The Devil’s Bargain
1044 Words
Chapter 7 — The Devil’s Bargain
(Dual POV — Aria & Damian)
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Aria’s POV
My lungs locked as Victor Hale’s shadow fell over me.
The elevator doors closed behind him with a soft hiss, trapping us both in the narrow hallway.
Up close, he was nothing like I expected.
Damian was danger wrapped in elegance; Victor was chaos wrapped in charm. His icy blue eyes held the kind of calm you only saw in predators before they struck.
“Leaving without saying goodbye?” he murmured, leaning against the wall like he owned the place.
I forced myself to stand tall, even though my heart was hammering so hard I thought he could hear it. “What do you want?”
He smiled faintly, tilting his head. “Straight to business. I like that about you.”
I swallowed hard, stepping backward instinctively. “If Damian finds you here—”
“Damian,” he cut in, his voice smooth as silk, “is the reason I’m here.”
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My throat went dry.
He stepped closer, close enough that I caught a faint whiff of his cologne — dark, expensive, intoxicating.
Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my legs stayed rooted.
“You’re making a mistake,” I said, trying to sound braver than I felt.
Victor’s smile sharpened. “No, Aria. Damian is the mistake. You… you’re an opportunity.”
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Damian’s POV
“Where the hell is she?” I barked, slamming my palm against the desk.
Cole flinched slightly but stood his ground. “She’s not in the bedroom, boss. We’ve checked the balcony, the spa, the upper floors—she’s gone.”
Gone.
I clenched my jaw, forcing down the surge of panic clawing up my throat.
I turned toward the security feeds, scanning every camera angle in seconds. And then I froze.
Bottom right corner. Lobby cam.
Sofia.
And Victor Hale.
I didn’t remember moving, but suddenly my phone was in my hand, my voice low and lethal:
“Lock down the elevators. No one leaves this building alive without my say.”
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Aria’s POV
Victor circled me slowly, like a wolf studying prey.
“You don’t belong here, Aria,” he said softly. “You’re smarter than Damian gives you credit for.”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“Oh, but I do.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I know why you became a lawyer. I know who killed your father. I even know what Damian’s been hiding from you.”
My breath caught. “What?”
Victor smiled — cold, knowing. “Didn’t he tell you? That little evidence stash he’s guarding so carefully? It’s not about me. It’s about you.”
The words sliced through me like glass.
“You’re lying,” I whispered.
“Am I?” He leaned closer, his lips almost brushing my ear. “Ask him about the night your father died. Ask him where he was.”
I stumbled back, shaking my head violently. “No. No, that’s—Damian wouldn’t—”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Victor said softly, mockingly. “Damian Blackwood would burn the world if it kept his secrets buried.”
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The elevator chimed softly behind Victor, breaking the tension — and then the doors opened.
Damian stepped out.
And I had never seen him look so lethal.
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Damian’s POV
Victor smiled when he saw me, like this was some casual reunion between old friends instead of a blood feud.
“Damian,” he drawled, spreading his arms. “You’re looking well.”
“Move away from her,” I said, my voice low and sharp.
“Relax,” Victor replied lazily. “We were just… talking.”
“Victor.” I took a slow step forward, every muscle coiled tight. “You have five seconds before I put a bullet in your skull.”
He chuckled softly. “Always so dramatic. I came to offer you a deal.”
I laughed without humor. “The last deal you offered me ended with three of my men in body bags.”
“That was business,” Victor said, unbothered. “This is personal.”
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Aria’s POV
I stood frozen between them, my gaze darting from one man to the other. The tension was suffocating, thick enough to choke on.
“What do you want, Victor?” I demanded, my voice shaky but loud enough to cut through their standoff.
He turned to me, his eyes glittering. “I want the drive.”
“What drive?” I asked, confused.
Damian’s jaw tightened instantly. Victor caught it — and smiled like a predator who’d found weakness.
“The one your boyfriend’s hiding from you,” Victor said softly. “The one that proves who really killed your father.”
I felt the ground tilt beneath me.
I turned to Damian, searching his face for denial.
For anything.
But he said nothing.
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Damian’s POV
Her eyes locked on mine, full of questions I couldn’t answer. Not now. Not here.
Victor saw it — and pounced.
“You didn’t think she’d find out like this, did you? Poor Damian, always cleaning up everyone’s messes. Including hers.”
“Shut up,” I growled.
But the damage was done.
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“Aria,” I said, forcing my voice calm, “I’ll explain everything later. Just… go back inside.”
“No.” Her voice trembled, but her gaze was unflinching. “Did you know? Did you know about my father?”
My silence was answer enough.
Her breath hitched. Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
She turned away from me — straight toward Victor.
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Cliffhanger Ending
Victor extended his hand, palm up, his voice velvet-smooth:
“Come with me, Aria. Let me tell you the truth he never will.”
I took a step forward.
I didn’t mean to.
My body moved before my brain did.
Damian cursed under his breath, his gun already in his hand.
But before anyone could move again, the lights in the entire penthouse flickered — and went out.
Total darkness.
Then, a single gunshot shattered the silence.
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End of Chapter 7 ✅
- Writer
