Empire vs Border
885 Words
The SUV didn’t stop until Damian’s mansion gates. 1:15 AM.
Manchester rain still falling. Police lights fading behind them.
Jack stumbled out first. Looked at the mansion. Then at Damian.
“Bro,” Jack whispered. Voice cracked. “You’re Damian Black. The City King.”
Damian didn’t answer. He opened the passenger door for Aria.
Hand out. She took it. Mark + knife line visible under porch lights.
Jack saw it. Froze. “Wait. That mark...”
He looked at Aria’s neck. Then at Damian’s hand on her waist.
“Are you— is she— Damian, that’s my SISTER.”
Damian turned. Eyes flat. “I know.”
The front doors opened. Carter Westwood stood in the foyer.
50. Tailored suit. Billionaire cold. Behind him: 12 armed guards.
Aria stepped forward. Back straight. “Father.”
Carter’s eyes went straight to her neck. To the mark. To the knife line.
His face went blank. Then deadly. “Damian Black,” he said. “You marked my daughter.”
Damian stepped in front of Aria. Shielded her.
“I did,” he said. “8 years ago I bullied her at St. Mary’s. Threw her books in the canal.
Called her Westwood trash because I was angry and 18 and stupid.”
Jack gasped. “You TOLD me you just stole her bag once. You said it was a joke!”
Damian glanced at Jack. His best friend since Year 9.
“We grew up together, Jack. You, me, hiding in your dad’s warehouse playing with his shipping manifests.
I knew who she was. I knew who you were. I still did it.”
He turned back to Carter. “But tonight I killed 7 men to get your son back.
Because Jack is my best friend. And Aria is mine. By mark. By choice. By Manchester law.”
Carter laughed. No humor. “My empire vs your streets. You think you can keep her?”
“Not think,” Damian said. He pulled Aria closer. Thumb brushed the mark.
“Know. Rule #13. She doesn’t hide it. Rule #15. Jack doesn’t die.
Rule #7. No one touches what’s mine. That includes both your kids now.”
Aria spoke for first time. Voice cold. “I disowned you 4 days ago, Father.
At your London office. I told you Jack deserves to choose. Not inherit blood.”
She touched the mark on her neck. “I chose this. I chose him. Not Carter Empire.”
Carter’s jaw ticked. Looked at Jack. “Son, you’re heir to billions. Shipping. Real estate.
You want to throw that away for a girl with a brand on her neck?”
Jack stepped beside Aria. Then beside Damian.
“Damian was my best friend before he was a king,” Jack said. Quiet.
“He was the one who taught me to throw a punch when dad’s guards went too hard.
He was the one who told me I didn’t have to be you, Dad.”
He looked at Aria’s mark. “And he’s the one who burned Manchester tonight to get me out of that chair.
I choose him too.”
Silence. Rain on marble. 3 Westwoods. 1 Black.
Carter looked at Damian. “You were her bully. Her brother’s best friend. Now her king.
You think I’ll let that stand?”
Damian smiled. No warmth. “You disowned her 4 days ago, Carter.
You wanted her out. I took her in. That’s the difference between us.”
He leaned down. Kissed Aria’s temple. Right over the mark.
“Your empire built her a cage. I gave her a border.”
Carter’s guards shifted. Hands to guns.
Damian didn’t move. 20 of his men appeared from shadows. Snipers on the roof.
“Try it,” he said softly. “Manchester burns for her. For him. For me.”
Standoff. 10 seconds. 20 seconds.
Carter finally nodded once. Cold. Calculating.
“You have them. For now. But Carter Empire doesn’t forget.”
He turned. Guards followed. “We’ll see who Jack inherits from.”
The doors closed. Empire left. Rain continued.
Jack exhaled. Then punched Damian in the arm. Hard.
“You absolute i***t,” Jack said. “You bullied my sister for 2 years in high school
and now you’re dating her?? With my dad’s empire gunning for us??”
Damian rubbed his arm. Then pulled Jack into another rough hug.
“Best friends fight,” he said into Jack’s hair. “Kings protect.”
He pulled back. Looked at Aria. “Both of you.”
Aria stared at them. The bully. The best friend. The king.
8 years ago he made her cry in a canal.
4 days ago she disowned her father.
Tonight her brother chose Damian over billions.
Damian walked to her. Grabbed her chin. Tilted her neck.
“Rule #13,” he whispered. Only for her. “Bully, best friend, king.
I’m all of them. But only one matters now. Yours.”
He kissed the mark. Then the knife line bordering it.
Jack groaned behind them. “Don’t kiss my sister in front of me, man.”
Damian didn’t stop. “Manchester’s mine,” he murmured against her skin.
“So are you. Both of you. Carter Westwood can burn for all I care.”
- Writer
