Hidden Between Us

Chapter 8: Lingering

“Some encounters do not end when you leave. They follow you home and wait for you in the dark”

Mature content 🔞

Sienna's Pov

The air outside felt different once the door closed behind me. Cooler, quieter almost like the world had reset and I was the only one who had not caught up yet.

I walked for a bit before calling a ride, phone clutched in my hand even though I was not scrolling. My mind was still back in that house, in the lounge, in the way the room had gone still when he walked in.

Damian

Just thinking his name made my chest tighten in the most annoying way.

I leaned my head against the window when the car arrived, watching the streetlights blur past. Sophie's voice replayed in my head, her laugh, her teasing. You were literally drooling, Sienna. I groaned softly and covered my face with my hand.

I was not drooling, Okay maybe I was

But how was I supposed to act normal when someone like that existed so casually in the same space as me. Calm, Controlled, Effortless, like he did not even realize the effect he had just by standing there.

The worst part was that he had not tried

Ugh

He had not smiled too much or leaned in or said anything smooth. He had just looked at me. Like I was something worth noticing. Like he was curious and did not mind showing it.

That was what stayed with me.

Back home, the apartment felt louder than usual. Liam was still there, still gaming, still completely unaware that my brain had been permanently altered.

"You're back early," he said without looking away from the screen.

"Yeah," I replied, slipping off my shoes. "Got the book"

I did not mention the brother. I did not mention the way my heart had nearly stopped when I realized who Damian was. Some things felt too fragile to say out loud yet.

In my room, I dropped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. My phone buzzed beside me. A message from Sophie.

You alive?

I smiled despite myself.

Barely😭😭 Your brother is illegal

She replied instantly.

I warned you

I turned onto my side, hugging a pillow to my chest. My thoughts drifted again, uninvited. The sound of his voice, low and Measured. The way he had shaken my hand like it actually mattered.

I wondered if he was still at the house. If he had already left. If he ever thought about moments like that again or if they disappeared for him the second they ended.

The idea that I might just be a passing detail in his day should have bothered me more than it did.

But something told me I was not.

I rolled onto my back, exhaling slowly, letting the feeling sit instead of fighting it. Whatever that was between us, it had been brief, quiet and unspoken.

And somehow, that made it worse

I reached for the book Sophie had given me, flipping it open without really reading the words. My mind was elsewhere. Somewhere between curiosity and restraint. Between what I felt and what I knew I should not overthink.

Tomorrow, life would go back to normal.

But tonight, Damian existed in my thoughts, steady and undeniable and suddenly my body felt like it craved him in both ways

And I knew one thing for sure.

This was not the last time he would.

Damian's Pov

By the time I got home, exhaustion hit me like a weight pressing against my chest. It wasn't physical fatigue; I was used to that. This was different, heavier, the kind that settled behind your eyes and refused to leave. The penthouse greeted me with the familiar hum of quiet luxury, floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the city lights stretching below like a familiar map, and yet none of it brought comfort tonight.

I dropped my keys onto the counter, loosened my collar, and leaned back for a moment, staring out across the skyline. I should have been going over emails or planning tomorrow, thinking in charts and timelines the way I always did. Instead, my thoughts kept returning to the family house, to the lounge. To a girl who had unsettled me far more than I expected.

Sienna

Her name repeated in my mind unbidden. I rarely remembered names or faces at first glance, but hers was different. There was a steadiness in the way she carried herself, a curiosity that didn't shy away from me despite the air I naturally carry. She hadn't been intimidated, and that caught my attention in a way I hadn't anticipated.

I poured a glass of water and let it sit in my hand while I leaned against the counter. I should have been annoyed at myself, replaying the brief encounter over and over, letting a moment with a stranger follow me home. Yet there it was, her gaze in my mind, bright and unfiltered, holding mine just long enough to make an impression that shouldn't have mattered.

I moved to the windows and rested my hand against the glass, staring down at the city below. The penthouse was my world, controlled, structured, predictable, but a simple glance from someone like her reminded me that life had a way of slipping through even the tightest grip. Comfort was dangerous, distraction even more so.

I ran a hand through my hair and paced once across the room. It was maddening to notice her, to replay her words, her smile, her presence in that lounge, and to feel my pulse betray me without reason. She was Sophie's friend, nothing more, and yet she had already carved out space in my mind that I wasn't willing to surrender.

Okay I need to get this out of my head

I picked up my phone and scrolled to a name I did not need to think twice about, Vivienne, always ready and exactly what I wanted, no drama, no strings, just easy

The line rang twice

"Vivienne," I said, voice low and calm, no charm, no flirting, just business

"Hey," she answered, slow and lazy like she knew exactly why I was calling

"I need you tonight," I said, plain, simple and direct

A pause, then her laugh, soft, teasing, careful, "Straight to the point as always," she said, "I like that"

I did not reply, did not need to, she already knew the rules, show up, take what I want, leave before it got messy, pleasure on demand, nothing else.

"where?"

"my penthouse, now"

"..Mmm. Someone's impatient tonight" Her voice curled around the words like smoke, amused but already moving. The sound of keys jingling in the background told me she wasn't hesitating either.

"Give me twenty minutes"

I ended the call without another word and sat on the couch closing my eyes.

This should have been enough, the anticipation of her arrival should have been but when I closed my eyes, it wasn't Vivienne's face I saw behind my eyelids.

A sharp curse tore from my lips as I paced across the penthouse floor, raking a hand through my hair. Vivienne was on her way, but my mind refused to cooperate, flooded with images of Sienna. Her lips parting just slightly when I caught her gaze earlier. The way her breath hitched when our hands brushed. How badly I'd wanted to push her against that damn lounge wall right then and...

My jaw clenched hard enough to hurt. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"f**k"

I poured myself a drink, downed it in one swallow, anything to scorch away the hunger clawing up my throat but liquor didn't erase the way I'd seen her look at me... like she already knew how this would end.

I set my empty glass aside and turned in time to see her step through the elevator doors. Vivienne was one of the few women I'd met who could pull off effortless and elegant at the same time. Her long legs were clad in slim black leggings under a short leather jacket. Dark hair fell in soft curls around her face, framing the light makeup that made her dark eyes even more dramatic.

She made her way towards me, hips swaying seductively.

I took her in, eyes traveling down her figure with familiar ease. She looked good, perfect for a night like this. I leaned against the nearest wall, crossing my arms and watching her approach, a hint of something like irritation prickling up my spine. It was annoyance at myself, at my mind for refusing to cooperate, and that made my tone clipped and short.

"You took longer than twenty minutes" I said eyes trailing down her body as she came down on me

"Traffic" Her hands worked quickly unbuckled my belt, pants shoved down just enough before her fingers wrapped around me without hesitation. A smirk played on her lips as she glanced up through her lashes.

"But I always make it worth the wait, don't I?"

I exhaled sharply through my nose, gripping her hair. This should've been enough. Should've erased everything else but when her mouth finally took me in?

All I saw was her, Sienna