The car door shut with a heavy thud, sealing us in Damien's world.
The smell of leather and rain surrounded me, the silence thick enough to choke on.
Damien slid in beside me, water dripping from his hair, his black shirt clinging to the hard lines of his chest. "You're mine now."
It wasn't a statement—it was a verdict.
I scoffed, staring out the window at the blurred lights of the island road. "So you keep saying."
His hand moved to my chin, forcing me to face him. "Not just saying, Elena. Proving."
The car surged forward, Lucas driving us up the narrow cliffside road toward the villa. Outside, waves smashed against rocks, echoing like distant thunder. Inside, Damien's eyes were on me like I was the only thing worth watching.
"You're still thinking about him," he said suddenly, voice low and edged.
"I'm thinking about how insane my life's become. It's not like I was so very in love with Adrian and you tore me away from him or something."
"Don't lie to me, sweetheart."
I glared at him. "You dragged me into this."
"And I'll drag you out of it… alive."
The way he said alive sent a shiver crawling down my spine.
⸻
The villa was like something out of a fever dream—glass walls, endless ocean view, candlelight flickering in crystal holders. The moment we stepped inside, two staff members appeared to take our soaked coats. Damien waved them off, keeping his eyes on me.
"Go upstairs. I'll be there in five minutes."
The tone left no room for questions, but I still asked, "Why?"
"Because I need to make sure no one's followed us here."
I started toward the grand staircase, but halfway up, I froze.
There it was—sitting neatly on the marble floor at the top step.
A white box. No note. No wrapping.
The air in the villa seemed to thin.
"Damien," I called down, my voice tight.
He was up the stairs in seconds, stepping in front of me before I could touch it. He knelt, flipped the lid open.
Inside… was a single black velvet ring box.
He opened it.
A diamond engagement ring. Not from Damien. I knew it instantly.
It was Adrain's —my father had shown me the exact design when bragging about the arrangement years ago.
There was also a slip of paper. Damien read it silently, jaw tightening, then crushed it in his fist.
"What did it say?" I demanded.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
"Damien—"
He grabbed my face, eyes blazing. "It said, 'The wedding hasn't changed anything. She's still mine. And will always be."
My stomach dropped. "He's here?"
"He's close." Damien stood, already pulling out his phone. "Lucas, lock the place down. No one in or out."
I felt my pulse in my throat. "You said this island was private."
"It is," he bit out. "But apparently Adrain doesn't care about rules."
⸻
Five minutes later, Damien had me in the bedroom—massive glass wall looking out over the black sea. He closed the curtains in one rough movement.
"You're not leaving this room until I say so."
I crossed my arms. "You think locking me up makes me safe?"
"No, Elena," he said, stepping closer until his chest brushed mine. "I make you safe."
I hated how my breath caught. How the danger in his voice lit something in my blood.
He tilted my chin up. "I'm not letting Adrian—or anyone—touch what's mine. If I have to burn the whole damn island to keep you here, I will."
Before I could speak, the glass behind us cracked.
A sharp, clean sound.
We spun toward the window. A small hole had appeared in the center of the glass, spiderweb lines splintering outward.
Damien yanked me down to the floor.
"Stay down!" he barked.
"Was that fuck—?"
"Rifle shot," he said, already pulling a gun from under his jacket. "And he just made the biggest mistake of his life."
He was out the door before I could stop him.
I stayed frozen, the echo of the shot still ringing in my ears, my heart hammering so hard it hurt.
From somewhere outside, Damien's voice roared into the night—pure fury, pure possession.
"You think you can touch her? Come and try, Vale! I'll fucking end you myself!"
And just like that, I knew—this wasn't going to end in a courtroom or with a deal.
This was war.