Chapter 8 Damien's Mood Soured
857 Words
Raine followed Damien back to the car, her heart a knot of unease.
She couldn't stop replaying Vivian's words in her head, wondering just how much of it Damien had taken to heart.
What worried her most was...
"Impressive," Damien said, his voice low and laced with irritation. "You managed to stir up trouble just shopping for clothes."
His expression was unreadable, but the absence of his usual teasing tone didn't escape her."
Raine bit her lip. The last thing she wanted was to make Damien angry. It could only spell trouble for her.
She took the initiative to apologize. "I'm sorry, Mr. Voss."
But Damien didn't even look at her, instead issuing an order to the driver. "Take us home."
"The atmosphere inside the car grew stifling. Raine shifted uncomfortably in her seat, searching for a way to diffuse the tension. Her gaze landed on the shopping bags beside her, and she tried to lighten the mood.
"I haven't changed into my new clothes yet," she ventured."
Damien's cold eyes flicked toward her. "Oh?"
"Then change here," he said, his tone laced with malicious amusement as he watched her, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"Here?" Raine asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Right here? In front of him? With the driver just feet away?
Damien didn't bother answering. Instead, he leaned back, his gaze steady and unflinching, as though daring her to defy him.
Raine met his eyes, her chin tilting slightly. She knew he was doing this to humiliate her, but her pride wouldn't allow her to beg.
Without another word, she began to remove her jacket, complying with his demand.
After all, she wouldn't let her choices endanger someone she cared about.
Damien's brows lifted slightly, for he was surprised by her quick compliance. She didn't even attempt to plead for leniency.
'So, she's willing to sacrifice her dignity for that boyfriend of hers?' he thought, watching her carefully.
As Raine moved to unbutton her blouse, Damien reached for a switch beside him. A sleek, black partition slid down, separating the backseat from the driver's view.
Raine unzipped her dress until she was left in nothing but the thin layers beneath, her movements steady, almost defiant. Damien leaned back, his sharp eyes scanning her figure, unapologetically taking in every detail.
Her long hair cascaded down her back, framing smooth, radiant skin. The curve of her neckline, the soft swell of her chest, the perfect balance of elegance and allure. She was the kind of beauty that could make a man forget himself.
Damien's breath deepened as his eyes followed her every movement. Even the way she adjusted her hair or reached for the new dress in the bag felt maddeningly enticing, stirring something primal within him.
The air between them thickened, charged with a tension neither acknowledged aloud.
"Raine could feel his eyes on her, but she tried to ignore him, focusing on slipping into the new outfit.
Just as she finished, a shadow loomed over her."
Startled, she turned, only to find herself cornered as Damien pressed her against the backseat.
"Mr. Voss—" she stammered, his hand already firm around her waist, his other tilting her chin upward.
She froze at the hunger burning in his eyes, his proximity sending her pulse racing. "Mr. Voss, our contract didn't include... this," she managed, her voice trembling.
"True," he said, his tone dripping with menace. "But I have the final say on the terms, don't I?" Damien's lips curved into a dark smile.
"Or is it because of your boyfriend?" His gaze narrowed, the heat in his eyes bordering on dangerous.
"Are you going to tell me, or should I force it out of you?"
Raine's stomach twisted, but she forced herself to stay calm. "I don't have a boyfriend," she said evenly, meeting his gaze. "We broke up."
'He can't know about him,' she thought desperately.
Damien's eyes searched hers, his expression unreadable. "No boyfriend, huh?" he said, his tone skeptical, his face leaning closer.
Raine's breath hitched. His cool cologne and warm breath clouded her senses, the air around them thick with tension.
"No," she insisted, her voice barely above a whisper, her lips pressed tightly together.
"Then you don't mind, do you?" Damien said, his voice low as he tilted his head toward her lips.
Instinctively, Raine shut her eyes tight, bracing herself.
Her expression of quiet resignation—an image of vulnerable defiance cloaked in self-sacrifice—stopped him cold. With a low sigh, he ran his thumb across her lips, tracing their softness.
Damien's gaze lingered, his finger tracing the curve of her mouth as though debating whether to cross the line. His breathing slowed, and the fire in his eyes dimmed ever so slightly. After a moment, he pulled back, his expression cooling.
"How dull," he muttered, retreating to his seat.
"Whether or not you have a boyfriend, I don't care. But while this contract lasts, you are my wife," he said, his voice firm.
"Don't make me regret this arrangement."
With that, the car rolled to a stop. Damien stepped out, leaving Raine behind.
- Writer
