THE HIGH GROUND

NO WAY OUT

Bella trembled in his arms, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs as she tried to find her ground. The intense, magnetic heat of his body seemed to melt the very floor beneath her feet. Desperate to create some distance, she moved her small hands away from his broad, silk-clad shoulders, but the billionaire didn't let his grip loose.

His powerful arms remained locked around her narrow waist, anchoring her flush against his chest. Daemond was completely silent, his usual calculating mind entirely short-circuited. He was too busy admiring her. In the warm, dim glow of the corridor, she looked absolutely breathtaking. The baby pink dress flaunted her voluptuous, curved figure to absolute perfection, hugging her tiny waist and accentuating the soft, rounded contours of her breasts. Her damp, dark waves framed a face flushed with a brilliant, innocent crimson. For a man who could have any woman in the world, Daemond was utterly mesmerized.

"Thank you... sir..." Bella whispered breathlessly, her voice shaking as she tried to pull back and get on her feet.

Instead of releasing her, Daemond leaned down slightly, his striking emerald eyes darkening with an unvarnished, intense hunger.

"You look... beautiful," Daemond whispered directly against her face.

His slow, husky voice vibrated through her entire being, and his warm breath fanning across her skin made her gulp hard. Bella felt her defenses completely crumbling. She was falling—falling deep into the intoxicating scent of his expensive rain-and-woodsmoke cologne, falling into the bottomless depth of his green eyes, and drowning in the rich cadence of his voice. The hallway around them seemed to completely vanish.

Suddenly, a polite, deliberate cough echoed from the top of the grand staircase.

The sound shattered the heavy spell. Bella violently flinched, and they broke loose from each other, stepping back instantly. Bella frantically smoothed down her dress, her cheeks burning so hot she thought they might catch fire, while Daemond cleared his throat, his expression instantly locking back into its freezing, stoic corporate mask.

The silver-haired butler stepped into the light, keeping his gaze respectfully lowered to the floor to give them a semblance of privacy. "Forgive the interruption, Master. But there is a slight problem here."

Daemond adjusted the cuffs of his dark shirt, his voice returning to its sharp, commanding tone. "What is it?"

"The rain has turned into a severe storm," the butler informed them, gesturing toward the grand windows at the end of the hall, where sheets of torrential rain were now slamming violently against the thick glass. "It is getting incredibly wild out there, and flash flooding has already begun on the main transit lines. It might not be safe at all for Miss Bella to return home in this hour. The television news networks are running emergency weather alert warnings as we speak."

"Yes!" a loud, cheerful voice suddenly echoed from the open doorway of the bedroom.

Both Bella and Daemond turned to see William sitting up in his bed, a massive, triumphant grin lighting up his pale face. He giggled happily, clapping his hands together. "See! I told you, Bella! The universe agrees with me. You are staying now!"

Daemond looked from his little brother’s glowing face back to Bella. A strange, unfamiliar warmth tugged at the billionaire's chest. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen William this happy or full of life; for a very long time now, the boy had been shrouded in loneliness and medical depression. This girl, with her clumsy nature and stubborn kindness, was definitely special to William, too. *She changes everything she touches,* Daemond thought to himself.

Turning back to the butler, Daemond’s voice left no room for argument. "Prepare her night stay in the grand guest suite. Ensure she has everything she needs."

"Right away, Master," the butler replied, bowing deeply before turning to fulfill his command.

Bella’s jaw dropped. Hearing them plan her life without her consent ignited a sudden spark of fiery defiance in her chest. She pushed her full lips out into an angry pout, glaring up at the towering billionaire.

Daemond caught the look. Her cute, angry pout was deeply amusing to him, sending a dangerous ripple of amusement through his veins, but he completely ignored her fiery glare. Without a word, he pulled his sleek smartphone from his pocket and quickly dialed a number, stepping a foot away as the call connected.

"No!" Bella protested loudly, stepping forward. "I can't stay! You don't understand, my grandma—"

Before she could finish her sentence or explain that her grandmother was completely alone in their apartment, Daemond cut her off by speaking directly into his phone, his deep voice smooth and unbothered. "...Hmm... Yes... Now... Hmm... She is alright here... Yes... Good."

Bella looked entirely confused, her eyebrows knitting together as she watched him hum into the receiver. Who on earth was he talking to?

Without explaining, Daemond turned back around, took a step closer to her, and handed the phone over. "For you," he commanded huskily.

Bella hesitantly took the device, placing it against her ear. "Hello?"

"Bella? It's Susan."

Bella’s eyes widened in sheer shock. "Susan? What is going on?

Susan let out a reassuring, gentle chuckle on the other end of the line. "Don't worry, honey, I've got this entirely covered. Mr. Robert is helping too as per Boss command. I know about the flash floods and the storm. I'm already in Mister Robert's car now heading to your apartment; I'm going to stay with your grandma tonight. Luckily, she knows me well now."

It was true. Ever since Susan had taken Bella under her wing at the office, the kind mentor had come over twice to visit the apartment, bringing pastries and sitting with Bella's grandmother for hours. Her grandmother absolutely adored Susan's company.

"But Susan, I feel so bad making you do this—" Bella wanted to protest, but before the words could fully form, a large, tanned hand suddenly snatched the phone right out of her grip.

*How incredibly rude!* Bella whispered fiercely in her own mind, stamping her bare foot against the rug.

Daemond casually slid the phone back into his trouser pocket, stepping directly back into her personal space. The sheer, towering height of him completely overshadowed her, his emerald eyes locking onto hers with a burning, unyielding intensity that made her breath hitch all over again.

"I don't like to repeat myself, Miss Swan. You know this," he murmured, his voice dropping into a dark, possessive baritone that sent a thrilling shiver straight down her spine.

The raw, authoritative power in his gaze was too much for her to fight. Completely overwhelmed and realizing she had no cards left to play, Bella jolted out like a frightened, blushing bunny, turning on her heel and sprinting straight down the corridor back toward the safety of her guest room.

Standing alone in the long, dimly lit hallway, Daemond watched her frantic, graceful retreat. His eyes traced the mesmerizing sway of the baby pink dress until she slammed the guest room door shut.

The heavy silence of the mansion settled back over him, but for the first time in years, the coldness was gone. A slow, incredibly handsome smirk appeared on his perfect lips as he turned back toward his brother's room. The storm outside was wild, but the storm brewing inside his heart was bound to be far more dangerous.