the next move
662 Words
Calla Monroe’s POV
The morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, but I hardly noticed. My world had shrunk to two things: Lucas and the overwhelming sense that he was no longer safe. Every shadow, every knock at the door, every unexpected sound made my chest tighten.
I sat at the kitchen table, pretending to eat, but my mind raced. Damian Vale. How had he found us? And why now?
Lucas was giggling, building a tower of blocks that teetered dangerously. “Look, Mommy!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands when it didn’t fall.
I forced a smile, masking my panic. “That’s amazing, baby.”
But I couldn’t focus on him. My phone buzzed—another text.
“We need to talk. Alone.”
No signature. No hint of who sent it. But I knew.
Flashback – Damian’s Possessiveness
I remembered the first time Damian’s possessive streak had truly frightened me. We had been in his penthouse, the city lights stretching endlessly beyond the windows.
“You’re mine,” he had said, his voice low, almost a growl. “Do you understand what that means?”
I had nodded, terrified and enthralled at the same time. His power, his control—it had been intoxicating.
And dangerous.
I had left because I was scared. Because I couldn’t handle the intensity.
Now, that intensity had returned, and this time I had Lucas to protect.
Damian’s Subtle Probing
By midday, Damian had made his first direct move. He didn’t appear at my door, not yet. Instead, he sent messages, sometimes hints, sometimes casual questions that were anything but casual:
“Did Lucas eat breakfast?”
“How’s the little one doing today?”
Each text made my heart leap and my stomach twist. He was careful. Calculated. Every word, every punctuation mark, a probe, a test.
I wanted to scream, to warn him off. But I couldn’t. Not yet.
Calla’s Growing Anxiety
I spent the day pacing, cleaning, making sure everything was perfect. Lucas had no idea his father was stalking him, watching from the shadows, testing his mother’s nerves.
Even the mundane became terrifying. The sound of a car horn outside made me flinch. The mail slot rattling made my heart pound. Damian’s presence was invisible but suffocating.
I remembered nights lying awake, wondering if he would ever come back. And now he was here, in some form, in my life again.
Romantic Tension
That evening, Damian finally stepped into the same building where I lived, though he didn’t enter the apartment. I caught sight of him from the window—sharp suit, commanding presence, every inch the billionaire I remembered.
My body betrayed me. Despite my fear, my heart raced. The memory of his touch, the way he had held me, the way he had looked at me with those gray eyes… it all came rushing back.
I shook my head. No. Not now. Not ever again. Lucas first.
Flashback – Tender Moments
I remembered the rare tender moments in our past relationship. Damian had a soft side, one few ever saw. Late nights in his apartment, talking quietly while the city slept. The way he held my hand as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
Those memories were a knife to my heart. I had loved him once, and a small, dangerous part of me still did.
Evening – Cliffhanger
As Lucas slept, I sank onto the couch, exhausted from the day’s tension. My phone buzzed again. Another text.
“Tomorrow. I’ll be there. Alone. And we’re going to talk about everything.”
My chest tightened. He knew something. He was coming closer, stepping into my carefully controlled world. I didn’t know if I was ready for him—or if I could protect Lucas from the storm Damian Vale was about to bring.
And yet, a small, forbidden part of me ached at the thought of seeing him again, even as fear threatened to consume me.
- Writer
