“God, you’re absolutely stunning,” he murmured, gently teasing her as he caressed her nipple, eliciting a soft moan from her lips.
With a chuckle, he started buttoning up her clothes, a playful glint in his eyes.
She buried her face in his chest, feeling a mix of embarrassment and shyness wash over her.
After they returned home from the office, Crystal had been avoiding Damien like the plague. Whether it was due to embarrassment or shyness, Damien couldn’t quite figure it out.
As soon as they arrived home, she darted into her room, leaving Damien to ponder her actions. Too exhausted to pursue the matter, he decided to let her be.
After freshening up, he collapsed onto his bed, feeling the weight of their complicated situation pressing down on him. The closer he got to Crystal, the more he put her in danger. As a mafia lord, she was his only weakness.
“Damn,” he muttered in frustration, grabbing a pack of cigarettes and heading to the rooftop. Despite the inviting bed and chairs, he chose to stand and smoke, trying to clear his mind and relax.
***************************
“Come on dear, it already happened, avoiding him will do you no good.” Hazel said for the tenth time now.
Hazel, I just can’t face him right now,” Crystal mumbled, burying her face in the pillow.
Hazel gently pulled her up, asking, “Did you not enjoy it?” with a teasing smirk.
“Stop, you’re only making me feel worse,” Crystal blushed.
“He can’t sleep,” Hazel suddenly mentioned.
“Damien?” Crystal inquired.
Hazel nodded. “He’s been feeling stressed lately.”
“About what? Do you know what happened between him and Liam? Why do they have this tension between them?” Crystal pressed for answers.
“They don’t hate each other, but their complicated relationship has led to a love-hate dynamic,” Hazel explained. “And I’m not the one to tell you the full story. If you want to know, you’ll have to ask him yourself.”
“You should go talk to him now, he’s on the rooftop,” Hazel suggested.
Crystal looked at Hazel one last time before getting up. “Which way to the rooftop?”
“Two rooms down, there’s a staircase leading up,” Hazel directed.
Crystal nodded and left the room. As she reached the rooftop, she found Damien standing there, exhaling smoke in frustration.
“Are you a smoker?” she asked as soon as she arrived.
He took a drag from his cigarette before responding,
“Yes, I am. It’s not the healthiest habit, but it helps me relax.”
Surprised, she remarked, “I’ve never seen you smoke before. How long have you been doing it?”
Trying to change the subject, he asked, “How did you get here?”
she questioned, “Do you not want me here?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I just haven’t shared much about myself with you.”
She took the cigarette from his mouth and tossed it away, saying, “I want to know more about you.”
He hesitated before admitting, “There are things about me that
I don’t want you to know.”
She pressed, “I thought you let me into your world.”
He warned, “Once you’re in my world, there’s no turning back. I’ll do anything to protect my loved ones, even if it means taking extreme measures.”
Their eyes locked in a tense silence, each trying to read the other’s emotions.
She broke the silence by suggesting, “Come lay with me.”
His eyes widened in shock as he asked, “What do you mean?”
She clarified, “Just to sleep, nothing more. Don’t let your mind wander elsewhere”. They both laughed.
They settled into bed, his protective embrace making her feel safe.
As they lay together, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of desire, but he respected her boundaries.
He whispered, “This is going to be a long night.” Adjusting his nose, not wanting her to notice.
He held her close, savouring her presence and trying to calm his racing heart.
“You’re slowly driving me crazy, my love,” he murmured, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead before drifting off to sleep.