TENSION
1091 Words
*CHAPTER 21*
*TENSION*
_Ava’s POV_
I opened my eyes to a blur. A shape sat in front of me. I rolled away, and everything from last night slammed back at once.
“Damien!” I shot up. He caught me before I hit the floor and pulled me back down.
“I’m here,” he said, smiling like he knew he was the reason my heart forgot how to behave.
I grabbed the pillow and hit him with it.
“You— you—” I broke into laughter instead of anger.
We played. We wrestled. We lost track of time until I was tired and tucked into him, my ear on his chest.
“I wish it would continue like this,” I whispered, rubbing my hands against his.
“What should continue, my love?” His fingers combed through my hair, slow and careful.
“This. These beautiful moments. I wish it would exceed today. Nine months. Forever.” I kissed his knuckles.
“It would, baby. God’s willing.” He pressed his lips to my forehead.
“You believe in Him?”
“God?”
I nodded.
“He’s God, and yes, I do. He’s answered my prayers countless times.” His voice was sure.
He shifted, breaking the circle of our arms.
“Baby, I need to tell you something.” He waited until I faced him.
“The Empress has prepared my wedding. It’s next week. I don’t want you to hear it from someone else. That’s why I’m telling you.”
The room tilted. He held me steady.
“Damien, I can’t survive without you,” I said, faint like a prayer.
“I know.”
“Damien, I’m not leaving you.” Fear made my voice thin.
“No, you’re not. And not even the Empress can stand in the way of our love.” He cupped my cheek.
“You think?” I swallowed the tears before they fell.
“I love you, Ava. That’s it.” He hugged me, and I held him like letting go would break me.
“I’m going to marry her.”
I jolted.
“What?! Damien!”
“Calm down.”
“Okay. I’m listening. TALK TO ME.” Tears were falling now.
He wiped them, smiling in a way that softened everything. “I’m smiling because you seem tough on the outside, but on the inside, you’re just my small baby.”
I punched his arm.
“Ouch.” He faked it, dramatic.
“I will threaten the Empress,” he said, eyes steady.
“How?”
“After I marry Isabella, I’ll divorce her after delivery. That means the empire splits in two. The Empress won’t want that.”
I opened my mouth. He covered my lips with his finger.
“And before you say anything… I can read your thoughts.” He tapped my chest. “The Empress has nothing against us anymore. She’s deleted the video. So we’re free now.”
I tried to speak. He silenced me again, then I fought back with the pillow. We were both panting when he finally caught my wrists.
“Okay… your idea is good. But not 100% okay.” I tugged his ears.
He lifted me off the bed in one move.
“Am I that light?” I laughed, hitting his chest.
“Yes, baby.” He kissed me and carried me to the dining. He set me down, pulled out a chair, and the chefs began to serve.
Midway through, I stopped.
“Damien,” I said, puppy eyes on full.
“What?” He laughed.
“Am I in trouble?” He laughed harder.
“Junior wants you to feed Mama.”
He dragged my nose. “You’re so mischievous.”
“Ouch.”
“Okay.” He took my cutlery and fed me. We finished. The staff cleared. I went to the living room, put my legs on his lap. He pushed them off, laughing. I put them back. He pushed them off again.
“Baaabe!”
He covered my mouth. “Shh. The staff will think there’s a problem.”
I kept screaming anyway. He pulled my legs onto him and kept watching TV.
“Damien!”
He startled. “Whattt?”
“Let me focus, please. You know how much I love football.”
“I don’t. I don’t.”
“Okay. Choose. Football or me.” I folded my arms, play-fierce.
“You, baby.” He switched off the TV, reluctantly.
“Damien!!!”
“Okay, baby. You have me all to yourself now.” He turned to me.
“Massage my leg.”
“So you stopped my football match just for a massage? I could have called the masseur.” He looked genuinely offended.
“But the masseur isn’t my boyfriend.” I kissed his hand.
His face lit up. “Boyfriend. I love the sound of that.” He started massaging.
I nudged his little mister with my foot. Playful.
“Be careful,” he warned, eyes dark with amusement.
I did it again, harder. He dropped my legs and started tickling me.
“Babyyy, stopppp!” I scrambled up. He chased me. When he caught me, he carried me, and I giggled like a child. He set me down. We were laughing hard when we both went still.
Someone was behind us.
He shoved me behind him like a shield and turned. The housekeeper. I peeked out.
“When did you enter?” His voice went low, stern.
The staff and the housekeeper were blushing, smiling.
Damien looked at me. “Is there something on my face, baby?”
“No, babe.”
He turned back to them. The CEO face I’d feared for five years slid on. “Have you all suddenly gone dumb?”
“Someone is asking for you, sir.” The staff bowed.
“Who?”
I touched his hand. He squeezed mine, softening, but his eyes didn’t leave them.
“She said her name is Miss Isabella,” the staff said, bowing again.
My hands tried to leave his arm. He stopped me and faced me fully.
“Tell her I’m not on seat,” he said without looking at them. They left.
“Are you scared?” he asked me, gentle now.
“I have you.” I kissed him.
We hugged. The tension snapped. Peace walked back in.
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*AUTHOR’S NOTE*
Comment *Team DAMAVA* 💃
and as always loviesss 😘 *RIDE DINE AND READ* ❤️
*
- Writer
