HIS TO BREAK

ANSWER IT

🖤 Chapter Seven: Answer It

The phone rang again.

The sound cut through the silence of Haven’s apartment, sharp and unnatural, like it didn’t belong there. She stood frozen beside the table, staring down at the unfamiliar device in her hand as if it might burn her.

One contact.

No name.

Just a number.

Her heart pounded.

She already knew who it was.

The phone kept ringing.

Don’t answer it.

The thought came fast, urgent, almost desperate.

But something else followed.

If you don’t… he’ll come back.

Her grip tightened slightly.

The ringing stopped.

Silence rushed in immediately after, thick and suffocating. Haven let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, her shoulders dropping just slightly.

Then—

The phone vibrated in her hand.

A message.

Her stomach tightened as she looked down.

Unknown: Answer when I call.

Her pulse jumped.

A second later, the phone rang again.

This time, she didn’t wait.

Her thumb hovered for half a second—just enough to feel the weight of the decision—before she pressed accept and lifted it slowly to her ear.

“Hello?”

Her voice came out quieter than she expected.

There was no response immediately.

Just silence.

But not empty silence.

The kind that felt like someone was there… listening.

Watching.

Then—

“You took too long.”

Damien’s voice.

Low. Calm. Controlled.

Haven’s chest tightened. “You left a phone in my apartment.”

“I know.”

The simple answer sent a small wave of frustration through her fear. “You don’t just break into someone’s home and leave things like that.”

“You answered it.”

Her grip tightened. “That doesn’t make it okay.”

“No,” he said quietly. “But it proves my point.”

Her brows furrowed. “What point?”

“That you’ll respond when I want you to.”

The words settled heavily in the space between them.

Haven straightened slightly. “You’re wrong.”

A pause.

Then—

“Am I?”

Her heart skipped.

“You could have ignored it,” he continued. “You didn’t.”

She opened her mouth to respond, then stopped.

Because he wasn’t entirely wrong.

And that made something uncomfortable twist in her chest.

“I answered because I want you to stay out of my life,” she said finally, forcing the words out.

A soft exhale came through the line—almost like amusement, but not quite.

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

“No,” he said, his tone still calm, still certain. “You’re just trying to convince yourself.”

Haven’s jaw tightened. “You don’t get to tell me what I think.”

“I don’t need to.”

His voice dropped slightly.

“I see it.”

Silence stretched again.

Her pulse refused to slow.

“Why the phone?” she asked after a moment, trying to regain some control of the conversation. “What is this supposed to be?”

“A way for you to reach me.”

Her grip tightened. “Why would I ever need that?”

“In case something happens.”

Her brows pulled together. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Another pause.

Longer this time.

When he spoke again, his tone had shifted—subtle, but enough for her to notice.

“Stay inside tonight.”

Her stomach dropped.

“Why?” she asked immediately.

“Just do it.”

That wasn’t an answer.

“Damien,” she said, her voice sharper now, “what’s going on?”

Silence.

Then—

“You’re asking the wrong questions.”

A chill slid down her spine. “Then what’s the right one?”

Another pause.

Long enough to make her uneasy.

“Why you.”

Her breath caught.

The same question she had asked him before.

Now turned back on her.

“What does that mean?” she whispered.

But he didn’t answer.

Instead, his voice softened—just slightly.

“Lock your doors. Don’t open them for anyone.”

Her heart started racing again. “Anyone?”

“Yes.”

The word was firm.

Final.

Fear crept in, slow and steady this time, settling deep in her chest.

“Are you threatening me?” she asked.

“No.”

The answer came immediately.

Then—

“I’m warning you.”

The line went silent.

Haven pulled the phone away from her ear slightly, staring at it.

“Damien?” she said.

No response.

The call had ended.

Just like that.

Haven stood there for a long moment, the quiet of her apartment pressing in around her.

Her thoughts spun, faster now.

Warning.

From what?

From who?

Her eyes moved slowly toward the door.

Then to the window.

Everything suddenly felt different.

Too quiet.

Too still.

Like something was waiting.

Her grip tightened around the phone as she walked toward the door, checking the lock again—twice this time.

Then the windows.

Closed.

Secured.

But her unease didn’t fade.

If anything—

It grew.

Because Damien wasn’t the type to warn without reason.

And if he was telling the truth…

Then something else was coming.

Something worse.

The phone buzzed again in her hand.

Another message.

Her breath caught as she looked down.

Unknown: Don’t ignore me again.

Haven swallowed.

Her heart pounding harder now.

Because this time—

She wasn’t sure if the message was from Damien