Chapter 10: A Secret Ride
1232 Words
The night was unusually quiet, the city’s usual rush dimmed to a softer hum as if the world itself were holding its breath. Aria sat by her window, the remnants of her conversation with Damian still alive in her chest. His words, his pain, his restraint—it had left her shaken, restless, craving answers.
Her phone buzzed.
“Meet me outside. Don’t ask. Just trust me.”
Her pulse leapt. Damian.
Without hesitation, she grabbed her jacket and hurried downstairs. The street was bathed in pale moonlight, and at the curb, a sleek black car idled—its presence commanding, unmistakable. Damian leaned casually against the hood, hands in his pockets, his tie loosened as though the night itself had unraveled his composure.
“You came,” he said, his voice low but threaded with relief.
“You told me to trust you,” Aria replied, her tone steady though her heart was anything but.
A faint smirk ghosted across his lips. “Good." Get in.”
The Drive Begins
The leather interior smelled faintly of spice and smoke as she slid into the passenger seat. Damian started the engine, and the car purred to life, smooth and powerful, like him.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. “Nowhere." Everywhere. Just… away.”
The city lights blurred as they sped off, weaving through streets that glittered with reflections of neon signs and glowing billboards. Aria felt the rush of speed, the freedom of the ride, and for once, the weight of the warnings faded.
Damian drove in silence at first, one hand on the wheel, the other resting lightly against the gearshift. The faint glow from the dashboard lit his features, highlighting the sharp lines of his jaw, the curve of his mouth, the intensity in his eyes whenever they flicked toward her.
“Why me?” she finally asked, the words slipping out unplanned.
He arched a brow. “Why you?”
“Yes. You could have anyone. Women who understand your world. Women who belong in it. So why… me?”
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned down a narrow road lined with trees, the city noise fading into a softer hum. Only when the car slowed did he glance at her, his expression softer now.
“Because you’re not like them. You don’t play the games. You don’t look at me and see my name, my money, my family. You see… me.”
Aria’s breath caught, her chest tightening with something fierce and dangerous. “Do I?”
His lips curved slightly, but his eyes held no humor. “More than anyone ever has.”
The Unmasking
The road opened into a scenic overlook, the city sprawling below in a sea of lights. Damian parked and killed the engine. The sudden stillness was disorienting, almost intimate.
He leaned back in his seat, exhaling slowly as though releasing a tension he couldn’t carry anymore. “I needed this,” he admitted.
“A drive?” she teased gently, though her voice trembled with curiosity.
“A moment. Away from expectations. Away from… everything.” His gaze flicked to hers, piercing. “With you.”
Aria’s heart stuttered. She wanted to say something, to ease the storm in his voice, but words felt inadequate. So she simply sat there, her presence speaking where language failed.
He reached for the console, turning on a low, soft track of music—something classical, haunting, yet oddly soothing. The notes filled the silence, wrapping around them like a secret no one else could hear.
The Nearness
Damian shifted closer, his arm brushing against hers. The touch was light, accidental at first, but it lingered, deliberate. The warmth of his skin seeped into her, igniting a fire that threatened to consume her restraint.
“You don’t know how dangerous this is,” he murmured, his eyes locked on hers.
“Then tell me,” she whispered back.
He shook his head, a shadow crossing his features. “Not yet." If I tell you, you’ll run. And I can’t—” His jaw clenched, cutting himself off.
Her hand trembled as she reached for his. “Damian, maybe I won’t run.”
His fingers closed around hers, strong and certain, as if daring her to prove those words true. For a long moment, they sat there in silence, the city glittering below, their hearts thundering in unison.
A Glimpse of His Pain
Aria studied his profile, the way his expression tightened when he thought she wasn’t looking. “You carry so much,” she said softly.
He gave a bitter laugh. “You have no idea.”
“Then show me.”
His eyes snapped to hers, startled by the challenge in her voice. “Why would you want that?”
Because I don’t want the mask. I want the man behind it.
The words seemed to hit him harder than she expected. He looked away, his grip on her hand tightening. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, raw.
“My father… he taught me that weakness destroys. Those feelings are liabilities. That everything I do has to be calculated, perfect, controlled. His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “But when I’m with you, I can’t control it." And that terrifies me.
Aria’s chest ached at his confession. Slowly, she lifted her free hand and brushed her fingertips against his cheek. “Maybe it doesn’t have to terrify you.”
His eyes closed briefly at her touch, as though the gesture was both comfort and torment.
The Almost Kiss
The music swelled, the world narrowing to just the two of them. Damian leaned in, his breath warm against her lips, his hand cupping the side of her face. Every nerve in her body screamed for the kiss, for the inevitable crossing of the line they’d been dancing around since the night they met.
But once again, he pulled back at the last second, his forehead pressing against hers instead. His restraint was maddening, yet tender, filled with something deeper than simple desire.
“You have no idea how much I want this,” he whispered. “But if I give in now, I might never let you go." And that could destroy you.
Her heart hammered, torn between frustration and understanding. “Then maybe I don’t want to be let go.”
His groan was almost pained, his hands tightening as though holding back everything inside him. “You’ll regret saying that.”
But she didn’t. Not then, not ever.
The Ride Back
They stayed like that for a long while, two souls teetering on the edge of something neither could resist. Finally, Damian pulled away, starting the engine once more. The drive back was quiet, filled with unspoken words and lingering tension.
When the car stopped in front of her apartment, Aria turned to him, searching his face. “Thank you… for letting me see this side of you.”
His jaw tightened. “Don’t thank me. One day, you’ll see too much. And then…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Just be careful, Aria.”
She stepped out of the car, her heart aching with both longing and dread. As the taillights disappeared down the street, she realized the truth: she was in too deep to turn back now.
- Writer
