Chapter 24: Skylar
1957 Words
If someone had told him a year ago that he would wake up every morning wrapped in Damien’s arms…
He would have laughed.
If someone had told him that the man he had once run away from would become the safest place he had ever known…
He would have called them delusional.
Yet here he was.
Two months had passed since that embarrassing kiss that had sent him fleeing to his father’s estate.
Two wonderful months.
Peaceful.
Warm.
Happy.
His mornings began with Damien kissing his forehead before either of them even opened their eyes.
Breakfast had become their favourite ritual.
Damien no longer sat across the table.
He insisted on sitting beside him.
Sometimes so close their shoulders touched.
Sometimes he would quietly steal pieces of toast from Skylar’s plate.
Sometimes he would lace their fingers together beneath the table as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
Skylar always pretended to complain.
“You have your own plate.”
“I know.”
“So why are you eating mine?”
“It tastes better.”
“It is literally the same breakfast.”
Damien would smile.
“Not when it’s yours.”
Skylar never knew how to answer things like that.
He usually turned pink.
Then Damien would kiss his temple just to make him blush even harder.
It had become routine.
Their evenings were just as wonderful.
Skylar would spend hours in Damien’s office while Damien worked.
He would sit curled up on the sofa writing new recipes while Damien signed contracts.
Sometimes neither of them spoke.
Sometimes they spoke for hours.
Sometimes Damien simply reached over to squeeze his hand.
No reason.
Just because he wanted to.
Skylar had grown to love those quiet moments.
They felt…
Like home.
⸻
That afternoon the café closed earlier than usual.
The rain had started before sunset.
By the time Skylar climbed into the car with Andy, the sky looked almost black.
Rain hammered against the windscreen so hard it blurred the road ahead.
Andy frowned.
“We should drive carefully.”
Skylar nodded.
A loud bang echoed beneath the car.
The vehicle lurched.
Andy slowly guided it to the roadside.
“…Tyre.”
Skylar sighed.
“Of course.”
⸻
The rain became even heavier.
Andy stepped outside immediately.
“I’ll change it.”
Skylar reached for the door handle.
“I’ll help.”
“No.”
Andy looked horrified.
“Please stay inside.”
“I can hand you the tools.”
“I don’t need help.”
“You do.”
“Master Sky—”
“I’m already out.”
Within seconds both of them were soaked.
Rain streamed down Skylar’s hair.
His jumper clung to his skin.
His trainers squelched with every step.
Andy kept trying to shield him.
“Please go back into the car.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’ll catch cold.”
“I’m helping.”
“I’ll call another vehicle.”
“No.”
Skylar smiled.
“We’ve got a spare tyre.”
“It’ll take five minutes.”
“We’ll be home before you know it.”
Andy sighed in defeat.
There was no arguing with Skylar once he had decided to help.
⸻
Nearly forty minutes later…
They finally arrived home.
Skylar was dripping water across the marble entrance steps.
He glanced outside.
Damien’s car was already parked.
“…Oh.”
Andy followed his gaze.
“…We’re in trouble.”
Skylar whispered, “Maybe he’ll already be upstairs.”
Both men exchanged nervous looks.
Then, like two guilty children, they tiptoed inside.
One step.
Two steps.
Three—
“Sky.”
The deep voice stopped both of them instantly.
Skylar slowly lifted his head.
Damien sat in the foyer.
Perfectly still.
One ankle resting across the other knee.
His hands folded calmly.
Far too calmly.
His grey eyes landed on Skylar.
Then on Andy.
Then back to Skylar.
His expression didn’t change.
Which somehow made it worse.
Damien stood.
His voice remained frighteningly quiet.
“Explain.”
Skylar opened his mouth.
“The—”
Damien looked at Andy instead.
“What happened?”
Andy straightened immediately.
“Sir—”
“What happened?”
“The tyre burst.”
“And?”
“I changed it.”
“And why…”
Damien’s voice sharpened.
“…is my husband soaked to the skin?”
Silence.
“He insisted on helping—”
“You allowed him?”
Andy swallowed.
“I tried to stop him.”
“You should have tried harder.”
The room became painfully silent.
Everyone in the foyer had frozen.
Even the household staff had quietly disappeared.
Damien took one slow step forward.
His eyes had changed.
Skylar had always been afraid of Damien’s grey eyes.
But these…
These were different.
Cold.
Controlled.
Dangerously calm.
“Is your responsibility to protect him…”
Another step.
“…or to let him stand in the rain until he gets sick?”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“Sorry?”
Damien’s jaw tightened.
“If he develops a fever tonight…”
Another pause.
“…what exactly does your apology accomplish?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I trusted you.”
“I’m—”
“I gave you one responsibility.”
His voice remained low.
“One.”
Andy looked genuinely frightened.
Skylar had never seen the man look like this.
Not once.
Damien wasn’t shouting.
He didn’t need to.
Every word landed like a blade.
“I should remove you from this assignment.”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“I should remove you permanently.”
Skylar felt something tighten painfully in his chest.
Andy looked terrified.
Damien looked furious.
Without thinking…
Skylar reached out.
His trembling fingers wrapped gently around Damien’s hand.
He squeezed.
Very softly.
Damien stopped speaking.
The entire room seemed to pause.
Skylar barely managed to whisper.
“…Please.”
Damien looked down at their joined hands.
Then slowly looked back at Skylar.
The fear in Skylar’s eyes was obvious.
Not fear of punishment.
Fear of Damien’s anger.
Damien exhaled slowly.
His shoulders relaxed a fraction.
He closed his eyes briefly.
Then spoke.
“Andy.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re dismissed for the evening.”
“Yes, sir.”
Andy didn’t wait another second.
He practically disappeared.
⸻
Skylar hurried upstairs to shower.
Warm water washed away the rain.
But not the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.
Damien had been…
Terrifying.
Not because he had shouted.
Because he hadn’t.
The quiet anger had been far worse.
⸻
When Skylar stepped into their bedroom…
It was empty.
He frowned.
The office.
Of course.
⸻
He walked downstairs slowly.
Each step made him more nervous.
He knocked gently.
“Come in.”
Damien’s voice was firm.
Skylar pushed the door open.
Damien sat behind his desk.
Papers untouched.
He hadn’t done a single piece of work.
He had simply been sitting there.
Thinking.
Skylar stepped inside quietly.
“…Hi.”
Damien looked up.
His face softened for half a second.
Then concern returned immediately.
“Come here.”
Skylar obeyed.
He stopped beside the desk.
Damien stood.
“What happened?”
Skylar blinked.
“The tyre burst.”
“I know.”
“I wanted to help.”
“Why?”
Skylar frowned.
“…Because Andy couldn’t change it alone.”
“That isn’t your job.”
“I just—”
“You should have stayed inside the vehicle.”
“I didn’t want him doing everything himself.”
Damien rubbed a hand over his face.
“You were standing in freezing rain.”
“It wasn’t that cold.”
“It was pouring.”
“I know.”
“You could get pneumonia.”
Skylar tried to smile.
“I won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
His voice rose slightly.
“You are not supposed to be changing tyres on dark roads!”
“I was only helping.”
“You are supposed to let the people assigned to protect you do their jobs.”
Skylar lowered his head.
“I know.”
“You don’t.”
Damien stepped closer.
“You don’t understand what it does to me.”
“What if another car hadn’t seen you?”
“What if someone had recognised you?”
“What if you slipped?”
“What if—”
“I didn’t think—”
“I know you didn’t.”
His voice became firmer again.
“And that’s exactly why I’m frightened.”
Skylar flinched.
Frightened?
He looked up.
Damien’s eyes weren’t angry anymore.
They were terrified.
“I cannot lose you.”
The words came out almost broken.
“You are everything to me.”
“I walked into this house and saw you drenched.”
“My heart stopped.”
Skylar’s eyes filled instantly.
“I…”
“You matter more than anything.”
“I don’t care about the tyre.”
“I don’t care about the car.”
“I care about you.”
His voice cracked ever so slightly.
“You.”
Tears rolled down Skylar’s cheeks.
Damien noticed immediately.
“Oh…”
His expression changed completely.
“Oh, baby.”
He hurried forward.
“I’m sorry.”
Skylar wiped his eyes.
“You were yelling.”
“I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You scared me.”
The confession came out so quietly Damien almost missed it.
Immediately, Damien cupped his face with unbelievable gentleness.
“I wasn’t angry with you.”
Skylar sniffled.
“It felt like it.”
“I was frightened.”
Damien rested his forehead against Skylar’s.
“The thought of something happening to you…”
His eyes closed.
“I don’t handle it well.”
Skylar cried harder.
“I’m sorry.”
“No.”
Damien kissed his forehead.
“You have nothing to apologise for.”
“I shouldn’t have spoken so harshly.”
“I just…”
He laughed weakly.
“I love you so much that common sense leaves my body whenever you’re in danger.”
Skylar let out a tiny watery laugh.
“You were terrifying.”
“I know.”
“You frightened Andy.”
“I know.”
“You frightened me.”
“I know.”
Another kiss landed against his forehead.
“I’m sorry.”
⸻
That night…
Skylar curled against Damien beneath the blankets.
Neither of them wanted much conversation anymore.
Damien simply held him.
One hand slowly combed through Skylar’s damp hair.
Again.
And again.
And again.
“I’m sorry,” Damien whispered.
Skylar stayed quiet.
“I never want you to think I’m angry at you.”
Another gentle stroke through his hair.
“I just…”
He swallowed.
“I don’t know how to exist in a world where something happens to you.”
Skylar finally looked up.
Damien’s eyes were tired.
Not with anger.
With worry.
Real worry.
He reached up and touched Damien’s cheek.
“I’m okay.”
“I know.”
“I promise I’ll be more careful.”
Damien nodded.
“And I’ll try not to scare you when I’m worried.”
A small smile finally appeared on Skylar’s face.
“Deal?”
Damien smiled back.
“Deal.”
Skylar settled against his chest once more, listening to the steady rhythm of Damien’s heartbeat.
Safe.
That was the word.
Not because Damien never got angry.
Not because life would always be easy.
But because, beneath every raised voice, every stern warning, every frantic moment of fear…
There was love.
Fierce, overwhelming, imperfect love.
And wrapped securely in Damien’s embrace, Skylar realised that even after everything they had been through, there was still nowhere in the world he felt safer than here.
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