Beneath His Vows

After The Engagement

After the Engagement

Selene’s POV

The engagement had ended, but I couldn’t shake the heaviness in my chest. Clara’s sharp eyes, the polished smiles, the endless clinking of glasses—it all faded as I slipped to my room.

I closed the door behind me, sank onto the edge of the bed, and let out a shaky breath. My hands trembled as I lifted the small bottle I had hidden. Just a sip… maybe it would calm the storm of thoughts and feelings raging inside me.

I took a small sip, letting the warmth spread through me. My mind, however, was far from calm. It kept returning to him—Damien. That calm, sharp, impossible pull. The way he had looked at me earlier, the quiet intensity, the control in every movement.

Before I could even process it, the door creaked.

I froze when I saw him. Damien… in my room. My heart skipped a beat, and my hands trembled as I gripped the bottle.

“You… what are you doing here?” I stammered, wide-eyed, my voice barely audible.

He stepped closer, calm and imposing, the faint scent of his cologne wrapping around me. The shadows of the room accentuated the sharp lines of his face, the intensity of his gaze. I could feel the heat radiating from him, and my knees weakened without warning.

“You shouldn’t be alone,” he said softly, his eyes locked on mine. “Not after today.”

“I… I just needed some air…” I whispered, voice trembling. “And… maybe this.” I lifted the bottle slightly, trying to steady myself.

His eyes darkened—not with anger, but something heavier, something impossible to read. “You’re tempting fate,” he murmured, voice low, rough, intoxicating.

I blinked, confused. “How… how am I—what do you mean?”

Before I could think further, he leaned in, his lips brushing mine in a soft, teasing kiss. My breath caught, surprise flooding me before I even had time to process. My body reacted before my mind could, and I found myself leaning into him.

Then he pulled back slightly, just enough to stare at me. His gaze traveled from my eyes to my lips, and something in that look made my heart race faster. Without another word, he kissed me again—this time deeper, holding me close, his hands gentle but commanding on my waist.

I responded instinctively, wrapping my arms around him, pressing closer. The world outside my room disappeared, leaving only the heat between us, the rapid beating of our hearts, and the stolen moment that felt impossibly dangerous—and yet so right.

When we finally pulled back, both of us were breathless, foreheads nearly touching, he looked at me with an intensity that made my stomach flip. His lips quivered slightly as he whispered,

“I shouldn’t have…”

o

Then, before I could speak, before I could even process what had just happened, he stepped back. His eyes lingered on mine for a long, burning second—full of apology, desire, and something I couldn’t name—before he straightened and walked toward the door.

“Be careful,” he said softly, and then he was gone, leaving me alone in the quiet room, breathless, heart pounding, and completely lost in the whirlwind he had left behind.

DAMIEN'S POV

The engagement should have been simple. Polished smiles, formal greetings, the usual celebration. Yet my thoughts kept drifting to one person—Selene. That girl. Small, fragile, impossible to ignore. Her presence lingered in my chest long after the room emptied.

I walked down the hall almost without thinking, drawn toward her room like a magnet. Every step made my heart thump harder, every breath pulled tighter in my chest. This is reckless. Dangerous. Stop. My mind warned, but my body ignored it.

The door cracked open, and there she was—Selene, sitting on the bed, bottle in hand, cheeks flushed, eyes wide. Surprise flashed across her face when she saw me, and my chest tightened. Damn it.

“You shouldn’t be alone,” I said softly, my voice low, steady, but my hands itched to reach for her. “Not after today.”

Her lips parted slightly. “I… I just needed some air… and… maybe this,” she whispered, lifting the bottle.

I couldn’t control myself. I wanted to taste her lips so badly that I didn’t wait for her to finish her statement before I plunged in. I kissed her then, carefully at first, teasing, just to feel her respond.

Her body stiffened for a heartbeat, then melted into mine. The heat between us was undeniable, pulling at every nerve, every pulse. Every second with her felt dangerous, intoxicating… impossible to resist.

Her hands found my arms, pressing closer. I held her, cautious but unable to let go, memorizing the softness of her, the pulse of her heartbeat against mine. I could feel her trembling under my touch, breath hitching, lips parting, wanting. Wanting me.

And yet… the guilt clawed at me. The engagement ring on my finger, the vow I had promised my mother, the life I was supposed to lead—it all screamed at me.

“I shouldn’t have…” I whispered, pulling back slightly, my forehead resting against hers.

Her eyes searched mine, confusion and desire warring in them, and I realized I wanted her to understand me without words. To forgive the pull I couldn’t resist.

I stepped back fully, letting the distance remind us both of the line we couldn’t cross. My chest heaved, heart pounding in my ears. “Be careful,” I said softly.

Then I left. My mind a storm of want and guilt, my body aching with desire I could not satisfy. I had wanted her. Still wanted her. But I had walked away—for now.

And somehow… it hurt more than I had expected.