Risking It All

Chapter 13: More Than Games

Eva sat on the subway later that evening, staring blankly at the bright ads pasted across the walls. New York was buzzing with its usual energy, but inside, she felt like she was stuck in some bizarre dream she couldn’t wake up from. A dream where two ridiculously attractive brothers were vying for her attention—one emotionally intense, the other playful and carefree—and to top it off, Talia lurking around like a villain from a soap opera.

Her phone buzzed again. Another text from Natalie. Sis, you NEED to figure this out. Damien is seriously into you. Don’t mess it up.

Eva groaned and stuffed her phone back in her bag. What was she even supposed to do? The moment she thought she had a handle on things, Damien would say something that shook her to her core, or Alex would swoop in with that annoyingly charming smile and make her forget how complicated everything really was.

As the subway screeched to a halt, Eva sighed and got up. Her night had been going in circles. She needed a distraction—something to keep her mind off both Ryder brothers for a few hours. She stepped onto the platform and began making her way toward the exit, determined to shake off the heavy thoughts. She needed a break.

But just as she rounded the corner onto the street, her phone rang. It was Damien.

She hesitated, the sound of his name making her stomach flip. Answer or ignore? Her thumb hovered over the screen. With a deep breath, she pressed ‘answer.’

“Damien,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t betray the nervousness she felt.

“Eva, we need to talk.”

“I… I’m kind of out right now. Maybe tomorrow?” She could already sense where this conversation was heading, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready for it.

“I’m at your apartment,” he said, his voice low, almost pleading. “Please, can you come back? I don’t want to leave things like this.”

Her heart pounded in her chest. There was something different in his tone—he wasn’t commanding or cold like usual. He sounded raw, vulnerable, and it was that vulnerability that pulled her back.

She swallowed hard. “I’ll be there in ten.”

When Eva arrived at her apartment, she found Damien leaning against the doorway of her building, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his tailored coat. He looked up the moment he heard her footsteps, his face unreadable, but there was a tension in his posture that sent shivers down her spine.

“Damien, what are you doing here?” she asked softly as she approached.

“I didn’t want to wait.” His voice was steady, but his eyes were searching hers, like he was trying to figure out where they stood—where he stood in her life.

He followed her up the stairs to her apartment in silence, his presence looming behind her. Once they stepped inside, she turned to face him, her heart pounding in her chest. She had no idea what he was about to say, but the look in his eyes told her it wasn’t going to be something she could brush off easily.

“Eva,” he started, running a hand through his hair in frustration, “this isn’t a game to me. I’m not Alex. I can’t just joke around and pretend I’m okay with whatever this is between us.”

“I never said it was a game,” she replied, her voice trembling slightly.

“But that’s how it feels sometimes,” he continued, his tone growing more intense. “I’ve tried to keep my distance, tried to give you space, but it’s driving me insane. Every time I see you with him, it’s like a punch to the gut.”

Eva’s breath hitched. The intensity in his words was overwhelming, and she found herself frozen under his gaze.

“You don’t have to choose between us,” he went on, his voice quieter now, almost defeated. “But I can’t stand by and pretend that what I feel for you is something I can just turn off. I care about you, Eva. More than I should.”

Her throat tightened. She could feel the raw honesty in his words, and it terrified her because deep down, she knew she felt the same. But she had been too scared to admit it—to herself, let alone to him.

“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “I’m just so confused.”

Damien stepped closer, closing the distance between them. His eyes, normally so guarded, were full of something she hadn’t seen before. Desperation? Fear?

“You don’t have to say anything right now,” he said softly, reaching out to gently touch her arm. “But I need you to know that this isn’t just some fling for me. I’m not going anywhere.”

For a moment, Eva felt like she couldn’t breathe. The intensity of his presence, the sincerity in his words—it was too much. But at the same time, it was exactly what she needed to hear.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

“You won’t,” Damien replied, his hand moving to cup her cheek. “You couldn’t, even if you tried.”

Eva closed her eyes, leaning into his touch as her heart raced. She could feel the pull between them—the undeniable connection that had been building from the moment they met. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

But before either of them could say another word, there was a knock at the door. Eva’s eyes flew open, and she immediately stepped back, pulling away from Damien.

Alex.

Of course it was Alex.

She rushed to open the door, trying to steady her breathing, but the second she saw him standing there with his signature grin, her stomach flipped again.

“Hey, thought I’d drop by with some wine. You look like you could use a drink,” Alex said with his usual casual charm. Then his eyes flicked to Damien, standing in the middle of her living room, and his grin faltered slightly. “Oh. Didn’t realize you had company.”

Damien’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he looked at his brother. “What are you doing here, Alex?”

Alex raised an eyebrow, the tension in the room unmistakable. “Relax, Damien. I was just stopping by to hang out with Eva.” His voice was light, but there was an edge to it that made Eva’s pulse race.

“Maybe now’s not the best time,” Damien said, his tone low and dangerous.

“Why not?” Alex shot back, his playful demeanor slipping. “It seems like every time I try to spend time with her, you’re always here. What’s going on, Damien?”

Eva’s heart pounded in her chest as she stood between the two brothers, the weight of their rivalry pressing down on her. This was too much. She had to make a decision—something, anything—to stop this before it spiraled out of control.

But as she looked between them, the gravity of the moment hit her. These two men—both infuriating in their own ways—had become so tangled up in her life that she didn’t know how to move forward without breaking one of their hearts.

“I can’t do this,” she finally said, her voice shaking as she took a step back from both of them. “I can’t be in the middle of whatever this is. You guys need to figure it out, because I’m not going to keep playing this game.”