Chapter 55: A WEAKNESS MOMENT

I kept thinking about what Liam had said.

* "We located Maya. However, it's too late."

My stomach turned over. My breath was stopped somewhere between my throat and lungs, and my legs felt weak.

It's too late.

No.

No, no, no.

Before I knew what I was doing, I shoved past Damian. ** "What do you mean?" ** As I took Liam's arm, my voice faltered. ** "Tell me she’s alive." **

Something inscrutable filled Liam's dark gaze as his jaw tightened. ** "She’s alive." **

My legs nearly buckled as relief poured into me.

Liam wasn't done, though.

** "But she’s not okay." ** He spoke in a strained voice. ** "They hurt her, Lyra." **

The world swayed.

My hands were shaking.

My closest companion. When I had no one else, that person had been my family and my rock. *I* had caused her to suffer.

**"Where is she?"** I spoke in a hollow voice.

Liam paused. He gave Damian a quick look.

**"Liam,"** I yelled out. ** "Where the hell is she?" **

There was a long pause before he responded. **"She’s in the hospital. Unconscious. Beaten. To deliver a message, they abandoned her in an alley. **

A piercing gasp escaped my mouth. My entire body froze.

I was grounded by Damian's hand around my arm, but I tore free of him. My pulse pounded like a drum across my brain as my chest heaved.

The words "this is my fault," I muttered.

Immediately, Damian's face darkened. ** "Don’t start that bullshit." **

Fire and ice clashed as my eyes met his. ** "It’s the truth!" ** My voice broke. ** "She wouldn’t be in that hospital if I wasn’t in your life, Damian!" **

His nose wrinkled. ** "You think I don’t know that?"** His tone was abrasive and scathing. ** "You think I don’t feel the weight of every damn thing that touches you because of me?" **

A harsh breath came out of my mouth.

At his sides, his hands clenched into fists. **"I would burn this whole city to the ground for you, Lyra. However, this?" ** His voice fell, low and deadly. **"They have this. Not you. Not me. **

I gave a headshake. ** "You don’t get it—" **

**"No,"** he snarled, advancing toward me, his rage raging like a tempest. **"You don't understand. Do you wish to place the blame on yourself? Alright. However, you're not by yourself. Lyra, you are mine. And anyone who tampers with my property—" ** His tone became stern. ** "They don’t live to regret it." **

My heart was racing.

The vicious, heartless billionaire Damian Wolfe stood before me, his veins blazing with rage. However...

I noticed something else beneath all of that anger.

Something unprocessed.

Something *is broken*.

The atmosphere between us became dense. His jaw was clenched and his breathing was labored.

Then he did something that caught me off guard.

He looked away.

His head hung down as he approached the window and pressed his palms against the glass.

Quiet.

He had never looked like this to me.

He's never looked so... lost.

My chest ached strangely.

I moved slowly in his direction.

**"Damian."**

He remained still.

**"Speak to me."**

His fingers curled against the windowsill as his shoulders stiffened. ** "You want to know why this is my fault?" ** He spoke in a hollow voice. ** "Because I should have known." **

I scowled. ** "What are you talking about?" **

He gave a quick breath. ** "Gideon didn’t just do this to hurt you." ** He turned, something inscrutable burning in his dark blue eyes. ** "He did it to remind me." **

I felt a chill go down my back. ** "Remind you of what?" **

Damian looked at me for a while.

Then he said something.

** "Of what it feels like to lose someone you care about." **

I gasped.

His gaze grew gloomy. ** "Of what it feels like to be powerless." **

Something broke inside of me.

For the first time, I understood

Damian wasn't only upset.

He was *frightened*.

I moved in closer. **"Damian…"**

He gave a headshake. **"Lyra, do you believe that I have no idea what it's like to lose someone? Yes, I do. I am *too* familiar with it. ** He spoke in a strained voice. **"What about Gideon? He is also aware of it. That's why he pursued Maya.

I got a lump in my throat. ** "Who did you lose?" **

At first, Damian remained silent. He balled his hands into fists.

Then he answered, terribly softly.

**"My sister."**

Everything slowed.

I went cold. **"Your sister?"**

He tightened his jaw. **"She was stolen. Similar to Maya. To reach my father, they utilized her. And he—" ** Damian's tone faltered. Something raw flared in his eyes. ** "He let her die." **

I took a strong breath out of my mouth.

Damian swiveled away from me. **"I made a vow that it would never occur again. I vowed never to be helpless again. **

All of a sudden, I realized.

His authority. His brutality.

He had constructed such tall walls.

Power wasn't all Damian Wolfe *wanted*.

He required it.

Since the instant he lost it—

People lost their lives.

I didn't consider it.

I simply *moved*.

I pressed myself into him, putting my arms around his waist from behind.

He froze.

Totally.

As if he was unsure of how to respond.

I fisted his shirt while pressing my forehead into his back. ** "You’re not powerless, Damian." ** I spoke in a forceful but gentle tone. **"You won't lose me either. Maya won't be lost. **

He raised his hands and covered mine.

He simply remained there for a time, clinging to me as if I were the only thing preventing him from breaking.

Then he turned, slowly.

His thumb brushed my cheek as his fingers reached my face. ** "You’re dangerous, Lyra." ** He spoke in a raspy voice. ** "You make me *feel* things I swore I never would again." **

My heart was racing.

"Then feel them."

I couldn't tell who made the first move.

Then, however, his lips smashed into mine, yearning and urgent. I felt flushed against him as his hands tightened around my waist.

Additionally, for the first time—

As if he *needed* me, Damian kissed me.

Not as a game.

Not as a struggle for dominance.

But as something more profound. Something *actual*.

Breathless and entangled in one another, we staggered toward the bed.

His warmth seeped into me as his body enveloped mine. There was something unsaid in every kiss and touch.

Something *at risk*.

Damian Wolfe also allowed me to see him for the first time.

Not the vicious multimillionaire.

Not the heartless entrepreneur.

But underneath it all was the man.

The man who was completely broke—

And feared losing once more.

\### **However, just when we were losing ourselves in one another—**

The telephone rang.

Taking it off the nightstand, Damian muttered a curse.

He replied. **"What?"** He spoke sharply.

A pause.

And then—his whole body stiffened.

His expression turned *blank*.

My stomach turned over. **"What is it?"**

Damian turned to face me carefully.

And his voice was like ice when he talked.

** "My mother just arrived at the hospital." **

I took a deep breath.

Wolfe, Victoria.

The woman in charge of Damian's life.

She was the one who had ruined him.

She was here now.

For *me*.