Chapter 11 – Crossing the Line

This was not happening.

Damien Blackwood was sitting outside my house.

On his motorcycle. In full view of my family.

And worst of all?

He was waiting for me.

Like he had every right to be here.

Like this was normal.

I heard Dad curse behind me, but I didn’t stick around to listen.

I marched down the porch steps, my pulse racing, heat crawling up my spine.

Damien watched me approach, his golden eyes unreadable, his hands resting casually on his thighs.

He didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

Just waited.

Like he knew I would come to him.

Smug bastard.

I stopped in front of him, crossing my arms. “What the hell are you doing here?”

His lips curled slightly. “Waiting for you.”

"You're outside my house, Damien."

His smirk widened. “I noticed.”

I inhaled sharply, trying to ignore the heat in my chest. “You need to leave.”

He tilted his head, studying me. “Why?”

I clenched my fists. “Because my dad is watching us from the window and I really don’t feel like explaining why a six-foot-tall playboy thinks he can show up at my house uninvited.”

Damien didn’t even blink.

“I’m not leaving.”

Oh, for the love of—

I grabbed his wrist, pulling him away from the street.

I could hear my dad yelling from inside, but I ignored him.

Damien let me drag him around the side of the house, his body warm against my fingers.

The second we were out of sight, I let go, turning on him. “Seriously, what do you want?”

His golden eyes darkened.

For a second, he didn’t answer.

And then—

He moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

One second, I was standing there, demanding an answer—

The next, my back was against the wall.

Trapped.

His hands caged me in.

His body just inches from mine.

I sucked in a sharp breath, my chest tightening.

“Damien—”

"You’re still running from me." His voice was low, rough, dangerous.

I swallowed hard. “I’m not—”

"You are."

His fingers brushed my jaw. Soft. Featherlight.

I shivered.

He leaned in, his breath warm against my skin. "But I'm done letting you run, little one."

My stomach flipped.

My body betrayed me.

Because I should have pushed him away.

I should have told him to stop.

Instead, my lips parted, my breath coming shaky and uneven.

Damien smirked.

He felt it.

He knew.

And that was so much worse.

“Admit it, Aurora.” His voice dropped lower, his golden eyes burning into mine. “You feel it, too.”

I clenched my fists. “No, I don’t.”

Lie.

His smirk widened. “Liar.”

He was too close.

Too intoxicating.

Too everything.

I hated him.

I didn’t.

I hated that my pulse raced whenever he touched me.

That my breath hitched whenever he looked at me.

That I wanted to know what his lips felt like against mine.

“You should hate me,” he murmured, like he could read my mind.

I gulped. “I do.”

He chuckled darkly. “Then why are you shaking?”

My face burned.

Because he was right.

I was shaking.

Not from fear.

But from something much, much worse.

I stormed back inside ten minutes later, still burning from head to toe.

Damien was gone.

For now.

I barely made it through the door before Dad was on me.

"What the hell was that, Aurora?!"

Mom crossed her arms. "Sweetheart, we need to talk."

Noah?

Oh, Noah was grinning like a lunatic.

"Damn. That was hot."

I threw my bag at him. "SHUT UP!"

Dad groaned, running a hand down his face. "That boy is bad news."

“He’s not anything, Dad.”

Mom sighed. “Aurora, you’re not… dating him, are you?”

I nearly died.

"No! God, no!"

Dad didn’t look convinced.

Mom didn’t look convinced.

Noah looked entirely too entertained.

I groaned, throwing myself onto the couch. "I don't want to talk about this."

Dad huffed. "Well, I do. I want to know why he thinks he can show up at this house like he owns the damn place."

"Because he's insane!" I snapped.

Mom sighed. "Aurora, are you sure you don’t… like him?"

I froze.

For a second, I couldn’t answer.

And that was the problem.

Because I should have immediately denied it.

I should have laughed, rolled my eyes, shrugged him off like he was nothing.

But I didn’t.

Because deep down, I wasn’t so sure anymore.

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