Sleeping with the Enemy

The Man Who Killed Him

Silence.

That's all there was after Damon's words fell between us heavy, poisonous, final. The rain outside roared louder, as if the sky itself had decided to scream for me.

I wanted to move, to speak, to breath, but i couldn't.

Every cell in my body froze, trapped in that moment.

My brother's face flashed through my mind Ethan's easy smile, his warm laugh, the way he used to promise he'd always protect me. And now, standing before me, was the man who'd shattered that promise.

I swallowed hard, my voice barely a whisper.

"You're lying".

Damon didn't flinch. "I wish i was".

"No..." I shook my head, stepping back, shaking so hard my knees nearly bucked. "You can't just say that not like that. You can't "

He closed the distance between us in a single step. "Aurora"

"Don't you dare say my name!" i snapped, the words sharp enough to draw blood. My hands were trembling, but i didn't care. "You don't get to say it. Not after this".

His jaw tightened, but he didn't defend himself. He just stood there, letting me break apart in front of him.

"Tell me what you mean", I demanded. "What did you do to Ethan?"

He ran a hand through his hair, the first sign of real emotion cracking through his perfect composure. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that. Your brother.... he found out something he shouldn't have. About Knight Enterprises. About me".

The room titled. "You killed him because he knew something?"

"No!" His voice rose, pained. "I didn't kill him, Aurora. I caused the situation that did".

"What the hell does that even mean?"

He looked at me, eyes haunted. "Your brother discovered that my company was laundering money for something powerful someone dangerous. He threatened to go public unless i helped him expose it. I told him to stay queit, to let me handle it discreetly. But Ethan didn't listen".

My nails dug into my palms. "Of course he didn't. He believed in the truth. He believed in doing what's right".

Damon nodded slowly. "And it got him killed".

Tears blurred my vision, but i refused to let them fall. "So you're saying it's his fault?"

He stepped closer again, voice low. "I'm saying i failed to protect him. The people i worked for found out. They arranged the 'accident'. I didn't know until it was too late".

A sob escaped before i could stop it. "You could have told me. You could have said something".

"I wanted to", he said, his tone raw. "But when i met you that night, i didn't even know who you were. Not until later".

I turned away, my hands covering my face. My heart was breaking, but worse it was still beating for him.

"You knew", i whispered. "And you still near me. You still touched me".

His silence was an answer.

I spun around, my voice shaking. "You used me".

"No", he said firmly, his eyes locking with mine. "I didn't plan any of this. You were the only thing in my life that wasn't a lie".

I laughed bitterly. "That's rich coming from a man who's made of nothing but lies".

He flinched but didn't argue.

Instead, he said softly, "If hating me helps you survive, then hate me. But don't pretend you don't feel what i feel when i look at you".

That did it. I slapped him.

Hard.

The sound cracked through the room, echoing like thunder. His face turned slightly with the impact, but he didn't move away. He just looked at me as if he'd been waiting for that hit.

"Get out", I said through clenched teeth. "Before i do something worse".

He hesitated. "Aurora"

"GET OUT!"

For a second, i thought he would fight me, argue, beg but instead, he nodded once and walked out queitly, the door clicking shut behind him.

And the moment it did, i fell apart.

I slid to the floor, every sob tearing something deeper inside. I didn't know if i was crying for Ethan or for the way Damon's confession had ruined whatever fragile piece of me still believed in love.

He'd taken everything from me.

My brother.

My peace.

And now, my heart.

By the next morning, i wasn't the same woman.

Aurora Steele the grieving sister was gone. In her place stood someone colder, sharper.

If Damon Knight thought his confession would break me, he was wrong. It had done something far worse. It had awakened me.

Because i finally knew what i needed to do.

I was going to make Damon pay.

Not just for Ethan's death but for every tear, every lie, every moment of weakness he'd dragged me through.

He thought love was a weapon.

Now, I was going to show him what vengeance looked like when it wore the face of a woman he couldn't stop loving.

As i stood by the window, staring at the gray sky, my reflection looked back at me haunted, yes, but alive. Determined.

And when my phone buzzed again, i didn't have to guess who it was.

Damon: I meant every word. I'm not your

enemy.

I stared at the message for a long moment, then typed back:

No, Damon. You are.

I hit send, my heart steady.

Outside, the storm was dying, but inside me, one was just beginning.