Chapter 14
Damian had just barely regained control–only for it to nearly snap again the moment she covering her.
e softly called his
name. Especially now, with nothing
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When the blanket slipped from her shoulders, her bare skin–smooth, soft, impossibly delicate was fully exposed under his gaze.
He shut his eyes tightly, his hand curling into a fist.
Deborah didn’t realize what he was trying to suppress. She reached for him instinctively, only to catch sight of a thin line of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The sight jolted her back to her senses.
He was using his inner strength to fight off the effects of the drug.
But she wasn’t capable of that. She didn’t have the training or the power. At this point, she didn’t even have the strength to move away from him. Her consciousness drifted in and out, and her hand still pawed aimlessly against his chest, unable to stop.
Then suddenly, he caught her wrist.
A wave of warm, steady energy surged into her body, flowing from his palm straight into her core. The fire in her blood slowly began to cool. Her body relaxed, the heat dissipating. She collapsed weakly against him.
Time passed–how long, she didn’t know–before she opened her eyes again. Her vision was finally clear.
“Your Highness!” she gasped.
He was still coughing blood. The sharp scent of iron filled the air, cutting through the last of her haze. This time, she was fully awake.
“Are you still feeling unwell?” Damian asked, looking down at her.
Deborah shook her head and tried to sit up–but her body still wouldn’t cooperate. She slipped and fell against him again. Embarrassed, she fumbled to move, but he caught her and helped her sit upright against the headboard.
With a flick of his hand, the blanket lifted and fell over her, finally covering her up. Only then did some of the restlessness in his chest begin to subside.v
As Deborah slowly regained her strength, their eyes met again and just like that, the atmosphere turned thick and heavy.
Neither of them spoke, but they were both clearly thinking about what had just happened.
They had been one breath away from crossing a line that couldn’t be undone. If he hadn’t seen the tears in her eyes, if she hadn’t whispered Simon’s name, if he hadn’t come to his senses when he did…
She would already be his. Because they had touched–everything but.
Seeing her face go pale again, Damian’s gaze turned darker, but his voice softened. “What happened tonight… that was my fault. I should’ve been more vigilant. It had nothing to do with you.”
Deborah blinked. Of all the things she expected from him–arrogant, cold, merciless Prince Damian–this was not it.
She thought, ‘He is taking responsibility?‘ It didn’t seem real.
But the blood still running from the corner of his mouth said otherwise. He was injured. Badly.
She spoke softly, “That may be, but right now, your wound needs to be treated.”
The shard of vase was still lodged in his leg. Just looking at it made her scalp tingle. She wondered, ‘Doesn’t it hurt?‘
She tried to slide out of bed, but Damian glanced at her and said dryly, “What? Want me to carry you back again? I’m warning you–if I do, I might not stop next time.”
“I wasn’t trying to-” she began, but stopped herself. This wasn’t the time to argue. Not with his blood still dripping onto the floor.
“I’m fine now,” she muttered. But beneath the covers, she was still completely unclothed—there was no way she could get up like this.
She looked at him and hesitated. “Your Highness… could you… maybe turn around for a moment?”
“No.”
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“Why?” She blinked.
“I’ve already seen everything. What’s the point of turning around?”
“Your Highness!” she glared at him, cheeks flaming.
Just like that, the tension surged again. Her face went pale all over again.
Her emotions were a tangled mess. The worst was over, but whether she should feel relieved or devastated, she had no idea. Either way, she felt
awful.
And yet he sat there like nothing had happened. Calm. Composed. Like it was all just… routine.
She wondered, ‘How?‘ They had nearly done something unforgivable. Something that would have shattered everything between her and Simon. And he he looked completely unfazed.
She stared at him, eyes burning. “Your Highness… please,” she whispered, voice trembling, barely audible.
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