Playtime

Chapter 4

Kyra had never been one to cower. She’d built her life on the foundation of her own strength, pushing past every obstacle that came her way. But Damon Vassallo had a way of making her feel like she was walking on a razor's edge—always on the brink of losing control. Their encounter in his office had thrown her off balance, and now, even when she was alone in her apartment, she couldn’t shake the images of him from her mind. His touch. His gaze. His presence.

She had thought she could escape it. But the truth was, she couldn’t. The walls she had so carefully constructed around her heart had begun to crack, and there was only one man who could make that happen—Damon.

Kyra stood by the window, staring out into the night. The city lights twinkled beneath her, but all she could think of was him. His voice, his hands, the way he’d looked at her with that intensity, as though she were the only thing that mattered in that moment. It terrified her. But it also excited her in ways she couldn’t explain. The way he made her feel alive, as though she were standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to jump but unsure if she’d fly or fall.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, snapping her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen. A text from an unknown number.

**Unknown Number:** *I’m not done with you yet, Kyra. I won’t let you run.*

Her heart skipped a beat as she read the words, a shiver running down her spine. Her hands shook as she blocked the number, but the feeling of unease didn’t leave her.

She wasn’t safe here. She couldn’t escape him—not even in her own thoughts.

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But despite the fear that gnawed at her, a part of her couldn’t deny that she wanted more. Wanted The next morning, Kyra found herself walking through the doors of Vassallo Enterprises with the same sense of dread that had been plaguing her for days. She didn’t know why she’d agreed to come back—maybe it was because she didn’t know how to say no to Damon, or maybe it was because she was curious about what he wanted next. Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter. She was here now, and there was no turning back.

The elevator ride up to the top floor felt like an eternity. Her stomach churned, and her thoughts were a jumbled mess. She knew that every moment she spent around Damon, she was only making things more complicated. But the attraction, the pull she felt toward him—it was undeniable. And it was driving her mad.

When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and walked to her desk, trying to appear calm despite the storm raging inside her. But as soon as she sat down, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was an email from Damon, sent only moments before.

**Subject:** *We need to talk.*

Kyra’s heart skipped in her chest. She knew exactly what that meant. Without thinking, she grabbed her coat and headed for the elevator once again. She didn’t know what would happen when she walked into his office, but she knew that it was time for her to confront whatever this was between them.

As she entered his office, Damon was already seated at his desk, his eyes fixed on his computer screen. He didn’t look up as she approached, but the air around him felt charged, like a storm about to break.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked, her voice steady but betraying a hint of uncertainty.

Damon finally looked up, his gaze dark and intense. There was something in the way he looked at her—something that made her feel both powerless and alive at the same time. He gestured for her to sit.

“Sit, Kyra,” he said, his voice low and commanding. “We need to discuss our… situation.”

Her pulse quickened. She knew exactly what he meant. This was it—the moment where things would either escalate or fall apart. And for reasons she couldn’t understand, she didn’t want it to fall apart. Not yet.

She sat down across from him, trying to steady her breathing. Damon leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk as he studied her with an intensity that made her feel exposed.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said, his voice low, almost a growl. “Why?”

Kyra swallowed. “I’ve been busy. You know how it is.”

Damon’s lips curled into a half-smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t believe you,” he said, his voice a little colder now. “You’ve been avoiding me because you’re scared.”

Her heart raced. She couldn’t let him see how much he was affecting her. “I’m not scared of you,” she said, though the words felt hollow even as she said them.

He tilted his head, studying her with a mixture of amusement and something darker. “Really?” he said, his tone teasing but sharp. “Because I think you are. You’re scared of what you feel when you’re around me. Scared of what this… connection between us means.”

Kyra opened her mouth to respond, but no words came. She had been avoiding this conversation for so long, had been running from her own feelings, but Damon wasn’t going to let her escape. Not anymore.

“I don’t want to be your… project, Damon,” she said, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to stay calm. “I’m not some prize to be won.”

Damon’s expression darkened, and for a moment, Kyra thought he might lash out. But instead, he stood up, his movements slow and deliberate. He crossed the room to stand in front of her, his eyes never leaving hers.

“You’re not a project, Kyra,” he said, his voice so low it was almost a whisper. “You’re mine. Whether you like it or not.”

Kyra’s breath caught in her throat. Her heart raced as he took a step closer, his body almost touching hers. The tension between them was unbearable, and for the first time, she could feel the pull of his desire, undeniable and raw.

“I don’t belong to you,” she whispered, even as her body betrayed her, leaning slightly forward, her lips almost brushing against his.

Damon’s eyes darkened, and without warning, he reached out, his hand cupping her chin. “Then prove it,” he murmured, his voice thick with lust and challenge.

Kyra’s body responded before her mind could catch up. She couldn’t resist him. Not anymore.

Their lips met in a clash of passion, fierce and desperate. Damon kissed her as though he had been starving for this moment, and Kyra kissed him back with the same intensity. Her hands moved to his chest, her fingers trembling as they tugged at the fabric of his shirt, desperate to get closer, to feel him against her.

His hands were on her then, pulling her closer, his fingers moving down her back as he pressed her into him. The heat between them was undeniable, and Kyra felt herself losing control, the walls she had built around her crumbling with each passing second.

Damon broke the kiss, his breath ragged as he looked down at her, his eyes dark with desire. “You think you can walk away from this?” he asked, his voice rough. “You think you can keep fighting this?”

Kyra didn’t answer. She couldn’t. All she could feel was him, his presence overwhelming her, his touch setting her skin on fire. There was no turning back now. She had already fallen too far.

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