Chapter 67
Chapter 67
སྙ
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For one second, I honestly thought I had lost my mind. My back was still pressed to the stranger’s chest, his hand still low on my waist, and all I could do was stare across the room at Damien like my eyes were playing some sick joke on me.
I blinked hard, then rubbed my temple with two fingers. I had not touched alcohol all night, not one sip, not with the pup, so why was Damien here? The guy behind me leaned closer, still moving to the music, his mouth near my ear. “You okay?”
I didn’t answer him. I just kept staring at Damien. He was looking at me, then at the man touching me, then back at me again, and his face was too still.
I knew that look. I shook my head once and swallowed hard.
He shoved through the crowd so hard two people stumbled out of his way. He reached us in seconds.
The stranger behind me barely lifted his head before Damien grabbed him by the throat and slammed him back over the edge of a table. Bottles tipped, ice scattered, and somebody screamed so sharply it cut through
the music.
My whole body jerked. “Damien!” I shouted, pushing away from the guy so fast I nearly slipped.
The stranger clawed at Damien’s wrist and choked out, “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Damien bent over him, huge hand locked around his throat, red burning in his eyes as he snarled, “Why are you touching my girl?”
The guy’s eyes widened. “I don’t even know who you are.”
Damien tightened his grip. “You had your hands on her.”
The guy coughed and tried to pull away. “It was a party.” Damien’s mouth hardened. “It was a mistake.”
I shoved through the people around us and grabbed Damien’s arm with both hands, my fingers digging into his sleeve. “Damien, stop. What on earth are you doing? Let him go.”
he didn’t move.
The guy kicked once, his shoes scraping hard against the floor. “Lady, please.”
I pulled harder on Damien’s arm. “You are going to kill him.”
“He touched you,” Damien said through his teeth.
“I know he touched me,” I snapped, breathing hard, staring at the side of his face. “I was standing right there.”
His jaw flexed. “He was grinding on you.”
I slid in front of him and grabbed his wrist, my hand looking tiny against him. “Look at me.” He did not. I
11:44 Thu, May 21
Chapter 67
tightened my fingers and stared up at him. “Damien, look at me.”
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His eyes cut to mine, and I stopped breathing for a second when I saw the red in them. Not enough for humans to understand what they were seeing, but enough for me. Enough to know how close he was. I threw a hand over my mouth for a second, then dropped it fast. “Oh my God. Damien, please let him go.”
He kept staring at me. His jaw flexed once more, then he finally opened his hand.
The stranger dropped forward coughing and stumbled back, rubbing his throat with one hand while staring between us like he had just walked into a nightmare. “What the hell did I even do?” he rasped.
Damien took one step toward him again, shoulders tense, but I caught his wrist so fast my nails scraped his skin. “No.” His head turned slightly toward me.
“Come outside,” I said, my voice low this time. “Now.”
I dragged him through the staring crowd and out through the front door into the freezing night air.
The cold hit my bare shoulders so hard I flinched and folded my arms over myself before spinning around to face him. “How on earth did you find me?”
He stared at me like I had asked the wrong question. I pushed my hair back with shaking fingers and stepped toward him. “I’m serious. How did you find me?”
Instead of answering, he pulled off his jacket and stepped closer. I tried to move back, but he caught my arm and wrapped the jacket around my shoulders anyway, his hands pulling the front together under my chin.
“Damien.”
His eyes searched my face. “Why were you letting him touch you like that?”
He looked away then and dragged a hand down his mouth. That was the first crack. Small, but I saw it. The anger was still there, but something uglier sat under it, something that made my chest tighten before I could stop it.
I folded my arms under his jacket and stared up at him with furrowed brows. “Why are you here?”
He reached for my hand. “Come with me.”
I pulled back instantly. “No. I’m not going anywhere with you. I am not getting in your car. I am not going back to your world.” To my shock, he nodded once.
I blinked at him. “What?”
He held my gaze. “You’re not going back.”
I just stared at him. He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “It is safer for you here.”
I frowned. “Safer here?” He nodded. “The rogues may be reckless, but they still fear exposure. Here there are cameras, private security, police, records. In our world, they move too easily. Here, I can lock this down.”
11:44 Thu, May 21
Chapter 67
:
I searched his face carefully, trying to make sense of him. “So what are you saying?”
སྙ
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He answered without hesitation. “I’m saying I am putting you somewhere they cannot reach.” I swallowed. “Where?”
“The best hotel in the city. Private booking. Private floor. Human security outside your room. My people around the building.” I stared at him for a long second. “You already planned all that?” His eyes stayed on mine. “The second I saw you.”
That landed right in the middle of my chest. I looked away first and rubbed my fingers against the sleeve of his jacket. “You still didn’t answer how you found me.”
He took my hand and started walking toward a black SUV parked by the curb.
This time, I let him. The ride was quiet at first. Damien sat beside me in the back, his hand still over mine, his thumb still for once. I watched the city lights slide across the window.
“How have you been?” I asked quietly. “Fine.” I turned and looked at him. “That was such a boring lie.” His fingers tightened around mine. “How do you want me to answer that?” “The truth.” He looked out the window for a second, then back at me. “Badly.”
My throat tightened. I looked down at our hands before I asked the next question. “How is the war?” His face went still. “Managed.” I gave him a tired look. “That sounds worse than fine.” He did not deny it. “It is not over.” I leaned back into the seat and looked away. By the time we reached the hotel, my head was pounding from everything I was trying not to feel. Damien got out first and held his hand out to me. I took it and stepped onto the pavement. The hotel rose above us all glass and stone and gold light. Two men in suits were already waiting at the entrance like they had been told exactly when we would arrive.
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11:44 Thu, May 21
