chapter 54
683 Words
CHAPTER 54
ANGELA
I couldn't stop staring at Damian.
He was still standing in my living room, watching me with that quiet intensity that always made it difficult to hide anything from him.
“You don't have to face it alone anymore.”
His words stayed in my head.
I looked away.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For coming.”
He smiled faintly.
“I told you. I wanted to see you.”
I nodded.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then his eyes moved around the apartment.
“Where's Benedicta?”
“She went home.”
“Did something happen between you two?”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“You seem upset.”
I hesitated.
“We had a small argument.”
“About?”
“Nothing important.”
He studied me.
“You're doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Keeping things to yourself.”
I sighed.
“It's complicated.”
“I can handle complicated.”
I almost laughed.
“You say that like nothing can surprise you.”
“Very little does.”
I looked at him for a moment.
There was something about Damian's confidence that was both comforting and frustrating.
He always seemed certain.
I was the opposite.
I was questioning everything.
My job.
The threat.
My decision.
And now him.
“You should sit,” I said.
He followed me to the couch.
I sat at the other end, leaving a small distance between us.
He noticed.
He didn't comment.
Instead, he leaned back and looked at me.
“Have you eaten?”
“No.”
His eyebrows pulled together.
“Angela.”
“I wasn't hungry.”
“You've been doing that a lot lately.”
“Doing what?”
“Not taking care of yourself.”
I looked down.
“I've just had a lot on my mind.”
“I know.”
He reached for my hand.
I hesitated before letting him take it.
His fingers closed around mine.
Warm.
Steady.
I immediately felt that familiar sense of safety.
And immediately, guilt followed.
I pulled my hand away.
Damian noticed.
His expression changed.
“Did I do something?”
“No.”
“Then why did you pull away?”
“I don't know.”
He stared at me.
I swallowed.
“I'm just tired.”
He was quiet for a moment.
Then he stood.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“You're eating.”
I looked at him.
“Damian, I don't want to go anywhere.”
“Then we'll stay here.”
He picked up his phone.
“I'll have something brought over.”
“You don't have to.”
“I know.”
He made the call anyway.
I watched him.
This was exactly the problem.
He kept doing things for me without expecting anything in return.
And I kept accepting them while knowing there was something I wasn't telling him.
When he ended the call, he sat beside me again.
This time, he didn't reach for my hand.
He simply sat there.
“Angela.”
“Hmm?”
“You don't have to tell me what's wrong tonight.”
I looked at him.
“But I need you to trust me.”
My chest tightened.
“I do.”
He held my gaze.
“Then let me be there for you.”
I wanted to tell him everything.
I wanted to tell him about the man.
The photographs.
The documents.
The warning.
The fear.
But the words wouldn't come.
Not yet.
“I'll try,” I whispered.
He nodded.
“That’s enough.”
Then someone knocked on the door.
I froze.
Damian immediately noticed.
His entire expression changed.
He looked toward the door.
Then back at me.
“Who are you expecting?”
“No one.”
The knock came again.
Three slow knocks.
Damian stood.
“Stay here.”
I watched him walk toward the door.
And for the first time since the threats began...
I wasn't the only one standing between myself and whoever was outside.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD