Chapter 97 I love you
JASMINE
He ran a hand through his thick dark hair and sighed deeply before looking back at me.
For a brief second I saw it.
Hurt.
Real hurt.
But it vanished almost instantly.
He stood and held out a hand to me. “Come here,” he murmured softly. I hesitated only a moment before slipping my hand into his.
The moment our fingers touched, he pulled me forward. I crashed into his chest with a small, startled yelp. His arms wrapped around my waist immediately, holding me firmly against him.
My heart pounded wildly.
He stared down at me, his gaze swirling with emotions I could barely comprehend.
Then he spoke again. “I do love you, tesoro.” My eyes snapped up to meet his. There was no teasing in his voice.
No smug smile.
No playful sarcasm.
Only truth.
Raw and powerful.
“It didn’t start today,” Damien continued quietly. “It started the first day you walked into my office.”
My breath caught.
“You remember that?” I whispered.
He chuckled softly. “How could I forget?”
His hand lifted, brushing gently along my cheek.
“You walked in by accident. Completely flustered. Apologizing to the wrong office door.”
His eyes softened.
“And that was it.”
His thumb brushed beneath my eye. “I knew right then.”
“Knew what?” I asked quietly.
“That you were mine.”
The intensity in his voice made my heart stumble.
“Your beauty stunned me,” he continued. “Not just the way you look, but… the way you are. Your innocence. Your kindness.”
His gaze darkened.
“The way those brown eyes of yours kept pulling me deeper and deeper until I couldn’t look away.”
My throat tightened.
“For months you worked in my office,” he said softly. “And every single day I had to control myself.”
His jaw clenched slightly.
“You have no idea how hard it was not to take you into my arms and keep you there.”
My heart skipped. “I had to force myself to behave like your boss.”
He exhaled slowly. “You still have no idea that you own my heart.”
Tears burned my eyes. “You stole it without even realizing,” Damien continued, his voice thick with emotion. “You took it with you everywhere you went.”
He smiled faintly. “When you weren’t around, I couldn’t focus. My mind kept drifting back to you.”
His fingers brushed gently across my cheek.
“And when you were near me…”
His voice softened.“I couldn’t stop staring.”
My vision blurred.
“You own everything,” he whispered.
“My body.”
“My mind.”
“My money.”
“All of it belongs to you.”
My chest tightened painfully.
“If you asked,” he continued, “I would give you my entire fortune.”
His gaze locked onto mine. “I would give you my life.”
My breath caught. “I would protect you until my last breath,” he said firmly. “I would burn the world down before I let someone hurt you.”
He rested his forehead gently against mine.
“Before you came into my life,” he admitted quietly, “I never once imagined myself loving anyone.”
My hands curled into fists at my sides when he mentioned other women. He noticed instantly.
A soft smile tugged at his lips as he gently unfolded my clenched fingers and intertwined them with his.
“But the moment I saw you,” he murmured, “I knew.” His thumb brushed across my knuckles.
“You were meant for me.”
Emotion flooded my chest.
“This contract marriage…” he continued softly. “It was my selfish way of keeping you close.”
He sighed quietly.
“We still have a months left.”
His eyes searched mine. “I don’t know how you feel about me.”
My heart cracked.
“But if you want to leave when the contract ends…” he whispered. His voice grew quieter,“I won’t stop you.”
Pain flashed across his face.“But please,” he whispered. “Give me the chance to love you until my last breath.”
My tears finally spilled over.
“Baby?” Damien’s voice filled with panic.
He cupped my face immediately.
“Why are you crying?”
His eyes scanned me quickly.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“N-no,” I sniffled.
Why was I crying so much lately? “It’s just…” my voice trembled.
“You feel so deeply for me.” I looked down.
“How can you feel this strongly when I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay with you?”
His expression hardened slightly.
“You are mine.”
I looked up.
“You have always been mine,” he continued firmly.
“And you will always be mine.”
Before I could respond, he kissed me.
Not desperate, not hungry.
Just full of emotion.
“I will destroy anything that tries to take you away from me,” he murmured softly against my lips.
“You will always be mine.”
My heart shattered. Because I wanted nothing more than to belong to him.
But loving him could get him killed.
And I would never allow that.
Even if it meant walking away.
~
I stepped out of the bathroom slowly, towel drying my hair. Tiny droplets of water slid down my bare shoulders and arms, tracing cool paths along my skin before falling to the floor.
The soft towel was wrapped tightly around my body. Another smaller towel rested around my shoulders as I rubbed my damp hair.
The room smelled faintly of vanilla soap and steam. I tossed the towel aside and wandered into my closet. Rows of clothing stared back at me.
Beautiful dresses, Elegant blouses. Designer pieces Damien had insisted on buying for me.
Yet none of them appealed to me anymore.
Not after wearing his clothes. His shirts were too big.
Too warm.
Too filled with his scent.
They felt like home.
I sighed heavily.
“Nothing feels right,” I muttered.
Frustrated, I left the closet and sat down on the edge of my bed.Just as I was about to stand again
“Tesoro.” My head snapped toward the door. Damien stood there, and then he froze. His eyes dropped to my towel. Heat flooded my face instantly. My cheeks burned bright red as his gaze slowly traveled down my body.
He didn’t rush.
He studied.
Admired.
His emerald eyes darkened into something dangerous. I swallowed nervously, his gaze paused on my bare legs. The towel was far too short. I suddenly wished the floor would open and swallow me whole.
Damien started walking toward me.
Slowly.
Deliberately.