The moment the man stepped closer, Aria's body went rigid.
Her fingers tightened unconsciously around Damian's sleeve.
"Please…" she whispered again, her voice barely steady.
Damian didn't respond immediately.
Instead, his gaze remained fixed on the man approaching them—cold, calculating, unreadable.
"Aria," the man called, his tone sharp, almost annoyed. "You really thought you could disappear?"
Her heart slammed painfully against her ribs.
"I don't want to go with him," she said quickly under her breath.
Damian's eyes flickered down to her for a brief second.
Fear.
Real fear.
He saw it clearly now.
Interesting.
"Who is he?" Damian asked calmly.
"My stepbrother," she replied, her voice trembling slightly. "And he won't take no for an answer."
A dangerous silence followed.
Then—
Damian's arm slid around her waist.
Slow. Intentional.
Possessive.
Aria's breath hitched.
The sudden closeness sent heat rushing through her body, her mind momentarily blanking.
"Stay still," he murmured near her ear.
The warmth of his breath made her shiver.
"Aria," the man snapped again, now only a few steps away. "Stop this nonsense and come here."
Damian didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
If anything, his hold on her tightened slightly.
"She's not going anywhere."
The words were calm.
But they carried weight.
Power.
The man's expression darkened as his eyes shifted to Damian.
"And you are?" he asked, clearly irritated.
A faint, dangerous smile touched Damian's lips.
"You don't need to know."
That was enough to set him off.
"Stay out of this," the man warned, stepping closer. "This is a family matter."
Aria's grip on Damian's shirt tightened.
"Please…" she whispered again.
Damian glanced down at her.
Then back at the man.
"And yet," he said smoothly, "she just made it my business."
The tension snapped.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with," the man said, his voice low with anger.
Damian's expression didn't change.
"On the contrary," he replied calmly. "I know exactly what I'm dealing with."
A pause.
Then—
Recognition flickered across the man's face.
His confidence wavered.
"…Blackwood?" he said slowly.
Damian said nothing.
He didn't need to.
The silence alone confirmed it.
And just like that—
The man's entire demeanor shifted.
Less aggressive.
More cautious.
Aria noticed it immediately.
And for the first time since the man appeared…
She felt a small sense of relief.
"You should walk away," Damian said quietly. "While I'm still allowing it."
The threat was subtle.
But clear.
The man clenched his jaw.
His eyes flicked between Aria and Damian.
Calculating.
Weighing his options.
Then finally—
"This isn't over," he muttered.
And turned away.
Aria didn't realize she had been holding her breath until he disappeared into the crowd.
Her body relaxed instantly.
But Damian's arm was still around her.
Firm.
Unmoving.
Reminding her exactly who she was standing with.
"You're safe now."
His voice was low.
Too close.
Aria swallowed.
Slowly, she pulled away from him.
Or at least—she tried to.
His hand didn't let her go immediately.
Their eyes met.
And something shifted.
Something heavier than before.
"You said you'd do anything," he reminded her.
Her stomach dropped.
Right.
The deal.
"I…" she hesitated.
This suddenly felt very real.
Very dangerous.
Damian stepped closer again, closing the space between them.
"Let me make this simple for you," he said. "I protect you… from him, from anyone else who tries to touch what isn't theirs."
Her breath caught at the word protect.
"And in return?" she asked cautiously.
His gaze darkened.
"You stay with me."
Silence.
The world around them faded again.
"Stay with you?" she repeated softly.
"For a while," he added, almost casually. "Attend events with me. Follow my rules. Don't question my decisions."
Her heart started racing again.
"That sounds like—"
"A contract," he finished.
Her chest tightened.
"I'm not something you can just own," she said, forcing strength into her voice.
His eyes held hers.
Unblinking.
"Everyone belongs to something, Aria," he said quietly. "You just haven't decided what yet."
"I decide for myself."
"Do you?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
Her words caught in her throat.
Because right now—
She didn't feel like she had any control at all.
He stepped even closer.
Close enough that she had to tilt her head slightly to meet his gaze.
"If you walk away now," he continued, "he comes back. And next time, I won't interfere."
Her pulse spiked.
"And if I agree?"
His hand lifted—
Brushing lightly against a strand of her hair, tucking it behind her ear.
The gesture was soft.
Too soft for someone like him.
"You walk into my world," he said. "And I don't share what's mine."
Heat rushed to her face.
This man—
He spoke like everything was already decided.
Like she was already his.
"I need time to think," she said quickly.
"No."
Her eyes widened.
"No?" she repeated.
"I don't wait," he said calmly.
Her frustration flared.
"You can't just expect me to say yes immediately!"
His gaze sharpened.
"And you can't expect protection without a price."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Aria's mind raced.
Every instinct screamed at her to walk away.
To run.
To escape before she got trapped in something she wouldn't be able to leave.
But then she remembered—
The look in that man's eyes.
The certainty that he would come back.
And next time…
She might not be able to escape.
Her fingers curled tightly at her sides.
Slowly… hesitantly…
She looked back at Damian.
"You promise he won't touch me?" she asked.
His expression didn't change.
But his voice dropped—low and certain.
"I promise no one will."
Something about the way he said it…
Made her believe him.
And that scared her more than anything.
Because trusting him felt like stepping into a cage.
One with no key.
Aria closed her eyes briefly.
Then opened them again.
"Fine," she said quietly.
"I'll do it."
A slow smile spread across Damian's lips.
Not warm.
Not kind.
Victorious.
"Good choice."
Her heart sank.
Because somehow—
It didn't feel like a choice at all.
As the night continued, Damian leaned closer, his voice brushing against her ear.
"From this moment on," he murmured, "you don't belong to your past anymore."
Her breath caught.
His next words sent a shiver down her spine.
"You belong to me."