Risking It All

Chapter 14: Love and Loopholes

Eva couldn’t remember how she’d managed to get both Ryder brothers out of her apartment that night, but when the door finally closed behind Alex, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

What the hell was she doing?

She sank onto the couch, pulling her knees to her chest as she tried to process everything. Damien’s words echoed in her mind—“I’m not going anywhere.” There was something terrifyingly permanent about that. It wasn’t just a passing interest for him. He had staked a claim, and now she had to figure out what the hell she wanted.

Her phone buzzed again. She groaned, half expecting another text from Natalie. But it wasn’t Natalie. It was Alex.

Alex: Sorry about tonight. Wine on me? Tomorrow night?

She stared at the screen for a long moment. It wasn’t a terrible idea. A lighthearted evening might take her mind off Damien's confession and the tension between them. And besides, Alex had a way of making her laugh, even when she wanted to scream.

But then there was Damien. And how, despite the way Alex made her laugh, Damien made her feel everything. A laugh was a momentary distraction. Damien felt like a storm she wanted to dive into, no matter the consequences.

Her heart thudded in her chest as she typed out a reply.

Eva: Let me think about it.

It was a non-answer, but it was the best she could muster. She tossed her phone aside and buried her face in her hands. What had started as a whirlwind job opportunity had become this chaotic love triangle she had no idea how to navigate.

The next morning, the familiar sounds of Manhattan rumbled outside her apartment—cars honking, people rushing, the city in full swing. Eva, however, was far from in sync with the city’s pace. Her mind was still racing as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

She sipped the bitter drink and stared out the window, her thoughts still tangled between the two brothers. When her phone rang, the sound jolted her, sending a splash of coffee onto her pajama pants.

“Ugh!” She cursed under her breath, wiping the spill before glancing at the caller ID.

It was Natalie.

Eva groaned. Of course it was. But this time, she couldn’t avoid it. She knew what was coming, and she braced herself.

“Hey, sis,” Eva answered, forcing as much cheer into her voice as she could muster.

“Don’t ‘hey, sis’ me. We need to talk.” Natalie’s voice was stern and direct, as usual. No surprise there.

Eva sighed and set her mug down. “Is this about Damien and Alex?”

“Oh, now you get it?” Natalie’s sarcasm came through loud and clear. “Eva, you’ve got to make a decision. You can’t keep stringing them along.”

“I’m not stringing anyone along!” Eva protested. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”

“But now you’re in the middle of it, and trust me, if you don’t make a choice soon, it’s going to blow up in your face.” Natalie paused for a second before lowering her voice. “Look, I get it. They’re both great. But one of them—Damien—he’s not just playing around. You know that, right?”

Eva sighed, sinking back onto her couch. “I know, Natalie. Believe me, I know. But it’s not that simple. I don’t know how I feel. Alex is fun and easygoing, and with Damien… it’s just so intense.”

“And that’s exactly the problem. Damien isn’t going to wait around while you figure out your feelings. He’s too… him.” Natalie let out a small laugh. “He’ll respect you, but he’s not the type to let things stay unresolved.”

Eva ran a hand through her tangled hair. “You sound like you’ve been through this before.”

Natalie was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was softer. “I’ve seen people like Damien. Men who know what they want and don’t waste time. But Eva, you’re not someone who should be stuck in limbo.”

Eva’s stomach twisted. “I don’t want to hurt either of them.”

“You’re going to have to make a choice eventually,” Natalie said firmly. “And when you do, be ready for the fallout. It’s not going to be easy.”

That evening, Eva found herself back at work, scrolling through manuscripts at her desk. But her thoughts weren’t on the latest submissions or on the authors she was supposed to be reviewing. They were stuck on the brothers, her head spinning with memories of Damien’s confession and Alex’s carefree charm.

Suddenly, a knock on the doorframe pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Damien standing there, his dark eyes locked on her.

“Damien,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart immediately started racing, the familiar tension settling over her like a thick cloud.

“I need to see you,” he said quietly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. His presence filled the small office, making the air feel impossibly thick. “We can’t keep pretending like this is nothing.”

Eva swallowed hard, her fingers gripping the edge of her desk. “Damien, I don’t—”

“Don’t tell me you don’t feel it too,” he interrupted, his voice low and insistent. “You know there’s something between us. It’s been there from the start.”

She shook her head, trying to hold on to the fragile threads of logic. “This isn’t that simple. There’s Alex, and you… you’re my boss. We can’t just—”

“I’m not asking you to jump into something blindly,” Damien said, stepping closer. “But you need to be honest with yourself. Is it him you want, or is it me?”

Her breath hitched as his gaze bore into hers. Damien was always so composed, so in control, but here he was, practically begging her for an answer. And that vulnerability made her knees weak.

“I don’t know,” she whispered, feeling her heart tug in two directions. “I don’t know what I want.”

Damien’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, the room was silent, save for the faint hum of the city outside. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet, almost resigned.

“I don’t want to rush you, Eva,” he said, his tone softening. “But I need to know. Because this—whatever this is between us—it’s real for me. And I’m not going to wait around forever.”

Her heart clenched at his words, the weight of the decision pressing down on her.

“I’ll figure it out,” she said softly, her voice barely audible.

Damien took a step back, his eyes never leaving hers. “I hope you do. Because if you don’t, someone else will.”

And with that, he turned and walked out, leaving her standing there, torn between the intensity of what she felt for Damien and the lightness she shared with Alex.

Eva sank into her chair, her hands shaking. The truth was staring her in the face, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to confront it yet.