Desire

Damon sat in his office, staring out over the city, the usual rhythm of work and power plays dull in his mind. No matter how hard he tried to focus, his thoughts kept drifting back to Emma. Her defiance, her fire—it was something he couldn’t shake. She had stood up to him, looked him in the eye with challenge rather than fear, and now she occupied far more of his thoughts than he cared to admit.

He smirked as an idea formed. If she wanted to play games, he was more than willing. Reaching for his phone, he dialed her number.

“Clark,” her voice answered, already carrying that edge of annoyance he found so intriguing.

“I need you to accompany me to a gala tonight,” Damon said smoothly, his tone giving no room for argument. “It’s part of your job now.”

There was a pause on the other end, then a sarcastic laugh. “Oh, really? Didn’t see that in the job description.”

“Consider it an addition,” Damon replied, unfazed by her tone. “Be ready by seven. And wear something that won’t embarrass me.”

“Right,” Emma muttered, the roll of her eyes practically audible. “Yes, sir.”

Satisfied, Damon hung up, his mind already playing out the evening. He’d make sure she knew her place tonight, challenge her again, and this time, he wouldn’t let her slip away so easily.

Later, Emma stood in front of the mirror, smoothing down the elegant black dress Sophie had picked out for her. The whole thing felt ridiculous, like something out of a bad movie.

“You’re going to a mafia gala with your boss,” Sophie giggled from the bed, adjusting her own earrings. “How much more cliché can this get?”

Emma laughed, shaking her head. “Right? I bet he’s going to try and intimidate me into quitting or something.”

Sophie grinned, handing Emma a lipstick. “Well, you look hot, and he won’t know what hit him. Just show him you’re not scared.”

At the gala, the moment Emma stepped out of the car, Damon felt the air shift. His eyes locked on her as she walked in, the dress hugging her curves, her hair cascading down in soft waves. His breath hitched—something that hadn’t happened to him in years. She was stunning, and for the first time in his life, Damon felt something other than control coursing through his veins. Desire.

But he wouldn’t show it. Not yet.

Damon approached her, his gaze intense as he stood in front of her, the usual smirk on his lips. “You clean up well,” he said in a low, approving voice, though inside, his control felt dangerously close to slipping.

Emma looked up at him with a playful smirk of her own. “Don’t sound so surprised,” she teased. “I do have my moments.”

“Careful, Ms. Clark,” Damon murmured, his eyes darkening as he took a step closer, his voice a quiet warning. “I might start to like you.”

Emma’s heart raced at the closeness, but she kept her expression cool, her tone light. “We wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Damon’s jaw tightened at her casual tone. The idea of liking her wasn’t the problem. It was more than that—he wanted to own her, to possess every part of her that dared to stand up to him. She was in his world now, and soon, she would realize it.

As the evening wore on, Damon found himself drawn to her again and again, unable to tear his gaze away. Her laughter, her strength—it all tugged at something deep within him. But his grip on control was slipping, and he knew it.

“You’re mine, Emma,” he thought to himself, watching her from across the room. “You just don’t know it yet.”

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