Page 19

Chapter 19

Holly

I should stop this. Should pull away. Should run like hell and never look back. I should remind myself of all the reasons why this was wrong—the severed hands, the blood, the mayhem he brought into my life.

But I didn’t.

Damien’s lips crushed against mine, hot and demanding. His hands gripped my waist like he feared I’d vanish if he loosened his hold. And God, how I wanted to disappear into him. For the first time in forever, I felt grounded. Safe. Wanted.

The rain poured down around us, a wild symphony drowning out everything else. My mind screamed at me to break free, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him instead. His kiss deepened, rough and desperate as if he were trying to pull something from me I couldn’t name.

I lost track of everything—the world outside, the storm battering against us, even the dark thoughts swirling in my head about what had just happened with that guy. None of it mattered when I was here with Damien, wrapped up in his warmth and intensity.

His fingers slid under my shirt, igniting a fire beneath my skin that made me gasp against his mouth. I couldn’t think; all I could feel was him—his breath mingling with mine, his heart racing against my chest.

This isn’t who you are, whispered a voice in the back of my mind.

But it was drowned out by the thundering pulse of desire coursing through me every time he pulled me closer. I craved this connection—the way he made me feel alive when everything else felt suffocatingly dead.

Damien broke the kiss for a breath, his forehead resting against mine as we both panted for air. His eyes searched mine, fierce and wild, as if trying to read my thoughts through the chaos that spun between us.

What am I doing? The question fluttered somewhere deep within me, but it barely registered above the roar of need crashing over everything else.

He leaned in again, brushing his lips against mine softly this time—tentative yet laced with urgency—and it shattered whatever resolve remained inside me.

The rain was relentless, cold against my skin, but I didn’t feel it. All I felt was Damien.

The heat of his body radiated through the thin fabric of my shirt, a stark contrast to the chill enveloping us. His kiss was raw and desperate, igniting a fire within me that pushed aside every ounce of doubt and fear I’d clung to moments before. My fingers slid into his wet hair, tugging him closer, needing him to fill the void that threatened to swallow me whole.

He groaned into my mouth, deep and rough, as if I were the only thing keeping him standing. The sound sent a thrill coursing through me—powerful and intoxicating. I pulled at his hair, eliciting another guttural noise from him that resonated deep in my chest.

In this moment, nothing else mattered. Not the chaos of our lives or the darkness lurking just beneath the surface of everything we had been through together.

He shifted his weight against me, pressing me back against the wall with an urgency that made my heart race. Water dripped from his lashes as he pulled away for just a moment to catch his breath. His eyes searched mine, fierce and hungry yet tinged with something deeper—a need that mirrored my own.

I could see the flicker of vulnerability behind that wild gaze, but it vanished almost as quickly as it appeared when he leaned back in again. Our lips crashed together once more, hungry and fierce.

My heart hammered in my chest as I pressed myself against him, feeling alive in a way I hadn’t felt in so long. He felt like home and danger all at once—a beautiful contradiction that made it impossible for me to pull away.

Damien pulled back just enough to speak, his breath warm against my lips. “ Tell me you want this. ”

He said this so many times. I thought it was his need of control, but maybe it was because he didn’t fully believe me when I told him.

I exhaled shakily. I should lie. Should tell him no. Should walk away from this mess that we had become. But the truth lay heavy on my tongue, begging to be freed.

“ I want this. ”

The moment those words left my mouth, Damien didn’t waste another second. He lifted me effortlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist as he pressed me against the nearest wall—the side of the rink, cold and wet. I gasped at the suddenness of it, but his mouth was back on mine before I could think. He stole every breath, consuming me in a way that felt both exhilarating and terrifying.

My heart raced as I clung to him, feeling the hard muscles of his body beneath the damp fabric of his shirt. It was dizzying, being so close to him again—so impossibly drawn into this whirlwind of desire.

He kissed me like he was trying to reclaim something lost, something that had been torn apart between us over time. My hands tangled in his wet hair as I deepened the kiss, matching his fervor with equal desperation. The world faded; it was just Damien and me—a chaotic storm of passion and unresolved emotions.

Every inch of my body thrummed with electricity as he held me against him, every soft gasp that escaped my lips fueling the fire between us. I had always known he was dangerous, but in this moment, danger felt like a thrilling rush rather than something to fear.

He pressed closer, pinning me against the wall even more firmly. I felt alive in ways I hadn’t experienced in what felt like forever.

But somewhere deep down, a small voice warned me that this might be another trap—that stepping back into Damien’s world meant diving headfirst into chaos once more.

His hands roamed down my thighs, gripping my hips and pulling me into him with a force that made my breath hitch. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing. We had crossed lines long ago, and now those lines felt like nothing more than remnants of a past we could no longer escape.

My fingers fumbled with his shirt, dragging it over his head. The damp fabric clung to his skin for just a moment before falling away, revealing the taut muscles beneath. I traced the scars along his chest, each one a story I’d never fully known but could feel echoing through him. He shuddered under my touch, a low groan escaping his lips that sent a thrill coursing through me.

“You drive me insane, little lamb,” he murmured, his voice hoarse and raw.

The words hung between us, electrifying the air. I wanted to tell him how much he drove me insane too—how the pull between us felt magnetic and dangerous—but all I could manage was to lean closer, feeling the heat radiating off him. My heart raced as our bodies pressed together; everything else faded into oblivion.

I smiled against his lips, the corners of my mouth curling up as I breathed him in. “You always were insane,” I teased, my voice a soft whisper lost in the chaos.

He groaned in response; the sound vibrating through his chest as he bit my lip lightly, a playful retaliation that sent sparks shooting through me. It was a reminder of the fire that burned between us, raw and untamed.

I pulled back just enough to meet his stormy blue eyes, which sparkled with mischief and something deeper—an intensity that made me forget everything else.

“Insane? Maybe,” he said, a smirk dancing on his lips. “And what does that make you?"

Damien leaned closer again, tilting his head as if trying to capture every moment. His breath mingled with mine, creating an electric tension that sent shivers down my spine. Just when I thought I’d catch a glimpse of something softer behind his fierce exterior, he deepened the kiss once more.

It wasn’t gentle; it never was with Damien. But there was a passion in it that felt familiar and consuming. I tangled my fingers in his hair again, pulling him closer as if anchoring myself against the storm swirling around us—both outside and within our hearts.

I surrendered completely; this was where I belonged—even if the world outside warned against it.

Rain slid down Damien’s skin, mingling with mine, soaking through every barrier between us. The chill of the storm was nothing compared to the heat radiating from him, creating a heady mix that sent shivers racing along my spine.

I tugged at his sweatpants, fingers trembling—not from fear, but from anticipation. I felt alive in a way I hadn’t in years, every nerve ending sparking as if he were igniting a fire inside me.

“Are you sure?” he asked, voice low and gravelly.

“You already know the answer.” My voice came out steadier than I expected, each word laced with certainty.

That was all he needed.

With a swift movement, Damien stripped me out of my soaked clothes, one piece at a time. The fabric clung to my skin for a heartbeat before it fell away, tossed onto the wet pavement like it meant nothing. A shiver ran through me as the cold air hit my bare skin, but it only fueled the heat building between us.

The rain drummed against our bodies—loud and relentless—yet all I could focus on was him. He stepped closer, his warmth enveloping me completely as I stood exposed before him. My heart raced wildly; this was reckless and raw, and yet it felt so undeniably right.

I locked eyes with him, the air thickening with unspoken promises as the rain cascaded around us like a veil hiding us from the rest of the world.

His hands skimmed down my bare skin, fingertips tracing every inch like he was memorizing me all over again. I felt each caress ignite my nerves, a shiver coursing through me that had nothing to do with the cold rain. My nipples hardened, not from the chill but from the heat radiating off him.

I gasped when he pressed his mouth to my throat, nipping and kissing, sucking bruises into my skin that would remind me of this moment long after it ended. Each touch felt like a brand, marking me as his.

“Mine,” he whispered against my jaw, sending another wave of heat flooding through me. “No one else will ever touch you again.”

I exhaled sharply, the weight of his words settling deep in my chest. There was something primal in his claim that both thrilled and terrified me. The part of me that wanted to fight back faded beneath the intensity of what he promised. I didn’t argue; I couldn’t. My body betrayed my mind, leaning into him instead.

Damien’s mouth traveled lower, trailing kisses down to the hollow of my collarbone. The rain continued to fall around us, a symphony accompanying our heated breaths as he lost himself in exploring every curve and contour of my body. His hands roamed freely, gripping my waist and pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.

Each time his lips brushed against my skin, I felt a spark of something I couldn’t quite name—desire mingled with desperation and fear. The world outside faded completely; it was just him and me in this moment, drenched in rain and chaos.

His kisses turned more insistent as he marked me—each bruise a reminder of how far we’d fallen together into this madness. My breath quickened with every bite and kiss; I craved more but feared what that meant for us both.

With each lingering touch, he solidified his claim on me deeper than I ever thought possible.

He sucked a nipple into his mouth; the sensation sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my core. His tongue swirled around the sensitive peak, teasing and tasting as if he couldn't get enough. I gasped, arching my back to press myself further into his touch.

His hand palmed my other breast, fingers rolling the nipple between his thumb and forefinger. The contrast between the warmth of his mouth and the cool rain on my skin was intoxicating. He switched his attention, lavishing the same attention on my other breast while his free hand roamed down my body, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

Anyone could stumble upon us, but I didn't care. We were hidden only by the fact that we were behind the rink, exposed to the elements yet shielded from prying eyes. The risk added an exhilarating edge to our encounter, heightening every sensation.

Damien lifted me again, pressing me against the cold wall. But all I felt was the heat between us—the tension that had been snapping like a live wire for years. And then he was inside me, and it was everything. Too much. Too good. Too right.

I clung to him, nails digging into his back as he moved, slow and deep. Our foreheads pressed together, breaths mingling, bodies tangled in the rain.

Each thrust sent waves of pleasure crashing over me, threatening to pull me under. I held on tighter, desperate to anchor myself to this moment—to him. The rain pelted against us, but it couldn't extinguish the fire that burned between us.

As we moved together, I felt something inside me begin to unravel—a knot that had been tightly wound for far too long. With every stroke, Damien untangled the threads, revealing the raw, vulnerable parts of myself I'd tried so hard to keep hidden.

I didn't want it to end, but I knew we couldn't stay here forever. The storm would eventually pass, and reality would come crashing down around us. But for now, I let myself get lost in the rhythm of our bodies, the sound of our ragged breaths, and the feel of his heart beating against mine.

Our foreheads pressed together, breaths mingling in the rain as Damien's voice wrecked the air between us.

"You ruin me," he groaned, his words sending a shiver down my spine.

I arched into him, desperate for more of this chaotic connection that had consumed us both.

"Then ruin me too," I gasped, my voice barely audible over the pounding rain.

And he did.

Damien's hands gripped my hips, pulling me closer as he thrust deeper into me. Each movement was a testament to the raw, untamed desire that had always existed between us—a force that neither time nor distance could extinguish.

He moved with a ferocity that bordered on desperation, as if trying to reclaim something lost or prove that we were meant to be together despite the chaos that surrounded us. I clung to him, fingers digging into his shoulders as I matched his rhythm, our bodies moving in perfect sync.

The sound of our ragged breaths filled the air, punctuated by the occasional low groan from Damien as he pushed himself deeper.

I felt myself teetering on the edge of release, every nerve in my body electrified by the sensation of him moving inside me. With one final, powerful thrust, Damien sent me spiraling over the edge, my body shuddering with pleasure as I cried out his name.

He followed soon after, burying his face in the crook of my neck as he released a low, satisfied groan. We stayed there for a while, tangled together, the rain washing away the evidence of what we just did. The cold droplets fell around us, but I felt nothing but the heat radiating from Damien’s body.

He pressed his lips to my temple, breathing heavily against my skin. “You’re mine, Holly.”

I should have denied it. I should have pulled away, reminding him of everything we’d been through—the chaos, the pain, the anger that always seemed to follow us like a shadow.

But I didn’t move.

Instead, I let his words wash over me like the rain that dripped from our hair and pooled around our feet.

Because deep down, I knew it was true.

In that moment, with the world blurring around us and nothing else mattering but the two of us, I felt too tired to fight it. All the battles I had waged in my mind—the warnings about him and his darkness—seemed to fade into silence. My heart raced in response to his words; a mix of fear and exhilaration surged through me.

I closed my eyes for a second and inhaled deeply, letting the scent of damp earth and his familiar cologne fill my lungs. A part of me wanted to scream at myself for falling back into this chaotic whirlwind again. Another part craved it with an intensity that both thrilled and terrified me.

“Damien…” My voice was barely above a whisper as I pulled back just enough to meet his gaze. His stormy blue eyes flickered with something raw—something that made my pulse quicken all over again.

“Don’t,” he warned softly, brushing a wet strand of hair behind my ear as if he could sense my hesitation. “Just let it be.”

The command resonated deep within me. The fight I’d clung to began to dissipate like steam in the rain. And for once, instead of feeling lost or scared, I found solace in our entangled existence.

I leaned into him further, surrendering as we stood enveloped by rain and uncertainty—a connection so powerful it washed away all reason as easily as the water slid off our skin.