The Warning
695 Words
By evening, Isabella was certain of one thing:
Damian Moretti was becoming a problem she could no longer control.
Not because he frightened her.
Because he consumed her thoughts the same way she consumed his.
Everywhere she looked, she imagined him.
In dark reflections. In expensive cologne lingering on strangers. In every low voice that sounded remotely like temptation.
And worst of all?
She missed him.
The realization unsettled her deeply.
She was still thinking about it when she arrived at Ashford Publishing the next morning.
The office buzzed with noise and movement, but Isabella barely noticed. She walked quickly toward her desk, coffee in hand, trying to focus on literally anything other than the dangerous man slowly taking over her life.
“Morning, beautiful.”
She looked up sharply.
Ethan Cole leaned casually against her desk with his usual charming grin.
Isabella forced a polite smile.
Ethan was attractive in a safe kind of way—clean-cut, kind eyes, expensive suits, easy confidence.
Normal.
Exactly the type of man she should want.
“You’re here early,” she said.
“Couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
The words should have flattered her.
Instead, they felt empty compared to the way Damian spoke to her.
Which was a massive issue.
Ethan noticed her distraction immediately.
“You okay?”
“Just tired.”
“Well,” he said lightly, “maybe dinner with me tonight will help.”
Before Isabella could answer, a cold voice interrupted behind them.
“No.”
Every muscle in her body tensed instantly.
Damian.
She turned slowly.
And there he was.
Dressed in black as always, standing near the office entrance with one hand in his pocket and murder in his eyes.
The entire room seemed to shift around him.
Ethan frowned slightly. “Sorry, who are you?”
Damian ignored him completely.
His attention stayed fixed on Isabella.
“You didn’t answer my messages.”
Her pulse quickened.
“You came to my job?”
“Obviously.”
Ethan straightened beside her. “Okay, this is weird.”
Now Damian looked at him.
Slowly.
And the temperature in the room dropped.
“Walk away,” Damian said calmly.
Ethan gave a short laugh. “Excuse me?”
“Walk,” Damian repeated softly, “away from her.”
The threat beneath the words was unmistakable.
Isabella’s stomach tightened.
“Damian,” she warned quietly.
But he didn’t look away from Ethan.
And Ethan, unfortunately, didn’t seem smart enough to recognize danger when it stood directly in front of him.
“I don’t know who you think you are,” Ethan said, irritation rising in his voice, “but you don’t get to tell her who she talks to.”
Wrong answer.
Damian smiled.
Not warmly.
Predatorily.
“She can talk to whoever she wants,” he said softly. “You’re simply the exception.”
A sharp chill ran through Isabella.
Because Damian sounded calm.
And calm men were far more frightening than angry ones.
“Okay,” Ethan muttered, stepping forward slightly, “you need to leave.”
The atmosphere snapped tight instantly.
Damian’s eyes darkened with something violent.
Isabella moved before either man could.
She grabbed Damian’s arm quickly.
“Outside,” she whispered urgently.
His jaw tightened.
For one terrible second, she thought he might refuse.
Then slowly, he looked down at her hand gripping him.
And relaxed.
Only slightly.
Without another word, Damian turned and walked toward the elevator.
Isabella followed immediately.
The second the elevator doors closed behind them, she spun toward him.
“What is wrong with you?”
Damian stared at her silently.
Then—
“He was looking at you.”
She blinked in disbelief.
“That’s your explanation?”
“Yes.”
“You cannot threaten people because they talk to me.”
His expression hardened.
“I can.”
“This jealousy thing isn’t romantic, Damian.”
At that, something dangerous flickered across his face.
“You think this is jealousy?”
He stepped closer slowly.
The elevator suddenly felt too small again.
“This,” he said quietly, “is restraint.”
Her pulse stumbled.
Because she believed him.
- Writer
