Page 38 of Sticks & Serpents

With trembling hands, I turned back to finish dinner but found it hard to breathe under the weight of what lay ahead.

Chapter12

Damien

Ididn’t sleep. I hadn’t needed to in years, not when the chaos inside me thrummed like a live wire.

Holly kissed me back. That simple truth was all that mattered, and it sent a thrill through my veins, igniting a fire that had been smoldering since the moment she stepped back into my life.

She could fight it all she wanted—pretend to be over me, push me away—but I saw it in her eyes. The flicker of desire, the way her breath hitched when I got close. She was losing ground fast.

In the dim light of my room, I leaned against the wall, a smirk playing on my lips as I replayed that moment over and over. Her lips were soft but demanding, catching me off guard as she pressed against me like she belonged there. I had half expected her to shove me away or slap me for being so bold again, but instead? She gripped my shirt as if she was holding on for dear life.

She could tell herself it was a mistake—a lapse in judgment—but deep down, we both knew better. The heat between us wasn’t just a remnant of our past; it was an undeniable connection that pulled at both of us. And I would be damned if I let her forget it.

As the hours dragged on, shadows danced across the walls, and each minute that ticked by only fueled my resolve. Holly thought she could play safe with Logan Hartley—thought she could brush off what we had like it was nothing—but that only made this game more enticing for me.

The longer she pretended to resist, the harder I would push. She had always been strong-willed; no one else could match her fire. But under that defiance lay vulnerability—a weakness I would exploit until there was nothing left but us.

With each breath I took, the air thickened with anticipation and the taste of her lingered on my lips—a sweet reminder of what I planned to reclaim. Holly wasn’t free from me; she never would be.

I felt her soften against me, that brief surrender as I pinned her to the wall. It was electric, a jolt of power surging through my veins. The way her sharp little breath caught in her throat ignited something primal within me. I was already hard just thinking about it.

Memories flooded back, ones I had tried so hard to bury. Us tangled in sheets, late-night laughter echoing in the dark, the way she looked at me with those eyes—like I was everything she needed. But those days felt like a lifetime ago, eclipsed by the chaos that had consumed us both.

She still belonged to me. I knew it deep down, and every fiber of my being craved to make her admit it. She could play tough; she could put on that cool facade and act like she didn’t care about me anymore.

But I saw through it all.

I always had.

Now? I just needed to push her to the edge. To remind her of what we were—what we could be again if she let go of that damned pride..

With every second that ticked by, our history played out like a film reel behind my eyes—every heated argument turned into passion, every secret moment we shared etched into my mind like an unshakeable truth.

I wanted Holly back—not just as a fleeting shadow in my life but asmyshadow once again. And if pushing her meant breaking through those walls she built around herself? So be it.

I arrivedat the event planning meeting a good fifteen minutes early, relishing the quiet of the empty room. The silence wrapped around me like a comfortable blanket, just how I liked it. I could feel the anticipation building in my chest as I scanned the table, taking note of each chair.

Holly's chair caught my eye, and I smirked. This was too perfect. I moved it, dragging it across the floor until it sat right next to mine—close enough that our knees would touch. I leaned back in my chair, stretching my legs out beneath the table as if claiming my territory.

With a glance at the door, I pulled out my phone and quickly typed out a message.

Don’t be late, little lamb.

There was something satisfying about planting that little seed of unease in her mind before she even stepped through the door. I wanted her off balance from the start; every moment counted in this game we played.

The clock ticked slowly on the wall as I waited, listening to my own heartbeat echoing in the stillness. My mind wandered back to that kiss—the way her lips had melted against mine like they were made for each other. The memory ignited a familiar fire within me, a need to remind her just how easily she could slip back into what we once had.

She was still going to fight me on this—she always did—but deep down; I knew she craved it just as much as I did. I couldn't wait to see her reaction when she walked in and found me waiting there, ready to pull her right back into my world.

A few moments passed, and then the door creaked open. My heart raced with anticipation as Holly stepped inside, scanning the room before locking onto me. Her eyes widened slightly at first before narrowing with that trademark defiance I found so damn appealing.

I couldn’t help but grin. She’d been warned—now it was time for me to show her exactly how much she meant to me and how easy it would be for her to forget everything else outside these walls.

I watched as the door swung open wider, letting in a stream of students buzzing with chatter and energy. They filtered into the room, filling seats at the long table, laughter punctuating the air.

But Holly?

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