Damien Sterling

Chapter 21: Let Me In

(Damien's POV )

I just stormed into her room.. I gave space for her the whole day...

I wasn't leaving.

Not until she listened to me.

Not until she stopped pretending she could shut me out.

Because she could lock herself in this room all she wanted, but that wouldn't change the fact that she was mine for the next year.

And whether she liked it or not—

She wasn't getting rid of me.

---

Ava sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, arms crossed, her eyes locked on the window.

Like if she stared long enough, she'd find a way to escape.

I exhaled sharply. "Are you planning to stay here forever."

Silence..

I stepped closer. "Ava."

Nothing..

My patience was already thin..

I clenched my jaw. "You're acting like a child."

That got a reaction.

Her head snapped toward me, eyes burning. "A child?" she hissed. "Are you serious?"

I smirked. "You're throwing a tantrum, locking yourself in here."

Her fists clenched. "I am not throwing a tantrum, Damien."

"Then what do you call this?" I challenged.

She stood abruptly, voice sharp. "I call it trying to survive."

I paused.

Because for the first time, she wasn't just angry.

She was breaking.

She took a slow breath, blinking hard, like she was forcing herself not to cry. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't choose this. And every second I'm here, I feel like I'm suffocating."

My stomach twisted.

I should have told her to get over it.

Should have reminded her that this was the deal she made.

But instead—

I just stood there.

Watching.

Wanting to say something I didn't understand.

---

"I don't belong here," she whispered.

I exhaled slowly. "That doesn't change the fact that you are here."

She laughed bitterly. "Because of your father. Because of you."

I clenched my fists. "Because you signed the contract, Sinclair. You knew what you were getting into."

She scoffed. "I signed it to protect my family. Not to be treated like some prisoner."

I stepped closer, voice low. "Then stop acting like one."

Her jaw tightened. "Stop acting like I have a choice."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "You do."

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh? And what choice is that?"

I met her gaze. "You can make this easy. Or you can keep fighting me every damn day."

She inhaled sharply.

And for a moment—just a moment—she looked lost.

Like she didn't know what to do.

Like she was running out of ways to keep resisting.

And for the first time since this all started—

I didn't want her to fight me.

I wanted her to stay.

---

"Just stop shutting me out," I murmured.

Her breath caught.

And I knew—I shouldn't have said that.

Because it sounded too much like I actually cared.

Like this wasn't just a contract anymore.

Like I wasn't supposed to let her go.

Ava stared at me, eyes wide, lips slightly parted—like she wasn't sure if she heard me right.

I wasn't sure either.

She exhaled, shaking her head. "Why do you care?"

I didn't answer.

Because I didn't know.

And that?

That was the problem.

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