The quiet hum of the city wrapped around them, but Bella’s mind was anything but quiet. Everything had changed. She had gone from a life of predictable routine and simple choices to a world of danger, secrecy, and a twisted allure. And Damian was at the center of it all—powerful, unpredictable, and fiercely protective. She knew she should feel afraid, but with him beside her, fear was mingled with something dangerously intoxicating.
Damian’s grip on the wheel finally loosened as he glanced at her. There was something unreadable in his gaze, a lingering intensity that made her heart race all over again. But he broke the silence first.
“Are you hurt?” His voice was low, almost gentle.
Bella shook her head. “I… no. Just shaken.” Her fingers flexed, still holding the gun he’d given her. The
