A Line Crossed

Alessia should have slammed the door in his face.

Any sane person would have.

But something in the way Damian said those words—"I don’t trust anyone else to keep you safe."—made her hesitate.

Not because she believed him. Not because she wanted his protection.

But because for the first time, someone other than Marco seemed to care if she lived or died.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to break eye contact. "I don’t need a bodyguard."

Damian leaned against the doorframe, his gaze sharp, unyielding. "And I don’t take orders from reckless women who think they’re invincible."

She exhaled sharply, folding her arms. "I’m not reckless."

He scoffed. "You showed up at the docks alone. You walked into one of the most dangerous territories in this city without backup. If that’s not reckless, then tell me—what is it?"

She clenched her jaw. She hated that he had a point.

But that didn’t mean she had to admit it.

"Are you done?" she asked, trying to sound unimpressed.

Damian studied her for a moment before pushing off the doorframe.

"Not even close, sweetheart."

Before she could react, he stepped into her apartment without waiting for an invitation.

Alessia stiffened. The air around them changed.

"You can’t just—"

"—Walk in?" Damian finished for her, shutting the door behind him. "I just did."

Her hands curled into fists. This man had no concept of boundaries.

"You do realize this is my home, right?" she snapped.

Damian’s gaze flicked around the small apartment before settling back on her. "Then maybe you should lock your doors properly. Anyone could walk in."

She scowled. "Including you, apparently."

He smirked. "I’m not just ‘anyone.’"

Alessia exhaled sharply. No, he definitely wasn’t.

"Why are you really here, Damian?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Something in his expression shifted. The amusement faded, replaced by something… heavier.

"Because whether you like it or not, you’re in the middle of something bigger than you understand," he said, voice lower this time. "And if you keep running into danger, you won’t live long enough to find your brother."

Her throat tightened.

"I can handle myself," she said, even though she wasn’t sure if she believed it anymore.

Damian took a slow step forward, erasing what little space remained between them. She should have stepped back. But she didn’t.

"Can you?" he murmured, voice dipping into something almost… intimate.

Her pulse spiked.

She refused to let him see how much he unsettled her. "Yes."

Damian’s gaze dipped to her lips, just for a second. Just long enough to make her breath hitch.

Then, as if sensing that he was getting too close, he straightened.

"Pack a bag," he said.

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You’re staying somewhere else tonight."

She let out a short, incredulous laugh. "You’re out of your mind."

He didn’t react. "It’s not up for discussion."

Something in the way he said it sent a shiver through her. It wasn’t a demand. It was a decision. And Damian Valenciaga wasn’t the kind of man who repeated himself.

Alessia swallowed hard.

She knew one thing for certain.

She had just crossed a line with a man who didn’t believe in letting people walk away.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***