CHAPTER FOURTEEN
RAVEN
My pulse won’t slow down. Even as the sounds of the parade fade into the background, my heart keeps pounding like it’s trying to break free from my chest. Damien still has his hand wrapped around my wrist, his grip unyielding as he drags me through the narrow, dimly lit alley.
I keep glancing over my shoulder, looking for anyone—someone who might notice, who might care—but the streets are mostly empty back here, everyone crowded at the main square celebrating the festival.
The smell of smoke and incense still lingers in the air, mixing with the cool night breeze. My feet stumble over the uneven cobblestones, and he yanks me upright without slowing down.
“I thought I made myself clear,” he muttered, not even looking back. His voice is low, rough—like he’s still fighting the rage bubbling under the surface. “You don’t run from me. Ever.”
I swallow hard, trying to twist free, but his fingers dig in tighter, pulling me against his side. My mind races, looking for options, trying to calculate whether I could get away if I tried to shove him into the wall.
“You’re thinking too hard,” he says, almost amused, glancing at me with that wicked, dark glint in his eyes. “Trying to figure out how to slip away again? You’re not that clever, Little Spider.”
We emerge into a wider courtyard, abandoned except for a few overturned crates and the faint sound of music echoing from the distance. He shoves me up against the stone wall, pinning me there with his body, one hand braced beside my head.
“You want to run so badly,” he whispers, leaning in so his mouth brushes against my ear. “But you don’t understand. You’re mine. You’ve always been mine. And I don’t let go of what’s mine.”
My heart races, but I force myself to glare at him, hating the way his presence wraps around me, suffocating and addictive.
“You’re insane,” I choke out.
He smirks, tilting his head.
“Maybe. But that changes nothing.”
His free hand moves to my jaw, tilting my head up so I have to look at him. His thumb brushes over my lips, and I can’t help the way I flinch. He just chuckles softly, darkly and mocking.
“You’re scared. Good. You should be. I’m not done with you yet.”
I try to push him back, but he presses closer, trapping me between his body and the wall. His fingers trace down my neck, brushing over the faint bruises he left earlier.
“Why did you run?” he murmurs, his tone almost curious, like he’s dissecting me. “Was it because you didn’t want to admit how much you liked it? How much you needed me to break you?”
I clench my jaw, refusing to answer, and he just clicks his tongue in disappointment.
“You don’t get to lie to me,” he says, voice hardening. “I felt the way you came apart in my hands. I saw the way you looked at me when you thought I was asleep—like you couldn’t decide whether to kiss me or kill me.”
My cheeks burn, and I hate how right he is. The confusion, the twisted mess of fear and need, tangles inside me until I don’t know which way is up.
“You can’t just… keep me like this,” I whisper, barely able to get the words out. “I’m not your property.”
He tilts his head, that dangerous smirk never leaving his face.
“Aren’t you?” he taunts. “You gave yourself to me. You let me in. You begged for it, Raven. Don’t pretend now that you didn’t want it.”
He leans closer, his mouth brushing over mine, not quite a kiss, just a reminder of his control.
“You ran because you’re scared of how much you liked it,” he says, his voice dropping to a growl. “You’re terrified of what it means—that you wanted me to do those things to you. That you still want it now.”
I shake my head, but he presses his lips to mine, swallowing my protest. His hands move to my waist, pulling me against him, and I can’t help the way my body responds, arching toward him even as my mind screams to get away.
“You’ll never get away from me,” he whispers against my mouth. “Because even if you run, you’ll always come back. Your body knows who it belongs to.”
I shove at his chest, finally breaking free from his grip, but he doesn’t move, just watches me with that dark, possessive gaze. I take a shaky step back, and he just smirks, letting me have the illusion of space.
“Go ahead,” he says, spreading his arms like he’s inviting me to run. “Try it again. I’ll catch you. I’ll always catch you.”
My feet refuse to move, frozen in place as he takes a slow step forward, eyes locked on mine.
“You can’t deny it, Raven,” he murmurs, voice dripping with dark satisfaction. “You like being hunted. You like knowing I’ll drag you back every time. You’d rather be caught than be alone.”
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the way his words sink under my skin, twisting around my thoughts. He reaches out, brushing his fingers through my hair, and I flinch, but he just tightens his grip, forcing me to look at him.
“You’re mine,” he whispers, his lips brushing over my forehead. “And I’m going to make sure you never forget it.”
My mind spins, and I can’t shake the feeling that he’s right—that no matter how much I want to hate him, part of me wants to be caught.
I glance at the alley behind him, weighing my chances, but he just smirks, catching the thought before I can act on it.
“Go on,” he taunts. “Make me chase you again. See how far you get.”
But I don’t move, my legs locked in place, my breathing uneven. He leans in, pressing his mouth to mine, slow and deep, his hands sliding down to grip my hips.
“You’ll never be free of me,” he growls, biting down on my lower lip. “And deep down, you don’t really want to be.”
I can’t think. I can’t breathe. His words coil around my mind, squeezing until I can’t tell where the fear ends and the need begins. Damien’s hands are rough on my waist, pressing me against the cold brick wall, his breath hot on my neck.
I try to turn my head, to break eye contact, but he just grips my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes are dark, glittering with twisted satisfaction, like he’s savouring every second of my confusion.
“You’re mine,” he whispers again, his lips brushing over my ear. “Say it.”
I shake my head, stubborn even though my whole body is shaking. He just clicks his tongue, his fingers tracing the line of my jaw, down to my throat, pressing lightly on the bruises he left earlier.
“Still fighting,” he murmurs, almost amused. “But you’re not going anywhere. You don’t really want to, do you?”
I open my mouth to protest, but he doesn’t give me the chance.
His mouth crashes against mine, rough and demanding, swallowing the sound that tears from my throat.
His teeth scrape my lips, and I taste blood, but it doesn’t stop him—if anything, it makes him hungrier, his hands sliding under my shirt, fingers digging into my sides.
He breaks the kiss just long enough to drag his tongue over my swollen lip, smirking at the way I can’t hold back a shudder.
“I could do this all night,” he whispers. “Keep you pinned here, make you admit how much you need me.”
“I don’t,” I gasp, but the words sound weak even to me.
He laughs softly, leaning back just enough to look at me, his eyes narrowing.
“Liar,” he taunts, his hands slipping lower, gripping my hips and pulling me closer. “You’ve been mine from the start. I’ve watched you, remember? I know how lonely you are. How much you ache for someone to see you. To own you.”
My stomach flips, and I hate that he’s right—that some part of me wants that twisted, suffocating obsession.
He leans in, his mouth brushing over my jaw, down to my neck, biting down hard enough to make me gasp. His fingers trace the curve of my waist, slipping under the hem of my shirt, teasing the skin just above my waistband.
“You keep running,” he whispers, dragging his teeth over my pulse. “But you always come back. Even if you don’t realise it yet, your body knows it belongs to me.”
I shove at his chest, trying to put some distance between us, but he just grips my wrists, pinning them against the wall. His body presses harder against mine, and I can’t ignore the heat radiating from him, the way his breath fans over my skin.
“You’re so stubborn,” he murmurs, almost affectionately. “But I’ll break you down, eventually.”
He moves one of my hands to his chest, pressing my palm flat against his heartbeat. It’s erratic, just as frantic as mine, and I realise he’s barely holding back his own need.
“Feel that?” he whispers, his lips ghosting over mine. “You make me crazy. You make me want to destroy anyone who looks at you. Anyone who thinks they can have you. I’ll tear them apart. I’ll make sure you never forget who you belong to.”
I can’t help the way my fingers curl into his shirt, desperate for something to hold on to. His lips find mine again, slower this time, his tongue teasing, tasting, making my knees weak.
I try to pull away, to catch my breath, but he just follows, his mouth chasing mine, his hands sliding down to squeeze my thighs, lifting me off the ground so my legs wrap around his waist.
“You don’t get to pretend anymore,” he growls, his voice vibrating against my lips. “You’re mine, Raven. Mine to break. Mine to keep. You don’t get to run from that.”
His hands grip my ass, pressing me harder against him, and I can feel how hard he is, the pressure making heat coil low in my belly despite the fear still clawing at my thoughts.
“Damien,” I whisper, my voice shaky.
He smirks, pressing his forehead to mine.
“There it is,” he murmurs. “You’re finally admitting it. You’re finally saying my name like you know I own you.”
My cheeks burn, and I try to look away, but he won’t let me, his fingers digging into my hips.
“You can’t run from me,” he repeats, almost gently. “Even if you try. I’ll always find you. I’ll always pull you back. Because you’re mine. You chose this the moment you let me in.”
My heart hammers, and I feel the tears sting my eyes, but they don’t fall. His lips press against the corner of my mouth, soft this time, almost like an apology.