Chapter 140

Naomi’s POV

I was still stunned by what they said. We weren’t criminals, we were just trying to protect our daughter. We hadn’t hurt anyone. So why were they acting like we would be going to prison, too? My husband assured me that it would never go that far. He was going to get the best attorney he could, but he wanted to wait and see what they had on us first. I know they found the new IDs, but those were in Tiffany’s suitcase, not ours. They don’t have any proof against us. I must admit that Charlie knew more than he should have. But knowing and proving are two different things. I trust Hudson to protect us both.

Hearing Alicia at the door made my eyes snap up. Alicia warned me after the first trial that if Tiffany didn’t leave Ana alone.

For a moment, silence filled the office—only the sound of our ragged breathing and the creak of the desk beneath us. My body was wrecked, trembling, sweat cooling on my skin. I thought—hoped—it was over.

But then Damien didn’t soften. He didn’t pull out.

My eyes flew open, my heart lurching when I felt him still hard, still deep inside me. His breath came rough against my ear, his voice a gravelly growl.

“Not yet,” he rasped. “I’m not finished.”

My stomach dropped. “Damien—” My protest cracked into a gasp as his hips shifted, pulling back and slamming forward again with savage force.

“Thought I’d let you go that easy?” he snarled, his teeth grazing my throat. “No. I have missed this for three fucking years.”

Damn it. I forgot how a beast Damien was in sex. He could go round upon round with me.

I clawed at his shoulders, half to push him away, half to anchor myself as he set a brutal pace, driving into me like he was carving his name into my body. My legs slipped from his shoulders, but he caught them, folding me in half, pinning me open beneath him.

The angle was ruthless. Every thrust struck deep, knocking the air from my lungs, making my body bow and shudder helplessly against the desk.

“Damien—stop—” I begged, but the words were breathless, broken, traitorous, drowned in the sounds spilling from my throat.

“Liar,” he growled, sweat dripping onto my chest as his mouth crashed against mine, devouring me, punishing me. “You don’t want me to stop. You never did.”

My back arched, my nails tearing at his skin, and still he moved harder, faster, and relentlessly. His groans mingled with my cries, filling the room with the raw chaos of us—anger, lust, hate, and need colliding in every thrust.

My body betrayed me again, that unbearable heat coiling tight, too much, too fast. “Damien!” I screamed, cumming for the third time, my release ripping through me so violently I thought I’d shatter into pieces.

And finally—finally—he let go.

With a guttural roar, Damien buried himself deep, his entire body trembling as he spilled inside me, the force of his release shaking through every muscle. His grip on my thighs was bruising, his mouth against my neck hot and deep.

When it ended, he sagged against me, both of us spent, chests heaving, sweat-slick skin pressed tight.

My legs were jelly. Every muscle in my body trembled as I tried to push myself up from the desk. The wood was slick beneath my palms. I slid off the edge, my knees almost giving way beneath me.

A rough, steadying hand shot out, gripping my arm before I hit the floor.

“Careful,” Damien muttered, his voice still raw, his grip tight around my waist as he steadied me.

“Let me go,” I snapped, yanking at his hold. My hair clung to my damp face; my chest heaved. “Just let me go, Damien.”

His brows drew together, his jaw hardening. “What the hell is wrong with you?” His voice rose, low but annoyed. “You’re my mate.”

The word hit me like a blow, but I forced a bitter laugh, twisting out of his hold. “I’m not officially your mate,” I spat. “Not really. She might be out there somewhere, Damien. Your real mate. What happens when you find her?”

His eyes darkened, his chest rising and falling, sweat gleaming on his skin. “I’ve already accepted you,” he said, voice rough, almost pleading under the anger. “You’re the one I chose.”

I scoffed, wrapping my arms around myself as if that would keep me from breaking. “I don’t have your mark,” I threw back at him, my voice cracking on the last word. “That’s all that matters in our world, isn’t it? I don’t have it.”

He flinched like I’d struck him, his mouth tightening. “You don’t have my mark,” he said slowly, “because two days before our mating ceremony… you disappeared.”

The truth hung between us, heavy and jagged.

My heart lurched painfully, the old wound tearing open. He wasn’t lying. I had run. I had left everything behind, including him.

Damien stepped closer, his eyes locked on mine, unreadable but burning. “You vanished, Sofia,” he said, his voice low but shaking with pain. “You could have been my mate… you could have had my mark if only you didn’t run away.”

I saw the pain in his eyes… My disappearance must have hurt him so much… Even my wolf stirred in pain for him, and I felt the urge to cup his face and apologize. Say sorry for leaving, but then I remembered Rebecca. Her death, and he was my number one suspect, and until I know for sure he has no hand in it, he and I can never be together.

“I m… I’m sorry,” I heard him whisper, his face softening. “If I hurt you or did anything wrong—” his voice —”I’m sorry.”

His throat worked as he swallowed, his eyes searching mine like he was trying to claw his way back into me. “Let’s just go back,” he said hoarsely, his voice breaking. “Sofia, I love you so much. I’ve never stopped. And I can see you still love me.”

That hit harder than I expected. It made something inside me want to collapse into him, to believe him, to let go of every wall I’d built. But the image of her slammed back into me—Rebecca, her death, her chopped head, the unanswered questions. The suspicion that had eaten at me every night since.

I straightened, my chin lifting even as my voice trembled. “Please don’t flatter yourself,” I snapped, but it came out thin, like a blade dulled by too much use. “I was just sex-starved, Damien. That’s all this was.” I forced a bitter little laugh, hating how it sounded. “You’re really good at fucking. We had a great fuck. That’s all.”

His jaw clenched, his frown deepening.

“I don’t want to be with you again,” I continued, my voice steadier this time, though it was a lie. “We should just co-parent our son.”

The silence after was brutal. His eyes flickered, dark and unreadable, but I could see the way my words had hit him hard.

He took a slow step closer, but didn’t touch me. “That’s what you really want?” he asked quietly, his voice breaking.

I rested my chin on my hand and nodded, “Yes, truly. As real as gold. It would be nice if you were always like this.

“You wish,” he said, finishing his cigarette and extinguishing it. Suddenly, his gaze fixed steadily on my face.

I instinctively touched my face, “What is it? Is there something on my face?”

He didn’t speak, just kept looking at me silently, as if he could see something extraordinary there.

Being stared at like that made me laugh, “Don’t tell me you’ve finally realized how pretty my face is? Alexander, let me tell you-”

He suddenly interrupted me: “The swelling’s gone down.”

I froze, my breath catching.

He… was he concerned about me?

He really… still cared?

A warmth rose to my eyes, my nose tingling with emotion. “Alexander…”

What should I do?

I really, really wanted to hug him, kiss him.

But his next words were unforgiving: “Weren’t you watching the sunrise? The sun’s already up.”

I quickly looked toward the horizon.

The sea was like a carefully ironed blue silk, smooth and exquisite. In the distance, the sky gradually lightened, the glow slowly spreading, as if someone had accidentally spilled a paint palette, dyeing the entire sky a gentle red.

Then, the sun gradually broke through the clouds, pouring down dazzling rays. Everything around was tinged with a dreamlike quality, beautiful enough to take one’s breath away.

I couldn’t help but exclaim Softly: “So beautiful…”

Watching the sunrise from a yacht was even more heart–stirring than I had imagined.

But truthfully, my attention was no longer on the beautiful scenery.

My gaze kept drifting involuntarily to the person beside me. It was rare to have such an opportunity–for us to sit quietly together without arguing, without cold war, without anyone else’s interference.

I didn’t want to waste this moment.

Even if it was just for a brief while, I wanted to indulge in self–deception, to believe that we were still mates, to believe that Alexander still loved me, still belonged to me.

Looking at that brilliant morning light, the corners of my lips turned upward slightly. Even though I knew deep down that this was all an illusion, that momentary sense of contentment and happiness felt so real it almost overflowed from my chest.

Just then, a hand suddenly reached around from behind and rested on my shoulder. The next second, I heard a soft “click” by my ear.

I was startled and quickly turned to look at him. “Alpha Alexander?”

He was holding his phone, having just taken a photo. He glanced at me faintly and tossed two words my way: For memory.”

In that instant, my heart felt as if it had been gently touched.

Except for five years ago when we took Felix to Disney, we had never really taken photos together. This was the first time he had voluntarily created some kind of “memento.”

He probably… didn’t hate me that much anymore, right?

But his tsundere tendencies seemed worse than before.

I bit my lip lightly, unable to resist moving closer to him, nudging him gently with my elbow. “Alpha Alexander, could you send me that photo later?”

I want to keep it as a memento, and if Aria asks about her dad, I can have something to show her.

But to my surprise, he looked down at me, his eyes carrying a hint of mockery and disdain, and coldly said, ” Sarah, is this your usual trick for seducing men?”

I nearly choked.

What did he mean by “usual trick“? Could this man be any more venomous with his words?

Everything was fine just now, why did his old habits suddenly resurface?

Besides, he was the one who took the picture in the first place! ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ Find✶Novel.net

I took a deep breath, trying hard to maintain my smile. “No, Alpha Alexander, I know you have a fiancée. I wouldn’t cross any boundaries, I just—”

Before I could finish, he turned and left. His expression seemed even darker. Had I offended him again somehow?

Sarah’s POV

I returned to our stateroom after the deck grew crowded with other passengers. Throughout the day, there was no sign of Alexander.

The hours ticked by, darkness fell, and still he hadn’t returned.

I tried to focus on the work documents I’d brought along, but my mind kept drifting to him–wondering where he was, what he was doing, why he’d been so cold earlier.

The gentle knock at the door startled me from my thoughts.