Tempting the Untouchable

CH 14 A Claim in the Spotlight

By late afternoon, Damien was restless. I could see it in the way he paced his office, phone pressed to his ear, voice dropping to that low, dangerous tone that meant things weren’t going his way.

Then he hung up, eyes sharp. “We’re going out.”

I blinked. “Where?”

“A charity gala at the Grand Regent. Last-minute invite. And before you ask — yes, it’s necessary.”

I frowned. “Necessary for what?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he walked over, lifting my chin so my eyes met his. “You’re coming with me, Elara. And everyone there will know exactly who you are to me.”

The words sent a rush of heat and unease through me.

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An hour later, I was in a floor-length black gown Damien had sent for, the fabric hugging my curves like it was made for me. He stood beside me in a black tuxedo, his presence overwhelming.

The moment we stepped into the Grand Regent’s glittering ballroom, conversations paused. Heads turned. The city’s elite — investors, socialites, power brokers — watched us like we were the evening’s main attraction.

Damien’s hand settled at the small of my back, steady and sure. “Smile,” he murmured. “Let them see you.”

I tried to focus on the chandeliers, the clinking glasses, the faint hum of the string quartet. But it was impossible to ignore the way people looked at us — or the way Damien’s touch never left me.

Halfway through the evening, I spotted him — Mason. Standing at the far side of the room, holding a glass of champagne like he owned the air around him.

Damien saw him too. Without a word, he tightened his hold and leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. “Now he knows.”

Before I could ask what he meant, Damien did something that made the room still — he took my hand, brought it to his lips, and pressed a kiss there. Not rushed, not polite. Intentional.

Mason’s smirk faltered.

“Why did you do that?” I whispered when Damien straightened.

His gaze burned into mine. “Because in my world, a move like that says one thing — untouchable.”