The Network

Chapter 2

ARIA

I couldn't sleep.

At 2 AM, I found myself staring at my bedroom ceiling, replaying that moment with Damien over and over. The way he'd touched my face. The way he'd looked at me like he wanted to devour me. The way my entire body had responded to him like I was still that lovesick eighteen-year-old.

This is exactly what Zoe warned you about, I thought, punching my pillow in frustration. He's a player. He probably does this with every woman he meets.

But God, the way he'd looked at me hadn't felt like a game.

I threw off my covers, deciding that sleep was pointless. Maybe some water and a reality check would help clear my head.

I crept downstairs in my sleep shorts and oversized UCLA t-shirt, my bare feet silent on the hardwood floors. The house was dark except for a dim light coming from the kitchen.

My heart sank. Someone else was awake.

I should have turned around and gone back to bed. But thirst…and if I was honest, curiosity…drove me forward.

Damien stood at the kitchen island, wearing nothing but low-slung gray sweatpants, his chest bare. He was looking at his phone, a glass of whiskey in his other hand.

I froze in the doorway, my mouth going dry. I'd seen Damien shirtless before, summers at the pool when I was younger, but this was different. He'd filled out, his shoulders broader, his abs more defined. A tattoo I'd never seen before, some kind of intricate design covered his left ribcage.

As if sensing my presence, Damien looked up. His dark eyes swept over me, lingering on my bare legs.

"Can't sleep?" His voice was rough, like he'd been drinking for a while.

"Just thirsty." I moved toward the refrigerator, hyperaware of how little I was wearing. "I'll just grab water and go."

"Running away already?" There was amusement in his tone. "I thought you said you were over your crush on me."

I spun to face him. "I am."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I'm not…" I touched my cheeks and felt the heat there. Dammit. "It's warm in here."

Damien set down his phone and moved toward me with that predatory grace. "You're a terrible liar, Aria."

"And you're drunk." I tried to sidestep him, but he placed a hand on the counter on either side of me, caging me in.

"I'm not drunk. Tipsy, maybe. But very much in control." His eyes locked on mine. "Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"In control."

My breath hitched. "Yes."

"Liar." He leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. "Your pulse is racing. You're breathing too fast. And you're gripping that counter like it's the only thing keeping you upright."

He was right. I was holding onto the counter so hard my knuckles were white.

"What do you want from me?" I whispered.

"Honestly?" Damien pulled back just enough to look into my eyes. "I have no f*****g idea. Five years ago, you were my best friend's little sister. Off limits. Forbidden. And then you looked at me with those big eyes and told me you were in love with me."

My stomach dropped. "I never said love. I said I had a crush…"

"You said you'd been in love with me since you were sixteen." His voice was soft but intense. "You said you couldn't stop thinking about me. You said you wanted me to be your first."

Oh God. I'd forgotten how much I'd said that night. The tequila had really loosened my tongue.

"I was drunk and stupid," I said, my face burning. "Can we please forget…"

"I tried." Damien's jaw tightened. "For five years, I tried to forget. But then you walk back into my life looking like this, and every reason I had for staying away from you seems f*****g pointless."

My heart hammered against my ribs. "Damien…"

"Tell me you don't feel this." His hand came up to cup my face. "Tell me I'm imagining the way you look at me. Tell me you don't want me to kiss you right now."

I should have told him exactly that. Should have pushed him away and reminded him about my brother, about his reputation, about all the reasons this was a terrible idea.

Instead, I breathed, "I can't."

Something flared in Damien's eyes…triumph, desire, maybe both. He lowered his head slowly, giving me time to stop him.

I didn't.

His lips brushed mine, soft and questioning. Then again, more firmly. And then he was really kissing me, one hand sliding into my hair, the other gripping my waist and pulling me against him.

I melted into him, my hands finding his bare chest, feeling his heart pounding as fast as mine. The kiss deepened, became hungry and desperate. Five years of wanting, of dreaming, of denying, it all poured into that kiss.

Damien lifted me onto the counter, stepping between my legs. I wrapped them around his waist, pulling him closer, not caring about anything except the way he felt, the way he tasted—

"WHAT THE f**k?"

We sprang apart like we'd been electrocuted.

Mason stood in the kitchen doorway, his face a mask of fury. Behind him, I could see my parents' bedroom light flip on.

"Mason" Damien started.

"Get away from my sister." Mason's voice was deadly quiet. "Right now."

Damien stepped back, his hands raised. "Let me explain"

"Explain?" Mason's laugh was harsh. "Explain what? That you were just mauling my little sister in our kitchen? That you've been here for less than a day and you're already pulling this s**t?"

"Mason, stop it!" I jumped down from the counter, mortification flooding through me. "It's not his fault"

"Like hell it isn't!" Mason turned his fury on me. "You've been home for six hours, Aria. Six f*****g hours, and you're already throwing yourself at him again?"

The words hit like a slap. "That's not fair"

"What's going on down here?" Dad appeared, Mom right behind him in her robe.

Perfect. Just perfect.

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just a misunderstanding…"

"I found Damien with his tongue down Aria's throat," Mason spat. "In our kitchen. While we were all asleep upstairs."

Mom's eyes widened. Dad's expression went thunderous.

"Damien," Dad said, his voice hard. "My office. Now."

"Sir…"

"NOW!"

Damien shot me one last look, apologetic? regretful? angry? before following my father down the hall.

Mom turned to me, disappointment clear on her face. "Aria, honey, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't," I whispered, tears burning my eyes. "I'm sorry."

"You should be," Mason snapped. "Do you have any idea what kind of guy he is? The women he's been with? His reputation? Jesus, Aria, I thought you were smarter than this."

"That's enough, Mason," Mom said quietly. "Aria, go to your room. We'll talk about this in the morning."

I fled, humiliation and anger warring inside me. In my room, I pressed my back against the door and tried to catch my breath.

What had I been thinking? Kissing Damien where anyone could walk in? Knowing Mason was in the house?

My phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.

Unknown: I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you. M

I stared at the message. Mason must have given Damien my new number.

Before I could respond, another text came through.

Unknown: But I'm not sorry it happened. And this isn't over. - D

My fingers trembled as I typed back.

Me: It has to be. My family..**

Damien: f**k what they think. Did you feel what I felt when we kissed?

Me: That doesn't matter. Mason will never forgive us.

Damien: Then we'll be careful. But I'm not walking away from you again, Aria. Not after five years. Not after finally knowing what you taste like.

I should have told him no. Should have been the responsible one.

Instead, I wrote: What are you saying?

Damien: I'm saying I want you. I'm saying these next six months just got a lot more interesting. I'm saying that if you want me even a fraction as much as I want you, we'll find a way.**

Me: This is crazy.

Damien: Probably. Are you brave enough to be crazy with me?

I stared at the message for a long moment, my heart pounding. Every logical part of my brain screamed that this was a terrible idea. Damien was a player. My brother would kill us both. My parents would be disappointed. There were a thousand reasons to say no.

But there was one reason to say yes: I wanted him more than I'd ever wanted anything.

Me: I must be insane.

Damien: Is that a yes?

My finger hovered over the keyboard. This was my chance to end it before it really began. To be smart. Safe.

I thought about the way Damien had kissed me. The way he'd looked at me like I was the only person in the world. The way five years of wanting had exploded into that single perfect moment.

Me: Yes.

Damien: Then get some sleep, beautiful. We have a lot to figure out tomorrow. And Aria?

Me: Yeah?**

Damien: Wear something that will drive me crazy at breakfast. I want to suffer for what I can't have in front of your family.

Despite everything, the humiliation, the fear, the uncertainty, I smiled.

Me: You're terrible.

Damien: You have no idea. Sweet dreams, baby.

I fell asleep with my phone clutched to my chest, Damien's words echoing in my mind.

Tomorrow was going to change everything.

---

ARIA

Morning came too quickly.

I dressed carefully, choosing a sundress that was perfectly appropriate yet somehow still managed to hug every curve. If Damien wanted to suffer, I was happy to oblige.

The kitchen was tense when I arrived. Dad sat at the head of the table, his newspaper raised like a shield. Mom was aggressively flipping pancakes. Mason glared at his coffee like it had personally offended him.

And Damien... Damien looked up when I entered, his eyes darkening as they swept over my dress. His jaw clenched.

Good, I thought with a small thrill of satisfaction.

"Morning," I said brightly, pouring myself coffee.

Silence.

"Okay, this is ridiculous," I said, sitting down. "Can we please address the elephant in the room?"

"There's nothing to address," Dad said without lowering his newspaper. "Damien and I had a discussion last night. It won't happen again. End of story."

I glanced at Damien. He was staring at his plate, his expression carefully neutral.

"What kind of discussion?" I asked.

"The kind where I reminded him that you're my daughter, he's a guest in my home, and if he touches you again, he'll be looking for a new place to stay." Dad finally lowered the paper, his eyes hard. "Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Damien said evenly.

But under the table, my phone buzzed.

Damien: That dress should be illegal.

I bit back a smile.

Me: You said to make you suffer.

Damien: Mission accomplished. I'm dying over here.

"Aria?" Mom's voice snapped me back to reality. "Did you hear me?"

"Sorry, what?"

"I said your father and I have decided to postpone our trip. Given the circumstances…"

"No!" I said too quickly. Everyone looked at me. "I mean, you've been planning this for months. You can't cancel because of... because of one stupid mistake."

"It wasn't a mistake," Damien said quietly.

The table went silent. Mason's coffee cup hit the saucer with a sharp clink.

"Excuse me?" Dad's voice was dangerous.

Damien looked directly at me, ignoring everyone else. "It wasn't a mistake. I wanted to kiss her. I've wanted to kiss her for five years. And I'd do it again."

"Damien…" I breathed, terrified and thrilled in equal measure.

Mason stood abruptly, his chair scraping. "That's it. You need to leave. Pack your s**t and…"

"Mason, sit down," Mom ordered. "Everyone, just calm down."

"How can I calm down when he's…"

"I said SIT DOWN!."

Mason sat, but his fists were clenched.

Mom looked between Damien and me. "Is this real? Or is this some... some physical thing that will burn out in a week?"

"Mom!" My face flamed.

"I'm serious. Because if this is just attraction, just scratching an itch, then it ends now before someone gets hurt. But if it's something real..." She trailed off, looking at Damien. "Is it real?"

Damien held my gaze. "I don't know yet. But I'd like the chance to find out."

My heart stuttered.

"Absolutely not," Mason said. "Dad, you can't seriously be considering…"

"I'm not considering anything," Dad interrupted. "But your mother has a point. These two are adults. We can't lock Aria in her room for six months."

"Watch me," Mason muttered.

"However," Dad continued, his eyes on Damien, "if you hurt my daughter, if you treat her like one of your usual conquests, there won't be a hole deep enough for you to hide in. Understood?"

"Understood," Damien said firmly.

"And there will be rules," Mom added. "No sneaking around. No lying. Everything out in the open."

"And you'll sleep in the guest house," Dad said. "Not the main house."

Damien nodded. "Fair enough."

"This is insane," Mason said, standing again. "You're all insane. He's going to break her heart, and then I'm going to break his face, and we'll all act surprised when it happens."

He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

I stared at my parents. "You're really okay with this?"

"We're not thrilled," Dad admitted. "But you're twenty-three. You're going to make your own choices. We'd rather they happen where we can see them than behind our backs."

Mom reached over and squeezed my hand. "Just be careful, sweetheart. Guard your heart."

After breakfast, I found Damien moving his things to the guest house—a small but luxurious space above the garage.

"That was intense," I said from the doorway.

He turned, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Worth it."

"Was it?" I stepped inside, nervous energy thrumming through me. "My brother hates us both now."

"He'll get over it." Damien moved closer. "Or he won't. Either way, I meant what I said. I want to explore this, Aria. Whatever this is."

"What if we crash and burn?"

"Then we crash and burn." He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "But at least we'll know. At least we won't spend another five years wondering 'what if.'"

He had a point.

"So what happens now?" I asked.

"Now..." Damien's smile turned wicked. "Now I take you on a proper date. Tonight. Dinner at Altura. Eight o'clock."

"Altura?" My eyes widened. "That place has a six-month waiting list."

"I know people." He brushed his thumb across my lower lip. "Wear something that will make every man in that restaurant wish they were me."

"Confident, aren't you?"

"When I know what I want? Always." His eyes darkened. "And I want you, Aria Montgomery. All of you."

Before I could respond, my phone rang. Zoe's name flashed on the screen.

I answered. "Hey…"

"Are you INSANE?" Zoe's voice was shrill. "Mason just called me. He said you and Damien…that your parents are LETTING you…Aria, what are you thinking?"

"Zoe…"

"He's going to destroy you! I told you he was bad news! I told you…"

"Why do you hate him so much?" I interrupted. "You've been weird about Damien since I got home. What happened?"

Silence on the other end.

"Zoe?"

"Nothing happened," she said finally. "I just know his type, okay? Players like him don't change. He'll charm you, sleep with you, and move on to the next girl. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Maybe you're wrong about him."

"And maybe you're too blinded by nostalgia and great abs to see the truth." Zoe sighed. "Look, I love you. I just want you to be careful."

After I hung up, Damien was watching me with an unreadable expression.

"Your friend really doesn't like me," he said.

"Can you blame her? You do have a reputation."

"Had," he corrected. "Past tense. Whatever Zoe's heard, whatever she thinks she knows—it's not the whole story."

"Then tell me the whole story."

Damien's jaw tightened. "Not yet. I need you to trust me first."

"That's not how trust works…"

"Aria." He cupped my face. "Give me time. Let me show you that I'm not who everyone thinks I am. Let me prove that this… us … is worth taking a chance on."

I searched his eyes, looking for any sign of deception. But all I saw was sincerity and something deeper. Something that looked almost like desperation.

"Okay," I whispered. "But Damien? If you hurt me, Mason won't be the only one you have to worry about. I'll destroy you myself."

He smiled, but there was sadness in it. "If I hurt you, baby, I'll hand you the knife."

He kissed me then, soft and sweet and full of promise. And I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't end in disaster.

I should have known better.

Because three hours later, everything I thought I knew about Damien Cross would shatter into a million pieces.

And it would start with a knock on the door and a woman's voice saying, "Where's Damien? His fiancée is here to see him."