She was different.
1156 Words
CHAPTER FOUR.
DAMIEN’s POV
I had bought many slaves before her. Rogues. Prisoners. Those cast away by their own kind. None of them had ever interested me. They were tools, assets—nothing more.
But Selene?
She was different.
Even now, as I stood in the dim candlelight of my quarters, I found myself watching her more than I should. Her golden-brown eyes burned with defiance, even when exhaustion weighed down her frame. The soft glow of the flames illuminated the delicate curve of her jaw, the faintest sheen of sweat glistening on her skin. She was filthy from the auction, her dark hair tangled and her dress torn, but none of it dulled her beauty.
If anything, it only made her look more untamed.
More intoxicating.
I leaned against the wooden desk, swirling the glass of whiskey in my hand as she sat stiffly across from me, her fingers curled tightly in her lap. She wasn’t afraid. At least, not in the way she should have been. I could see it in the way her chin was lifted, her posture rigid, her lips pressed together in stubborn silence.
She was waiting.
Waiting for me to break her.
I almost wanted to. Just to see if she would bend or shatter completely.
Instead, I took a slow sip of my drink before speaking. “You’re staring.”
She blinked, startled for a moment, then scoffed. “You’re the one staring.”
I smirked. “Can you blame me?”
Her jaw tightened. “Why did you buy me?”
I set my glass down with a soft clink. “You were for sale.”
Her nostrils flared, and for the first time, a flicker of frustration crossed her face. “That’s not an answer.”
I stood slowly, watching the way her muscles tensed, her breath catching as I took a single step forward. “What answer do you want, Selene?”
She swallowed.
I saw the hesitation flash in her eyes, just for a second, before she masked it. “The truth.”
“The truth,” I echoed, stepping closer.
She didn’t move away.
Fascinating.
I reached out, running the back of my fingers along her jaw. Her skin was warm beneath my touch, her pulse fluttering against the delicate curve of her throat. She inhaled sharply, her body stiffening, but she didn’t pull away.
“You intrigue me,” I murmured, trailing my fingers down the side of her neck. “I don’t know why.”
Her lips parted slightly, her breath uneven.
I could feel the tension thrumming between us, thick and electric. She was furious, afraid—but not unaffected.
And that? That was dangerous.
“Let me go,” she said, though her voice lacked the bite I expected.
I moved suddenly, pressing her back against the stone wall.
She gasped, her hands flying up to push against my chest, but I didn’t budge. The heat of her palms seeped through my shirt, and for a moment, I wondered if she could feel the steady thrum of my heart.
Or if she realized how much restraint it took not to ruin her.
“Let me go,” she repeated, her voice quieter this time.
I leaned in, letting my breath ghost over her ear. “Is that really what you want?”
She shuddered.
I felt it.
The way her body betrayed her.
For a brief moment, her fingers curled into my shirt instead of pushing me away. Her scent wrapped around me, a mix of rain and something faintly floral beneath the dirt and sweat. It was driving me insane.
I tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at me. Her golden eyes were wide, conflicted. She was teetering on the edge of something she didn’t understand yet.
And I wanted to push her over.
One move. One whisper. One kiss.
I could ruin her completely.
I knew it.
She knew it too.
Instead, I pulled away.
Selene blinked, disoriented, then quickly masked it with a scowl. “Bastard.”
I laughed, the sound low and amused. “That’s the first honest thing you’ve said since you got here.”
She glared at me, her lips pressing into a thin line.
I smirked.
And just like that, I knew I had her.
Not in chains. Not in force.
But in a way that mattered much, much more.
Selene was still standing there, breathing hard, her eyes blazing with fury. My hands were still tingling from where I had touched her, from the moment I’d pulled her close and watched her tremble in my grasp. I hadn’t missed the way her breath hitched, the way her pulse fluttered beneath my fingertips like a trapped bird.
But now, all that heat had turned into fire—anger.
“Don’t ever do that again,” she hissed, shoving at my chest.
I didn’t budge. “Do what?”
Her jaw clenched, and she took a step back, putting distance between us. “Touch me. Play with me like I’m some toy you just bought.”
“Isn’t that exactly what happened?” I said smoothly, watching as her face twisted in outrage. “I did buy you.”
Her nostrils flared. “You bastard.”
I smirked, folding my arms. “And yet, you still shivered when I touched you.”
Her eyes darkened. “You think you’re clever, don’t you?” She let out a breath, shaking her head. “You’re no different from the others.”
Something in me tensed at that. “The others?”
She scoffed. “Men like you. Alphas who think power gives them the right to own people. To use them however they want.”
I took a step toward her, watching the way she stiffened, her fingers curling into fists. “If I really wanted to use you, Selene, do you think you’d still be standing here arguing with me?”
Her lips parted slightly, and I caught the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. But then, just as quickly, she masked it with defiance. “And what exactly do you want from me, Damien? Since you seem to enjoy playing games.”
That was the problem—I wasn’t sure anymore.
I had bought her on instinct, something primal, something I couldn’t explain. She was supposed to be just another rogue, another tool to use and discard when I was done. And yet, from the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew that wasn’t going to be the case.
I didn’t want her obedience.
I wanted her fire.
And that realization was dangerous.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” I said finally, my voice quieter now, but firm.
Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t push further. Instead, she turned sharply on her heels. “I’d rather rot than be at your mercy.”
I let her walk away.
For now.
- Writer
