Chapter 38 38
Lila sat in the dimly lit kitchen, her hands wrapped around a mug of lukewarm coffee, the heat from the ceramic grounding her in the present. She stared at the space across from her, the chair where Damien had once sat, where she had allowed herself to believe his promises, to lose herself in his touch.
She hated the way her body still longed for him, the way it ached for the things he used to make her feel. Every part of her wanted to erase him from her life, to walk away and never look back. But there was something, a quiet, nibbling voice, that whispered otherwise.
She was stronger than this, she told herself. She had to be.
But when his name crept into her thoughts, her body reacted without her permission. The memory of his touch, the heat of his lips, the way he made her feel...desired, wanted...was enough to make her heart race, and her breath quicken. She squeezed her eyes shut, but even in silence, she could almost hear his voice, feel the weight of his gaze.
Just then, The door to the penthouse rang. Lila froze, her grip tightening around the mug. She didn’t want to answer it. She knew who it was. But something..a force stronger than her will....urged her to get up. She stood, moving slowly, each step heavy, as if the weight of her decision was pressing down on her. She opened the door without hesitation as if she had been waiting for this moment without realizing it.
There he was. Damien. Why did he return home so soon? Lila wondered. The sight of him, tall and imposing, his eyes dark with intent, hit her like a punch to the gut. He didn’t look surprised to see her. He never did. His lips curled into that same predatory smile, the one that made her heart both race and falter.
“You’ve been thinking about me,” he said, his voice a low, knowing whisper as if he could hear the thoughts that still haunted her.
Lila couldn’t find her voice. She just stared at him, the attraction of his presence pulling her in despite every rational thought that screamed for her to turn away. He wasn’t the man in her dreams. He wasn’t the man who could soothe her wounds with soft words and gentle touches. But somehow, her body still remembered the man he had been in their most intimate moments, the way he had made her feel like she was the only woman in the world.
“You can’t stay away, can you?” Damien said, his eyes burning with a mixture of arrogance and something darker, something possessive. “I know you, Lila. I know how you feel. And I know you miss me.”
Lila took a step back, her breath hitching as she tried to steady herself. “I don’t miss you,” she said, her voice shaking, but the words felt like a lie even as she said them. “I don’t need you.”
Damien stepped into the house, his presence overwhelming. He closed the door behind him with a soft click, the sound final. He wasn’t leaving, not until he had what he wanted.
“You don’t need me?” His voice was low, dangerous. “I think you’re lying to yourself. Deep down, you crave this, crave me.”
Lila’s pulse quickened, her body betraying her, the memories of their time together flooding her mind. She could still feel his hands on her skin, his lips moving against hers with a hunger that ignited something deep within her. And despite all the pain, despite all the betrayal, a part of her wanted to submit to it, wanted to let him back in, just for a moment, just to feel alive again.
“No, Damien,” she whispered, trying to pull herself together, to fight the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. “You are hurting me. I can’t keep doing this.”
He reached out, his fingers brushing against her arm, sending a wave of heat through her body. “You’re right. I’ve hurt you. But I can make it better. I can make you forget everything but us.”
Lila jerked back, her heart pounding in her chest. “You can’t fix what’s broken, Damien. You can’t keep using me.”
But he wasn’t listening. He took another step closer, his hand moving to the side of her neck, his touch like a flame that set her skin on fire. “You don’t get it, Lila. I’m the only one who can make you feel like this. The only one who knows exactly what you need.”
His breath was warm against her ear as he leaned in, his lips brushing against her skin. “And I know you need me,” come to Daddy, he whispered, his voice sending a shiver down her spine. “You’ll never be able to forget me. Not really.”
Lila wanted to pull away, to break free from his touch, but her body betrayed her again. The sensation of his lips, his hands on her, was something she couldn’t escape, something that ignited a desire within her that she hated herself for.
“You’re wrong,” she breathed, her voice barely audible, but the words were hollow. She couldn’t deny the truth. A part of her still wanted him, still craved the connection they had once shared. But she couldn’t let herself go down that path again. Not after everything he had done.
Damien’s smile widened, knowing exactly what was going on inside her head. “You can’t resist it, Lila. You can’t resist me.” just come to Daddy, baby.
He pulled her closer, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that was both desperate and commanding. Lila tried to push him away, but it was futile. His kiss was overpowering, igniting something deep inside her, something she had tried so hard to bury.
He was right. She couldn’t resist him. She felt the heat of his body pressed against hers, the way his hands moved with practiced ease, caressing her skin as if he knew every inch of her. It was as if he could read her body, and knew exactly how to make her feel what he wanted her to feel. The old pull, the need she had buried deep inside her, resurfaced with a vengeance.
Damien broke the kiss, his eyes locking onto hers, searching, waiting for her to give in. “You can’t fight this, Lila. I know you better than anyone. I know what you need.”
Her breath was ragged, her heart racing as she tried to pull away, but he held her firmly, his hands gripping her waist, forcing her closer. “I don’t want this,” she whispered, but the words held no conviction. Her body screamed the opposite, her hands sliding up his chest, her fingers tracing the familiar outline of his jaw.
“You do want this,” he murmured, his voice thick with desire. “And you always will.”
Damien’s hands slid lower, his fingers dipping beneath the waistband of her jeans, sending a jolt of electricity through her body. He was already undoing the buttons, moving with purpose, as if he had done this a thousand times before. As if he knew exactly how to take control.
Lila’s breath caught in her throat, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and longing. She hated him. She hated what he had done to her. But she couldn’t stop the way her body responded to him, to his touch, to his presence.
“You’ll never leave me, Lila,” he whispered, his lips grazing her ear. “Not when I can make you feel like this.”
His words were a promise, a threat, a declaration that rang in her ears even as her body betrayed her. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want to feel this pull, to give him that power over her again. But as his hands slid over her, as his lips met hers once more, she realized she was powerless to stop it.
The line between love and hate blurred at that moment, the desire mixing with the pain, the need colliding with the memories of everything he had done. She was trapped in this cycle, this dangerous dance between pleasure and suffering, and no matter how much she wanted to walk away, part of her would always come back. And Damien knew it.
“You’re mine, Lila,” he said, his voice low and possessive. “And you’ll always be.''