THE 365-DAYS WIFE

CHAPTER 14: Don't Let Go

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

The sound echoed through the entire house.

Zara’s heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her teeth. She was still clutching the back of Damian’s t-shirt, her fingers twisted in the fabric like it was the only thing keeping her upright.

Damian didn’t move. The gun in his hand was steady. His back was a wall in front of her. Warm. Solid.

“Damian,” Victor’s voice was sing-song through the glass. “Don’t be rude. I came all this way.”

“Go away, Victor,” Damian said. Low. Dangerous.

Victor laughed. “Or what? You’ll shoot me? In front of your wife? That would be messy.”

Zara pressed her forehead to Damian’s back. She could feel him breathing. Fast. Controlled.

_Whatever happens. Don’t open the door. Don’t make a sound. And trust me._

His words from 2 minutes ago.

“Zara,” Damian whispered. He didn’t turn around. “Listen to me.”

She nodded against his back.

“There’s a hidden exit behind the bookshelf in the living room. It leads to the beach. If I tell you to run, you run. Don’t look back. Don’t wait for me.”

“No.” The word came out before she could stop it. “I’m not leaving you.”

Damian’s shoulders tensed. “Zara—”

“I said no.” She stepped out from behind him. Just half a step. Enough that Victor could see her shadow through the glass. “We face this together.”

Damian whipped his head around to look at her. His eyes were dark. Furious. Scared. “You don’t get to decide that.”

“I do.” Zara met his eyes. Her hands were shaking but her voice wasn’t. “You said it isn’t bait anymore. So prove it.”

For a second, something cracked in Damian’s expression.

Then Victor knocked again. Harder.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

“Last chance, brother!”

Damian cursed and grabbed Zara’s wrist. He pulled her behind him again but this time, he didn’t let go. His hand stayed locked around hers. His palm was sweaty but his grip was iron.

He walked to the glass door. Slow.

On the other side, Victor was leaning against the frame. Hands in pockets. Smiling. He had two men behind him. Guns.

“Look at you,” Victor said when Damian pulled the curtain back an inch. “Domestic. Pasta. A cute little wife in your shirt.” His eyes flicked to Zara. “Hi, Subject Z.”

Zara didn’t flinch. She lifted her chin. “My name is Zara.”

Victor grinned. “See? She has spirit. I like that.”

Damian’s grip tightened on Zara’s hand. “What do you want?”

“The company. 51%.” Victor shrugged. “And her.”

“Over my dead body.”

“That can be arranged.”

The air went still. Even the ocean sounded quieter.

Zara’s brain was screaming _run_. But her feet were planted. Because Damian hadn’t let go of her hand.

Victor sighed dramatically. “You’re making this difficult. Fine. New deal. You sign the company over to me tonight. Right now. And I let the girl live. Walk away.”

“And if I don’t?” Damian asked.

Victor nodded to one of his men. The man raised his gun. Pointed it at the glass. Right at Zara’s head.

Zara’s breath caught.

Damian stepped in front of her instantly. Full body. Shielding her.

“Don’t,” he said. One word. Deadly.

Victor raised his hands. “Okay! Okay. Violence is so ugly.” He looked at Zara, then back at Damian. “You really care about her, huh? Interesting.”

Damian didn’t answer.

“Here’s what’s gonna happen,” Victor said. “You have until sunrise. Sign the papers, or I start with her mother’s hospital bills. Then her. Then you.” He smiled. “Tick tock, brother.”

He turned and walked away. The two men followed. The SUVs started up and drove off into the dark.

Just like that. Gone.

Zara collapsed. Literally. Her knees gave out and if Damian hadn’t been holding her hand, she would’ve hit the floor.

He caught her. Both arms around her now.

“Hey. Hey.” His voice was in her ear. Soft. Panicked. “Breathe. Zara, breathe with me.”

She was shaking. Violently. Adrenaline crash.

Damian sank to the floor with her. Pulled her into his lap like she weighed nothing. One hand in her hair. One hand on her back.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured. “I’ve got you. They’re gone.”

Zara buried her face in his chest. She could smell him. Soap and gunpowder and fear. “They pointed a gun at me.”

“I know.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It was automatic. Instinct. He froze when he realized what he’d done.

Zara felt it.

She pulled back just enough to look at him. Their faces were inches apart. His jaw was clenched. His eyes were wild.

“You did that on purpose,” she whispered. “You put yourself in front of me.”

Damian looked away. “It’s my job. You’re my wife. Clause 2.”

“Bullshit.” Zara grabbed his face with both hands. Forced him to look at her. “That wasn’t in the contract.”

Damian’s throat moved. “Zara—”

“Why?”

He stared at her for a long time. The only sound was the waves.

“Because the thought of them hurting you made me want to burn the world down,” he admitted. Raw. Honest. “Because I’m not supposed to feel this. And I do anyway.”

Zara’s heart stopped.

Damian leaned in. Slow. Giving her time to pull away.

She didn’t.

His lips brushed hers. Soft. Tentative. Like he was asking permission.

Zara exhaled and kissed him back.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t tentative.

It was desperate. Relief. Fear. Anger. All of it poured into that kiss. Her hands fisted in his shirt. His hands were in her hair, holding her like if he let go she’d disappear.

When they broke apart, both of them were breathing hard.

Damian rested his forehead against hers. “That was a mistake.”

“Was it?” Zara whispered.

Damian closed his eyes. “Yes.” A pause. “Do it again.”

Zara did.

This time it was slower. Deeper. Like they had time. Like the world wasn’t ending outside.

His phone buzzed.

They both ignored it.

It buzzed again.

Damian groaned and pulled back, resting his head against the wall. “We can’t. Not now. Not with Victor out there.”

Zara nodded. Her lips were swollen. Her cheeks were hot. “Okay.”

Damian looked at her. Really looked at her. “You scared me.”

“You scared me too.”

A beat.

Then Damian stood and pulled her up with him. “Come on. We’re not safe here anymore. Sunrise deal. We need to move.”

“Where?”

“To expose him.” Damian’s eyes were hard now. Determined. “We use the flash drive. We go public. Tonight.”

Zara nodded. Then, before she could think better of it, she reached up and straightened his collar. Her fingers lingered.

Damian caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Quick. Then let go.

“Let’s go, Mrs. Okafor.”