CHAPTER 8

Sienna washed her hands in the restroom, her mind still reeling from the events of the night. She had done her best to ignore Damian, to focus on the customers, but he had a way of slipping under her skin, getting into her head, making her body respond to him in ways she hated. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was losing control, and it terrified her.

As she pulled a paper towel from the dispenser, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned, expecting to see another colleague, but instead, she was met with the cold gaze of one of the waitresses, a woman named Erica. Erica was known for her sharp tongue and her disdain for anything that didn't fit her image of "class."

Erica crossed her arms, her lips curling into a sneer. “You know, gold diggers aren’t even trying to hide anymore,” she said, her eyes scanning Sienna from head to toe, as if she was some kind of disgusting spectacle.

Sienna raised an eyebrow, irritation bubbling up inside her. “Gold digger?” she scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “And here I thought I was just trying to make a living. But I guess when you don’t have a clue what passion feels like, it’s easier to judge someone else for it.”

Erica rolled her eyes dramatically, clearly unbothered by Sienna's retort. “Passion?” she repeated, her voice condescending. “Honey, your passion isn’t what’s getting you by here. You don’t fool anyone. I know what you’re really after.” She took a step closer, her gaze still cold and dismissive. “You think you can flirt your way to the top, but that doesn’t impress anyone.”

Sienna’s jaw clenched. She wasn’t going to back down. She’d had enough of women like Erica, who judged others for trying to make their own way in the world. She had nothing to prove to someone like her. “At least I’m not just here for the paycheck,” Sienna shot back, her voice hard. “I’m here because I love what I do, unlike some people who just pretend this job is beneath them.”

Erica’s lips twisted into a smirk, and she tilted her head to one side. “Love what you do?” she echoed mockingly. “Honey, if you loved this job, you wouldn’t be chasing after rich men to save you.” She took another step forward, her voice lowering. “And we both know that's exactly what you’re doing.”

Sienna felt the heat rise in her chest. She wasn’t going to let Erica make her feel small. “At least I’m not sleeping with every guy who thinks they can buy me, like some people here,” Sienna retorted. Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, she saw a flash of something in Erica’s eyes—anger, embarrassment, something darker—but Erica quickly masked it with a scoff.

“You better watch your mouth, Sienna,” Erica warned, her tone venomous. “You’re just lucky I don’t feel like exposing you for what you really are.”

Sienna stepped back, not giving Erica the satisfaction of seeing her ruffled. “Don’t worry, Erica. You don’t have to expose me. I’m perfectly fine with who I am. Maybe you should try it sometime.” She turned on her heel, walking toward the door without looking back. She could feel Erica’s glare burning into her back, but she didn’t care.

As she exited the restroom, the music from the club seemed louder, the noise from the crowd buzzing in her ears. She moved quickly through the crowd, trying to escape the tension of the night. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone else right now, especially not Damian. She needed space, needed time to clear her head, away from the constant pull he had on her.

But as she reached the door, she saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall just outside.

It was Damian.

Her heart skipped a beat. Of course he was here.

She had hoped he wouldn’t follow her, that maybe he would have found someone else to occupy his attention for the night. But there he was, standing just outside her apartment door, his hands in his pockets, that unreadable expression on his face.

Sienna stopped in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat. She didn’t know what to say, how to react to him anymore. There were so many emotions swirling inside her—anger, frustration, desire—she didn’t know where to begin.

Damian’s eyes flicked up to meet hers, a small, knowing smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. “I thought you might need some company,” he said casually, his voice low and smooth, like it always was when he wanted to provoke her.

Her heart raced, and she clenched her fists at her sides, trying to hold onto some semblance of control. “Company?” she repeated, her voice laced with sarcasm. “You’re not invited, Damian. I don’t need anything from you.”

Damian pushed off the wall, taking a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. “I didn’t say you needed anything from me,” he replied, his voice soft but with an edge of amusement. “I just figured you wouldn’t want to walk home alone, especially after the night you’ve had.”

Sienna narrowed her eyes, stepping back slightly. She wasn’t going to let him get close. Not now. “I’m fine,” she said sharply, her tone cold. “I can handle myself. I don’t need you watching over me.”

His smirk widened, and he took another step closer, forcing her to look up at him. “You sure about that?” he asked, his voice taking on a teasing note. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you need something from me.” His gaze dipped for a moment, and Sienna’s heart skipped another beat as she realized what he was implying.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. “You don’t know anything about me,” she said, her voice firm, but her mind was a whirlwind. She didn’t need him. She had to remind herself of that. “You need to leave, Damian. I’ve had enough of this.”

But he didn’t move. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, studying her. “I don’t think you’re being honest with yourself, Sienna. You’ve been running from this… from me... but deep down, you know you want it.”

His words cut through her like a knife, and for a moment, she was frozen. Was he right? Was she really just running away from what she wanted? What she needed? She hated how much he knew, how easily he could see right through her.

“I don’t want anything from you,” she said again, her voice more desperate now, trying to convince herself more than him. “Please, just leave me alone.”

Damian’s expression softened, but only for a moment. He took a step back, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Fine,” he said, his voice suddenly serious. “But you know where to find me if you change your mind.”

Sienna watched as he turned and walked down the hall, his long strides echoing in the silence. She leaned against the door, her breath coming in short, uneven bursts. What was it about him that made her feel like she was constantly on the edge? Why couldn’t she just let go of this pull he had on her?

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. She couldn’t keep doing this. She couldn’t keep letting him into her head, into her heart, into her life. But as she stepped inside her apartment and locked the door behind her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe it was already too late.

Damian had already gotten under her skin, and no matter how hard she tried to fight it, she didn’t know if she would ever be able to forget the way he made her feel.

Sienna’s feet dragged as she stepped through the door of her apartment, the weight of the evening settling on her shoulders. Her mind was foggy, clouded by the thoughts of everything that had happened. Damian’s face kept flashing before her, his smirk, his voice, the feeling of his body pressed against hers. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to block out the images, but it was impossible.

No. No more. I can’t keep doing this.

She sank into the couch, resting her elbows on her knees. She couldn’t help but feel like she was losing control of herself, falling into something she didn’t want. It was like being caught in a current too strong to swim against. And the worst part? She didn’t know if she even wanted to fight it anymore.

But she had to. She had to regain some control over her life. Maybe talking to someone would help. She had never been a particularly religious person, but the thought of going to church and confessing—laying everything out in front of someone who didn’t know her—seemed like a way to unburden herself. It would give her a moment of clarity, maybe even some peace. I’ll go on Sunday. It might help. It might.

She let out a long breath, standing up. She needed to do something to calm her mind. Showering sounded like a good idea.

She undressed quickly, stepping under the warm water, letting it pour over her skin. Her thoughts drifted as she shampooed her hair, and for a moment, everything seemed quieter, more manageable. She washed away the tension from the night, hoping it would wash away everything else that had happened too. The strange pull she felt toward Damian, the confusion of it all—it was so much to deal with.

After a while, the shower felt like a cleansing ritual, and when she stepped out, the steam evaporating from the mirror, she felt slightly lighter. But it was only temporary. The unease still lingered beneath the surface.

She dried off and pulled on her clothes. She wasn’t ready to sleep just yet. She needed something else—something to keep her busy, to keep her from thinking about Damian, about the mess her life had become.

She crawled into bed, not bothering to check the time. It was late, but her thoughts were still running wild. She closed her eyes, hoping to drift off, but sleep didn’t come easily. Her mind wandered back to the conversation with her uncle Corey, to the memories of her parents, to the moments with Damian that made her stomach twist. Her body ached for the clarity that felt just out of reach.

Eventually, sleep found her, but it was restless, filled with dreams that didn’t make sense—half-formed thoughts and images that clung to her when she woke. She tossed and turned for what felt like hours, but when the morning light finally broke through the curtains, she felt both exhausted and strangely alert.

The alarm blared, waking her fully, and she groaned, slapping the button to silence it.

It was time to get up. She couldn’t stay in bed all day.

She dressed in workout gear and tied her shoes, heading out for a jog. The air was still cool, and the quiet of the morning wrapped around her like a blanket. She tried to push everything out of her head, focusing on the rhythm of her footsteps, the way her body moved with the flow of the run. She used the physical effort to drown out the noise in her mind, breathing in the fresh air and letting it fill her lungs.

The miles stretched on, each step helping her release a bit more of the tension that had built up inside. She ran past the quiet streets of her neighborhood, her pace slow but steady. With each exhale, she felt the weight on her shoulders lighten, just a little. She was getting there, inch by inch.

But as she neared the park, where she liked to cool down, her thoughts began to creep back in. She slowed to a walk as she approached the park entrance, feeling the steady thrum of her heart as she worked her way to a bench. She sat down, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, taking a deep breath.

The air was still crisp, and the trees in the park stood tall, their leaves rustling gently in the wind. The world felt quiet, peaceful in a way. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the calm wash over her.

It was the perfect place to clear her mind. She had always loved this park, its green spaces and shaded corners. She could almost pretend that life wasn’t so complicated here.

But of course, that illusion didn’t last long.

She heard footsteps approaching, light and quick, and when she opened her eyes, she saw a man standing in front of her. He was probably in his late twenties, his hair styled neatly and his clothes pressed and clean. He had a friendly smile on his face, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Hey there,” he said, his voice smooth and confident. “Mind if I join you?”

Sienna looked up at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. She wasn’t interested in talking to anyone right now, especially not some random guy hitting on her. But she forced a polite smile, not wanting to come off as rude.

“Actually, I do mind,” she said, her tone firm. She didn’t have the energy for games today.

The man didn’t seem deterred. Instead, he took a step closer, flashing her a charming smile. “Come on, don’t be shy. I’m just trying to make a new friend. You seem like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

Sienna raised an eyebrow. She could already tell where this was going, and she wasn’t in the mood for it. “I’m really not interested,” she said, her voice colder this time.

But he persisted, undeterred. “You sure about that? I mean, you’ve got this whole ‘mysterious’ thing going on. I like that. You’d be surprised how many people are too afraid to embrace that kind of energy.” He stepped even closer now, clearly trying to make his move.

Sienna’s patience was starting to wear thin. “Look,” she said, standing up, her tone finally turning sharp, “I’m not here for your attention, and I don’t need your compliments. So if you could just leave me alone—”

“Hey, no need to be so defensive,” he said, his smile faltering. “I’m just trying to be friendly, is all.”

Sienna didn’t give him the chance to say anything more. She grabbed her water bottle, slinging her bag over her shoulder and stepping around him. “I’m not interested,” she repeated, walking away without a second glance.

She could hear his muttered curse under his breath, but it didn’t faze her. She didn’t have the energy to deal with this right now. She was tired of people making assumptions about her—tired of feeling like she couldn’t just exist without someone trying to make her fit into their box.

As she walked out of the park, she took a deep breath, trying to push the encounter out of her mind. She didn’t have time for distractions. She had her own things to figure out.

She wasn’t sure what was next, but for the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of resolve. She wasn’t going to let anyone—especially not a stranger in the park—throw her off course. She had a life to reclaim, and no one was going to take that from her.