CH.4 - Steel Shadows and Second Chances
1556 Words
Chapter Four – Steel Shadows and Second Chance .
Olivia’s Point of View
If running into one dangerously attractive stranger right before finding out my boyfriend was cheating was coincidence, then running into *another* on after a public emotional breakdown—who also happened to be the man who kissed me senseless in the middle of the street—had to be fate.
Or karma.
Or the universe laughing it's a*s off at my expense because I was busy wasting my time and considering settling with half a man when there is clearly plenty of fish in the sea…fish that was way better than ever imagined.
His hand laid ever so gently on my lower back as he guided me through a crowd of people and for some reason having his hand on me somewhat felt wrong all of a sudden, dare I say taboo.
Something about my thoughts was starting to make me feel very annoyed thus I tried not to think about the haunting and drop dead gorgeous Damien Steel as I walked back toward the mall entrance with Idris beside me. Keyword: *tried*.
Because the thing about Damien was that he lingered.
In my body.
In my thoughts.
In the quiet moments when I wasn’t actively distracting myself with sarcasm or rental listings.
Idris’s presence helped, though. He was calm in a way that felt intentional, like he chose peace instead of chaos—and that alone made him dangerous in an entirely different way.
“So,” he said casually, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, “are you always brutally honest with strangers, or am I special?”
I huffed a laugh. “You’re special.”
“Good,” he replied, deadpan. “I was hoping.”
I glanced at him, catching the small smile tugging at his lips. “You are trouble.” I joked.
“Allegedly.” he shot back without a second thought and that alone made me giggle as I finally noticed just how witty he was.
Even though I was somewhat absent mindedly walking with him, my feet immediately came to a standstill at the exact moment that he stopped and there we stood near the glass doors, shoppers flowing around us in noisy waves. The world felt normal here—too normal. It made everything that had happened feel surreal, like it belonged to another version of me.
I could just tell by his demeanor and silence that he knew I was stalling and growing more and more nervous by the second. Bringing a strange man into the mall is one thing but guiding that same man towards my motel room was something else
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
“Depends,” he replied. “Is it going to make me regret being charming?”
“Probably,” I said sweetly. “Why are you really here?”
He studied me for a long second, green eyes thoughtful. “I told you—I had business nearby.”
“That’s not an answer.”
A beat passed.
Then he sighed. “Fine. I was hoping I’d see you again.”
My stomach flipped traitorously. “Oh.”
“Before you get weird about it,” he added quickly, “I wasn’t stalking you. I just… felt like our conversation wasn’t finished.”
I swallowed. “Yeah. Mine too.”
The words sat between us, heavy with implication.
Before either of us could say more, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I groaned the moment I saw the name.
**Ethan.**
Again.
Idris noticed immediately. “You don’t look thrilled.”
“I’m not,” I muttered, declining the call. “He keeps trying to ‘explain.’”
Idris’s jaw tightened just enough for me to notice. “You don’t owe him anything.”
“I know,” I said softly. “I just wish he’d stop acting like I do.”
The phone buzzed again—this time a text.
I didn’t read it.
Instead, I turned my phone face-down and exhaled. “I think I’m just going to head straight back to the motel.”
Idris nodded, then hesitated. “Can I continue to walk you?”
“That’s not necessary—”
“I know,” he said gently. “I still want to.”
I smiled despite myself. “Okay.”
We walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the afternoon light stretching long shadows across the pavement. My thoughts drifted—unhelpfully—to dark grey eyes, a commanding voice, and the way Damien had said *my mate* like it was law.
I shivered.
“Are you cold?” Idris asked.
“No,” I said quickly. “Just… thinking.”
“Dangerous pastime,” he remarked.
I laughed. “You have no idea.”
We stopped near the curb where I’d caught a rideshare earlier that day.
“This is me,” I said.
Idris nodded, then did something unexpected—he pulled a small card from his wallet and held it out to me.
“My number,” he said. “In case you want to talk. Or vent. Or complain about landlords.”
I took it, fingers brushing his. “Thanks.”
“And Olivia?”
“Yeah?”
His gaze held mine, warm and steady. “ Just remember that everything that has attempted to shatter your world—it didn’t break you and definitely won't in future.”
Something in my chest loosened as I gave him a gentle smile.
“Thank you very much,Idris.”
“youre very welcome, little elf.”
I rolled my eyes, smiling as he walked away.
---
Just like any other night in these past few days, that night, back in my motel room, sleep refused to come.
I stared at the ceiling again—same bleach-and-regret smell, same scratchy sheets—but everything felt different now. Like the universe had cracked something open instead of shutting a door.
My phone buzzed on the bedside table.
Unknown number.
I frowned, then answered. “Hello?”
“Olivia.”
My breath caught.
I knew that voice.
Low. Controlled. Steel wrapped in velvet.
“Damien,” I whispered.
“I was wondering when you’d finally take my call,” he said calmly.
My heart slammed against my ribs. “How did you get this number?”
A pause. Then, almost amused: “You left more of an impression than you think.”
I sat up slowly. “What do you want?”
“To make sure you’re safe,” he said. “And to remind you—whether you like it or not—that what I said that night was true.”
My pulse raced. “You don’t get to just declare things about me.”
A low chuckle sounded through the line. “You’ll learn,” he said. “Some truths exist whether we accept them or not.”
“Damien—”
“Sleep, mate,” he interrupted gently. “We’ll talk soon.”
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone, heart pounding, skin buzzing, mind spinning.
Two men.
Two energies.
Two paths opened in front of me.
And for the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure which one terrified me more.
Or which one I wanted most and luckily for me I didn't have to start from scratch and accepted the situation. Above all else I didn't really have to choose and I definitely was in no rush.
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone for a long moment, my reflection faintly visible in the dark screen—eyes tired, lips still swollen with too many memories, a heart caught between fear and something dangerously close to hope . Honestly speaking I was too tired and too confused to question the whole thing any further .
I set the phone down slowly, as if it might burn me just fighting the urge to call him back and question him but i didn't.
The motel room was silent except for the hum of the heater and the distant sound of cars passing outside. Ordinary noises. Real ones. Grounding. I pulled the thin blanket up around my shoulders and exhaled, letting the weight of the day finally settle into my bones.
Damien Steel lingered at the edges of my thoughts—his voice, his certainty, the way he’d looked at me like he already knew parts of me I hadn’t uncovered yet. It should have unsettled me more than it did.
But it didn’t.
Instead, what I felt was… calm. Not happiness. Not being safe. Just the quiet sense that I wasn’t as alone as I’d thought I was three days ago.
My phone lay face-up on the nightstand, untouched.
Idris’s card rested beside it.
Two names.
Two very different feelings.
I didn’t reach for either.
Instead, I closed my eyes and let myself breathe—really breathe—for the first time since my world had cracked open on a kitchen floor.
Whatever came next could wait until morning.
And as sleep finally pulled me under, one thought stayed with me, warm and steady instead of sharp and painful:
Maybe this wasn’t the end of my story.
Maybe it was just the moment it began to change.
- Writer
