CHAPTER 7
Sienna sighed as she pulled on her coat, mentally preparing herself for another long night at Velvet Noir. Working at the club had always been tiring, but now, with Damian constantly around, it felt more suffocating than ever.
And to make matters worse, she had to work beside him again tonight.
She took a deep breath and grabbed her purse before opening the door. But just as she stepped out, the door across from her swung open as well.
Damian.
Dressed in all black as usual, his presence filled the small hallway effortlessly. He smirked when he saw her, the kind of smile that made her stomach twist—not because she liked it, but because she hated how much he got under her skin.
“Great coincidence,” he said, stepping out and locking his door behind him. “Since we’re going to the same place, how about I give you a ride?”
Sienna swallowed back a groan. Of course, she wanted to say no. But refusing him outright would only make things awkward, and she wasn’t in the mood for that.
“Fine,” she muttered. “But no funny business.”
Damian chuckled, placing a hand over his chest in mock offense. “Come on, Sienna. What kind of man do you think I am?”
She gave him a pointed look.
“The kind that stares too long,” she replied.
Damian only grinned wider. “Guilty.”
She rolled her eyes and walked ahead, heading toward the elevator. He followed beside her, his presence looming, strong, and unshakable.
This was going to be a long night.
---
The club was already packed by the time they arrived. The music pulsed through the air, flashing lights illuminating the dance floor where bodies moved in sync with the beat.
Sienna slipped behind the bar, immediately falling into routine. The scent of alcohol mixed with perfume and sweat filled the air as customers lined up for their drinks.
Beside her, Damian leaned against the counter, rolling up the sleeves of his black dress shirt. His forearms were exposed, showcasing the tattoos that curled up his skin. It wasn’t surprising when a group of women sitting at the bar practically melted at the sight of him.
“You actually know how to work back here, right?” Sienna teased, raising an eyebrow.
Damian smirked, grabbing a bottle of whiskey with ease. “You doubt me?”
“A little,” she admitted.
He chuckled, smoothly pouring a drink before sliding it across the counter to a waiting customer. “Well, let’s see if I can impress you, then.”
Sienna didn’t respond. She didn’t want to be impressed by him.
But as the night went on, she had to admit… Damian was good at this.
He moved effortlessly, pouring drinks with skill, handling orders quickly, and, to her surprise, charming nearly every customer that came his way.
Women, especially.
“Here you go, sweetheart,” he said, handing a drink to a blonde woman who had been staring at him for the past ten minutes.
She giggled, twirling a strand of her hair. “I have to say, I didn’t expect the owner of Velvet Noir to be this hands-on.”
Damian leaned in slightly, resting his forearm on the counter. “I like getting my hands dirty sometimes.”
Sienna almost gagged.
The blonde practically purred at his response. “Well, if you ever need help with that, I’d be more than happy to… assist.”
Damian smirked, but before he could respond, Sienna cleared her throat loudly.
“Next order,” she said pointedly.
Damian glanced at her, amusement dancing in his eyes, before turning back to the blonde. “Enjoy your drink, sweetheart.”
The woman winked and walked away, hips swaying.
Sienna exhaled, shaking her head. “Do you have to flirt with every woman who walks up to the bar?”
Damian leaned toward her, lowering his voice. “Are you jealous, Sienna?”
She scoffed. “Not even in the slightest.”
“Hmm.” He looked unconvinced.
Sienna ignored him, focusing on the next customer. A man who was already way too drunk slumped against the counter, his eyes unfocused as he waved his empty glass.
“Another round,” he slurred.
Sienna frowned. “I think you’ve had enough—”
The man slammed his glass down. “I said another round!”
Before she could respond, Damian stepped in, his expression instantly shifting.
“We’re cutting you off,” he said, his voice firm but calm.
The drunk man blinked at him. “Who the hell are you?”
“The owner,” Damian said coolly. “And you can either leave quietly, or I’ll have my security escort you out.”
The man grumbled, glaring at both of them before stumbling away.
Sienna exhaled, slightly stunned.
“You handled that smoothly,” she said, watching the man disappear into the crowd.
Damian shrugged. “I don’t like problems in my club.”
She studied him for a moment before turning back to her work.
Maybe she hated how much control he had over this place. But she couldn’t deny that, at least tonight, he was handling things well.
—----------
Sienna wiped down the bar counter, exhaustion settling in her limbs. The club was finally winding down, the last few patrons finishing their drinks while the staff started cleaning up. It had been another long night, and the worst part? Damian had been beside her the entire time.
She had spent the past few hours watching women practically throw themselves at him, only for him to brush them off with that cocky smirk of his. She didn’t understand him. Any other man in his position would have taken at least one of them home. But not him.
And that irritated her more than she cared to admit.
“You handled yourself well tonight,” Damian said smoothly, sliding a damp glass onto the shelf.
Sienna shot him a side glance. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He smirked. “Just an observation.”
She huffed, finishing up her tasks while he leaned lazily against the counter, watching her.
Then, casually, he said, “You know, I kind of wish Marco’s leave would last a little longer.”
Sienna’s hand froze over the rag. Slowly, she turned her head to glare at him.
“You what?”
Damian chuckled, completely unbothered by her reaction. “Don’t look at me like that, Sienna. You and I make a good team behind the bar, don’t you think?”
She scoffed, shaking her head. “Oh, please.”
“I’m serious,” he continued. “It’s been a while since I worked like this. I forgot how much fun it is.”
Fun. Fun.
Sienna wanted to strangle him.
“Well, don’t get too comfortable,” she said flatly. “Marco’s coming back, and I won’t be stuck with you forever.”
Damian just smirked. “We’ll see about that.”
Before she could respond, the last of the customers finally cleared out, and the staff began locking up.
Sienna grabbed her coat, more than ready to get away from him, but of course, Damian had to make things worse.
“Come on,” he said, motioning toward the door. “Since we live on the same floor, we should walk together.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’d rather not.”
Damian tilted his head. “Why not?”
Because you are the problem.
Because you keep looking at me like that.
Because you kissed me and I can still feel it.
Of course, she didn’t say any of that.
Instead, she sighed, pulling her coat tighter around herself. “Fine. But don’t talk.”
His smirk deepened. “No promises.”
---
The walk back to their building was quiet, apart from the occasional hum of passing cars and the distant sound of sirens. Sienna kept her arms crossed, keeping a noticeable distance between them.
Damian, on the other hand, walked beside her as if he had all the time in the world, completely relaxed.
It was infuriating.
By the time they reached the apartment complex, she practically lunged for the elevator button, pressing it impatiently.
The doors opened with a ding, and they stepped inside.
She hit the button for the fifteenth floor. The doors slid shut.
And then—
Before she could react, Damian moved.
She barely had time to process what was happening before her back was pressed against the cool metal wall, her breath catching in her throat.
His hands were braced beside her head, caging her in.
Her heart pounded violently.
“What the hell are you doing?” she snapped, trying to shove him off.
But Damian didn’t budge.
Instead, his dark eyes bore into hers, intense and unwavering. The air between them shifted, thick with something she couldn’t quite name.
“Tell me something, Sienna,” he murmured, his voice low.
She swallowed hard. “Get off of me.”
He didn’t move.
Instead, his gaze dropped to her lips, and her stomach flipped.
“I don’t think I want to,” he said, voice like silk.
Her fingers curled into fists. “Damian—”
“You keep pushing me away,” he cut her off, his voice deceptively calm. “But every time I get close… you don’t run.”
Her breath hitched.
She hated that he was right.
Hated that she was frozen, that her pulse betrayed her, that her body refused to move even though she should be shoving him away.
“I don’t want to play this game with you,” she finally whispered.
Damian’s lips curled at the edges.
“Who said it was a game?”
And then—
He leaned in.
Sienna’s heart stopped.
His scent wrapped around her—whiskey, spice, and something distinctly him.
But just as his lips brushed dangerously close to hers, she snapped.
With a sharp shove, she pushed against his chest, forcing distance between them.
“Don’t,” she breathed, voice shaking.
Damian’s gaze darkened.
For a moment, it looked like he might ignore her, might press forward anyway, might claim what he so clearly wanted.
But then, to her shock, he took a step back.
The tension between them crackled, something unspoken lingering in the air.
The elevator dinged.
The doors slid open.
Sienna didn’t wait.
She stormed out, not looking back, her heart still racing in her chest.
One thing was clear—
She was in deep trouble.
Sienna stumbled into her apartment, slamming the door shut behind her. Her breathing was uneven, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she leaned back against the door for support.
Her knees were trembling.
She clenched her hands into fists, trying to steady herself, but her body was betraying her. The warmth of Damian’s presence still clung to her skin, the memory of his dark, heated gaze burned into her mind.
She hated it.
She hated how her body reacted to him.
But the worst part?
She didn’t know whether she hated it more than she liked it.
Sienna squeezed her eyes shut, groaning in frustration.
Damian was playing with her, toying with her, and the problem was that she was letting him.
I need to get out of my head.
Storming to her bedroom, she threw her coat aside, grabbed her water bottle from the nightstand, and decided she needed to exhaust herself. Maybe then, the heat coursing through her veins would finally die down.
She was going to the gym.
—
The gym was mostly empty in the early morning hours. That was one of the reasons Sienna liked going at this time—it was peaceful. Quiet.
But the second she stepped inside, she realized something.
God was mocking her.
Because standing there, lifting weights in the corner like he owned the place, was Damian.
Of course.
Sienna stopped in her tracks, debating whether to turn around and leave, but that would be too obvious. Instead, she swallowed her frustration and made her way toward the treadmill, pretending he wasn’t there.
But Damian had already noticed her.
“Morning, neighbor,” he called out, his voice smooth and teasing.
She gritted her teeth, increasing the treadmill’s speed. “Don’t talk to me.”
Damian chuckled. “You say that, but your eyes tell a different story.”
Sienna refused to look at him.
Instead, she focused on running, letting the steady rhythm of her feet hitting the belt ground her. She would ignore him. She had to.
But Damian wasn’t one to be ignored.
Before she knew it, he was standing beside her, resting his forearm against the treadmill’s rail, watching her like she was the most interesting thing in the room.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he murmured.
She let out a humorless laugh, finally meeting his gaze. “You cornered me in the elevator last night, Damian. If I’m avoiding you, I’m clearly not doing a good job.”
His lips twitched. “That’s because you don’t really want to avoid me.”
Sienna’s heart slammed against her ribs.
He was too close.
Too intense.
The treadmill suddenly felt smaller, the air thicker.
“Move,” she muttered, stopping the machine and stepping off.
But Damian only smirked. “Make me.”
Something inside her snapped.
Before she could second-guess herself, she grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him forward.
And then—
His lips crashed against hers.
It was fire. It was hunger. It was wrong.
But she didn’t stop.
Damian’s hands gripped her waist, pulling her flush against him as he deepened the kiss. His touch was possessive, demanding, like he had been waiting for this moment.
A soft whimper escaped her throat as his hands roamed lower, sliding over her hips like he owned every inch of her.
And for a moment—just a moment—she let him.
She let herself feel.
Until reality came crashing back.
With a gasp, she shoved him away, her chest heaving.
Damian’s dark eyes flickered with something unreadable, his lips still slightly parted from their kiss.
“Sienna—”
“No,” she snapped, stepping back. “Don’t.”
His gaze darkened, but she refused to let herself get sucked back in.
She turned on her heel, grabbing her water bottle and bolting out of the gym before he could say another word.
Her heart was pounding.
Her mind was screaming.
She needed Marco.
Because if he didn’t come back soon, she knew she would lose control.
—---------
Sienna groaned, pressing the heels of her hands against her forehead.
“Fuck, Sienna, what is wrong with you?” she muttered, frustrated beyond belief.
She wanted to slam her head against the wall.
Her body still burned from the kiss, her skin tingling where Damian’s hands had touched her. Why did she let him get to her?
Crossing her legs tightly, she swallowed hard at the lingering wetness between her thighs.
This is insane.
That was Damian. A man who was probably used to women throwing themselves at him, a man who had undressed her with his eyes from the moment they met.
And yet, she had let him kiss her.
Correction: she had kissed him.
Her stomach twisted at the memory—his warmth, his taste, the way his hands roamed her body like he had every right to.
It was intoxicating.
If Marco didn’t come back soon, she knew she would lose all self-control. She would willingly walk into Damian’s bed, and that was a disaster waiting to happen.
Without thinking, she grabbed her phone and dialed Marco’s number.
It rang a few times before he picked up. “Sienna? What’s up, princess?”
She let out a breath. “When are you coming back?”
There was a pause. “I don’t know yet. Why? Miss me already?”
“Yes,” she blurted out. “I’m losing my mind.”
Silence. Then, “What happened?”
Sienna hesitated. Do I tell him?
Marco was her best friend. If there was anyone who could knock some sense into her, it was him.
She exhaled sharply. “I kissed Damian.”
Marco choked. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I kissed Damian,” she repeated, groaning as she flopped onto the couch, covering her face with a pillow.
“No, no, no, wait. Are you saying you kissed him? Or did he kiss you?”
“Both,” she admitted, her voice muffled against the pillow. “I don’t even know how it happened. One second, I was at the gym, and the next—” She stopped, feeling heat rise to her cheeks.
“Oh my God,” Marco breathed, sounding way too amused for her liking. “I leave for a few days and you’re already making out with your boss?”
“It was a mistake,” she hissed.
Marco snorted. “Did it feel like a mistake?”
Sienna cursed under her breath. That was the worst part—it didn’t.
And that terrified her.
“Marco,” she whined, throwing the pillow onto the floor. “What the hell is wrong with me?”
Marco sighed. “Nothing, princess. You’re just… human.”
She groaned. “I hate that answer.”
He chuckled. “Look, I don’t know what to tell you. If you really hate the idea of falling into bed with him, then avoid him.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, sure. That’s easy when I work with him, live across from him, and accidentally run into him every damn day.”
Marco hummed. “Sounds like fate.”
“Don’t start with that bullshit.”
He laughed. “Alright, alright. Look, Sienna, if Damian’s getting under your skin this much, maybe it’s because you want him to.”
She froze.
No.
She refused to believe that.
“I don’t want him,” she said firmly. “I want him to leave me alone.”
“You sure about that?”
Sienna hesitated.
Marco sighed. “Princess, I know you. You like control. You don’t let anyone get close. But the way you’re talking about him? He’s already under your skin.”
Her stomach twisted.
She hated that Marco was right.
She hated that Damian was already in her head, invading her thoughts, making her crave something she shouldn’t.
“I need to stop this,” she muttered.
“Then stop it.”
“Wow, thanks for the great advice,” she deadpanned.
Marco chuckled. “Anytime, princess.”
She sighed. “When are you coming back, though?”
“I don’t know yet. My dad’s still recovering, and my mom needs help. But I’ll try to be back soon, okay?”
Sienna nodded, even though he couldn’t see her.
“I miss you, Marco,” she admitted.
“I miss you too, princess. Try not to let Damian eat you alive before I get back, okay?”
She rolled her eyes. “Shut up.”
He laughed. “Bye, Sienna.”
“Bye.”
She hung up, staring at the ceiling.
She had to stop this.
But deep down, she wasn’t sure if she could.
—---------
Sienna stood in front of her closet, towel wrapped around her body, staring blankly at the rows of clothes hanging before her.
Her mind was foggy.
Her body was betraying her.
She had touched herself in the shower, her fingers moving over her skin, and all she could think about was him.
Damian.
His hands. His mouth. The way he had kissed her, claimed her, left her aching for more.
She had bit her lip, trying to stop herself from moaning his name, but the pleasure had taken over, and she had whispered it anyway.
Now, standing in her bedroom, her body still tingling from her own touch, she hated herself for it.
She was losing her mind.
This needs to stop.
She exhaled sharply, gripping the towel tighter. The only way to fix this was to avoid him.
Completely.
She would stay away, focus on her job, and pretend like nothing had ever happened.
Easier said than done.
Sighing, she grabbed a pair of black jeans and a fitted top, something comfortable enough for work. She slipped into them quickly, pulling her hair into a ponytail before grabbing her jacket and heading for the door.
The entire walk to Velvet Noir, she kept repeating the same thing in her head.
Avoid him. Stay focused. Don’t let him get to you.
But the second she walked into the club, she knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
---
As soon as Sienna stepped behind the bar, Damian was there.
Like he was waiting for her.
His eyes locked onto hers, dark and unreadable, and her breath hitched.
She forced herself to look away, pretending to be busy adjusting the bottles on the shelves.
“Evening, Sienna,” his voice was smooth, almost teasing.
She ignored him.
She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he affected her.
Instead, she turned to a customer, plastering on her best fake smile. “What can I get for you?”
The man, probably in his mid-thirties, smirked. “Whiskey. Neat.”
She nodded, reaching for the bottle, but before she could pour it, Damian’s presence was suddenly right behind her.
Her body reacted instantly.
Her breathing became uneven, her skin heating as she felt the warmth of him so close.
Damian reached over her shoulder, grabbing a different bottle. “I think our friend here would prefer this one,” he murmured, his breath brushing against her ear.
A shiver ran down her spine.
She hated that her body craved his touch.
The customer raised an eyebrow. “That one’s good too.”
Sienna swallowed, stepping to the side—away from Damian—before setting the glass in front of the man.
“Enjoy,” she said quickly, moving on before she could embarrass herself.
She busied herself taking more orders, forcing herself to focus.
But Damian…
He was always near.
Whenever she turned, he was there. Watching. Moving close enough that she could feel him.
And every time he did, her body betrayed her.
Her breath stuttered. Her pulse raced.
And he knew it.
---
As the night went on, the club got busier. The music was loud, the air thick with the scent of alcohol and sweat.
A group of women sat at the bar, laughing, flipping their hair, flirting with Damian.
Sienna scowled as one of them leaned over the counter, giving him a perfect view of her cleavage.
“I love a man who knows how to mix drinks,” the blonde purred. “You must have magic hands.”
Damian smirked, leaning slightly forward. “I guess you’ll have to find out.”
Sienna rolled her eyes.
He was enjoying this.
She turned away, focusing on the man in front of her. “What can I get for you?”
The guy grinned. “A beer. And maybe your number?”
Sienna forced a smile. “The beer I can do. The number? Not happening.”
He chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender. “Had to try.”
She grabbed a bottle, popping the cap, but before she could hand it over, Damian’s voice cut through.
“She’s not available.”
Her jaw tensed.
The customer raised an eyebrow. “Damn. Didn’t know she had a boyfriend.”
“She doesn’t,” Damian said smoothly. “But she’s still not available.”
Sienna snapped.
She turned to him, narrowing her eyes. “What the hell is your problem?”
Damian gave her an infuriatingly calm look. “Protecting my staff.”
“Bullshit,” she hissed.
Damian just smirked.
Her fingers curled into fists.
She hated how he played these games. Hated how much he affected her.
Avoiding him wasn’t working.
It was only making things worse.
And the worst part?
She wasn’t sure if she wanted it to stop.