I met her the next morning.
She was already sitting in the living room when I walked out, legs crossed, posture perfect, dressed like she owned the place.
Like she owned him.
Her eyes lifted slowly to my face, sharp and assessing, and then she smiled.
Not a friendly smile.
A dangerous one.
"And you must be the girlfriend," she said softly.
The word tasted strange in my mouth.
Before I could answer, Damien stepped in behind me. I felt his presence immediately, calm but heavy, like a storm waiting to break.
"Lena," he said, his voice flat. "This is Maya."
Maya.
So this was her name.
Lena stood up and walked toward us, her heels clicking confidently on the marble floor. She stopped in front of me, looking me up and down.
"She's… younger than I expected," she said, glancing at Damien.
Something tightened in my chest.
"I didn't know you were bringing replacements home now," Lena added, her tone light but sharp.
Damien's jaw tightened.
"This has nothing to do with you," he replied coldly.
She laughed. "Everything about you has something to do with me. Or have you forgotten?"
The air between them felt thick, heavy with history I knew nothing about.
I suddenly felt like an outsider in my own lie.
Damien turned to me. "You're coming with me today."
It wasn't a request.
Lena's eyes darkened. "Already making plans for her?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he placed his hand lightly on my lower back, guiding me forward. The touch sent a strange heat through me, confusing and unwanted.
Or maybe… wanted.
As we walked past Lena, she leaned closer and whispered, just loud enough for me to hear.
"Be careful," she said. "Men like him don't pretend forever."
I didn't look back.
Inside the elevator, my heart raced.
"Who is she?" I finally asked.
Damien stared straight ahead. "Someone from my past."
"That didn't look like the past," I said quietly.
The elevator doors closed.
Slowly, he turned to me.
"You're asking questions," he said. "That's dangerous."
I swallowed. "I deserve to know what I'm walking into."
For a moment, I thought he would shut me down again.
Instead, he sighed.
"You're walking into a war," he said. "And whether you like it or not… you're on my side now."
The elevator started moving.
And for the first time, fear mixed with something else inside me.
Excitement.
Because whatever Damien Cole was hiding…
I was already too deep to walk away.