. Peter straightened.
“What?”
“She wants to meet,” Damian continued.
“Of course she does,” Bella muttered.
Marcus stepped forward.
“When?”
“Soon.”
“Where?”
“She’ll send details.”
Peter’s eyes narrowed.
“And you’re going?”
“Yes.”
A beat.
“…Alone?” Marcus asked.
Damian didn’t answer right away. Which was answer enough.
“No,” Peter said immediately. “Absolutely not.”
“I’m coming,” Marcus added without hesitation.
“Same,” Bella said.
I folded my arms. “Told you.”
Voices started overlapping instantly.
“This is a setup—”
“You can’t just walk into that—”
“We’re not letting you—”
“Enough!” Damian’s voice cut clean through the chaos. Sharp. Commanding.
Everything stopped. They all looked at him.
“If we want answers,” he said calmly, “we play by her rules.”
Peter shook his head.
“That’s exactly what she wants.”
“Yes,” Damian agreed. “It is.”
Marcus frowned.
“Then why give it to her?”
“Because,” Damian said, his gaze sharpening, “we’re not playing her game to win her way.”
A pause.
“We’re playing it to understand it.”
Silence settled. Uneasy. Reluctant. But they heard him. They just didn’t like it. I looked at him, my jaw tight—but my eyes were steady. This wasn’t over. Not even close. And one way or another,
I wasn’t letting him face it alone.