Chapter 2 The Price Of Desperation

• Ariana’s vision swam in a haze of confusion as she tried to steady herself, her legs weak beneath her. She reached out, barely catching herself against the smooth, cold wall. Her skin was flushed, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. She felt like she was burning up from the inside.
• What happened?
• Her head spun, and she was dimly aware of being lifted. Strong arms wrapped around her, but the world around her remained a blur. She tried to speak, to protest, but her voice came out as nothing more than a strangled whisper.
• The man who had caught her—the one with the cold, unreadable eyes—didn’t speak at first. He just lifted her effortlessly, carrying her with the ease of someone used to handling fragile things. His grip on her was firm, but it was impossible to ignore the heat of his body seeping through his shirt, a stark contrast to the icy distance in his gaze.
• “Stay still,” his voice rumbled, rough with command, as he moved with purpose.
• Ariana’s mind was foggy, and every attempt to understand what was happening only made her head spin more. She felt like she was drifting—caught somewhere between reality and a dream. The edges of her vision flickered, and she could barely process the dim lights of the hallway as he carried her down.
• He said something to a man she hadn’t noticed before, a man standing just behind them—someone who looked concerned but unwilling to interfere. A quiet exchange of words. Then, before she knew it, she was being gently placed onto a large, luxurious bed.
• She tried to sit up, her hands weakly tugging at the fabric of her dress. The heat was unbearable now, suffocating her, making her desperate to strip away the layers. Her fingers fumbled with the zipper at the back of her dress, but the effort felt like it took all of her energy.
• “Damn it, hold still,” the man with the cold eyes commanded again, his hand coming down to stop her.
• Her mind registered his voice as if from a distance, but the need for relief was overwhelming. She didn’t want to feel like this. She wanted to escape the warmth burning inside her.
• She continued to struggle, her hands shaking as she worked at the zipper.
• And then, it was him—he was the one who moved, too fast for her to follow, his hands swift and certain as they found the zipper and tugged it down.
• Her dress pooled at her waist, leaving her in just her slip, her skin gleaming with a sheen of sweat.
• Damien’s eyes, which had been icy and impassive before, now flickered with something darker, something almost predatory, as they took in the sight of her. His jaw clenched, but he didn’t speak. He stood motionless for a beat that stretched into eternity.
• Cole, the other man in the room, cleared his throat uncomfortably, his eyes darting away, and it was clear that he was struggling to keep his gaze from lingering on Ariana.
• Damien didn’t wait any longer. He moved to the bedside table and grabbed a glass of water, his hands steady as he brought it to Ariana’s lips. “Drink,” he ordered, his voice low and firm, like a command she didn’t have the strength to refuse.
• Ariana tried to take the glass from his hands, but her fingers were trembling so violently that she could barely grasp it. The water sloshed over the sides as she brought it to her lips, spilling over her hands and dripping down her chest.
• Her breath caught in her throat as the water fell between her cleavage, and she felt an unfamiliar, uncontrollable sensation rippling through her body. Her skin burned even more now—every inch of her body felt too hot, too sensitive.
• Damien’s gaze flickered down to where the water had spilled, his eyes darkening, his hand still holding the glass, frozen in place. She noticed the tension in his jaw, the way his throat tightened with an unspoken struggle.
• Ariana’s mind was spinning too fast to process his reaction, but it made her feel... exposed. She could feel the heat of his stare searing into her skin, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Not now.
• “I can’t—” She gasped, her voice breaking, but the words felt lost to her, tangled in the haze of desire and confusion. She needed relief, something to cool the fire inside her.
• Damien’s eyes met hers—intense, cold, and still guarded—but there was something else there now. His grip tightened on the glass, and for a moment, she thought he might snap, like a man holding back from something dangerous. He looked away, his breath heavy.
• Without a word, he stood and walked across the room, calling out to Cole, his voice clipped. “Call the doctor. Now.”
• Cole nodded quickly, pulling out his phone as Damien turned back to Ariana. He walked toward her, a calmness in his movements that contrasted with the tension in the room.
• “Let’s get you cleaned up,” he muttered, his voice now strained, as if he was holding himself back from something he didn’t want to acknowledge.
• Ariana barely understood him, but she nodded, the haze in her mind thickening with every passing second.
• Damien lifted her effortlessly, his strong hands guiding her into his arms, and she allowed him to carry her without resistance. She was aware of every inch of his body as he held her close. His chest, warm and firm beneath her fingertips. His arms, like steel, holding her steady, but she could feel the tension in his muscles. She was an overwhelming presence for him, and yet he didn’t let go.
• He moved her into a luxurious bathroom, the marble floors cool beneath her bare feet. The scent of lavender filled the air, and before she could understand what was happening, he was slowly lowering her into a deep, steaming bath.
• The water enveloped her, soothing some of the heat burning through her body, but the fire in her skin refused to dissipate. Her breath came in short gasps as the warm water splashed over her, but it was too little, too late.
• She felt... too much.
• Her body was a furnace, and the bathwater did little to help. She shuddered, her skin sensitive, her body aching. She moaned softly, her head falling back against the rim of the tub. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through her.
• Damien stood by the edge of the bathtub, his posture rigid, but his eyes were locked on her—unreadable, intense. His hands clenched at his sides as he watched her, his gaze flickering from her face to the water lapping at her body. There was a dangerous edge to his stillness, a war being waged in his mind.
• Cole’s voice broke the tension, his words sharp but not enough to ease the palpable discomfort in the room. “The doctor’s on the way,” he said. “She needs to be stabilized before—”
• Damien didn’t let him finish. His voice was colder than ice as he ordered, “Stay. Out. Of. This.”
• Cole nodded and quickly exited, leaving Damien alone with Ariana, the air between them thick with something neither of them could name.
• Ariana couldn’t focus on anything but the pull inside her. Her skin felt like it was on fire, every inch of her body aware of his presence. She turned her head slightly to the side, meeting his eyes once more. He stood still, a statue of control, yet Ariana could feel the storm within him.
• The moment stretched, a tense silence filling the room, and Ariana wasn’t sure how much longer she could stay still in the whirlpool of heat that consumed her.