The night was silent, but Bella’s heart thumped like a warning drum as she tried to unwind from the chaos of the day. Her body still burned from the lingering tension between her brother’s protective rage and Damien’s intoxicating possessiveness. She thought she could find solace in the privacy of her apartment, but a sudden, sharp movement at her window froze her blood. Shadows flickered outside, and a prickle of fear raced down her spine.
Before she could react, the door burst open. Damien was there, dark, commanding, a storm in human form. His eyes blazed with an intensity that made her knees weak. “I’m here,” he murmured, voice low and dangerous. “No one touches you—not while I’m around.” His presence enveloped the room, suffocating, magnetic. Bella’s chest heaved as a mix of fear and
