CHAPTER 10 — Irreplaceable
298 Words
Damien Vale had spent years learning one important lesson.
Everyone had a weakness.
Every person.
Every enemy.
Every ally.
Everyone could be controlled.
Everyone could be bought.
Everyone could be threatened.
Until Ava Hart.
She didn’t want his money.
She didn’t fear his name.
She didn’t even fear him.
And that made her dangerous.
He watched her from across the empty hallway.
A teacher.
A survivor.
A woman carrying scars no one could see.
He should have stayed away.
Instead, he found himself wanting to know every part of her.
The parts she hid.
The parts she hated.
The parts she thought made her unworthy.
That was the problem.
Damien didn’t want to destroy her.
He wanted to protect her.
And that was worse.
Because protection had always been the beginning of possession for men like him.
Ava stopped in front of him.
“You’re staring.”
“I know.”
“You’re not even going to deny it?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You’re impossible.”
A small smile.
“So I’ve been told.”
The moment softened.
Until she asked:
“What happens when your enemies find me?”
His expression changed.
The darkness returned.
“They won’t.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“I can.”
“And if they do?”
He looked at her.
Really looked at her.
“Then they will learn the most important lesson.”
“What lesson?”
His voice dropped.
“That hurting you means starting a war with me.”
Ava should have walked away.
But she didn’t.
Because for the first time, she wondered something terrifying.
Maybe Damien Vale wasn’t the only dangerous one.
Maybe she was becoming the only thing he couldn’t live without.
And that scared them both.
- Writer
