I don't know how long I've been standing here, rooted to the spot, staring at Damon as though he's the only thing that matters in this world. I'm not sure when he became everything, but it's clear now that he's taken hold of me in a way I can't escape.
His eyes are still on me, dark and calculating as if he's reading me like an open book. The silence between us is thick with tension, but neither of us speaks. I can't seem to find the words, and I'm certain Damon doesn't need them to understand what's going through my mind.
But I know one thing for sure—I can't keep doing this. This pull, this addiction, it's too much. It's like a drug, and I'm already too far gone. But no matter how much I tell myself I should walk away, no matter how many times I try to convince myself that I don't need him, my body betrays me. It craves him.
He steps forward again, and I instinctively take a step back, my mind screaming at me to stop. But Damon doesn't give me the chance. He's faster, always faster. His hand shoots out, catching my wrist, pulling me closer with a strength that leaves me breathless.
"You can run, but you can't hide from me, Ella," Damon says, his voice low, laced with something dangerous. "You've tried to fight it, but deep down, you know. We're already too tangled up. You're mine."
I open my mouth to argue, but the words get stuck in my throat. How can I fight him when every part of me is screaming for him? I hate how much I need him. I hate how quickly he's taken control of my thoughts and my desires. But the truth is, I've been caught in his web for far too long, and there's no escaping it now.
"Let go of me," I manage to say, my voice strained. It's weak, I know. But I can't just stand here and let him drag me into whatever this is. I'm already losing myself in him, and I can feel it slipping away.
Damon doesn't listen. Of course, he doesn't. He never does. Instead, he pulls me even closer, until we're chest to chest, his body heat radiating off of him, making it impossible to focus.
"I don't think you understand," Damon murmurs, his lips brushing against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. "You belong to me, Ella. Not just your body, but everything. Your soul, your mind... I own it all."
I try to push him away, but my hands don't move, my body frozen under his touch. I hate how weak I feel, how vulnerable. This isn't supposed to be me. I'm not supposed to let him have this much power over me.
"You think you can just take me?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "That I'll just surrender?"
His grip tightens, and for the briefest moment, I wonder if I'm safe with him. Then I realized that safety was never part of the equation. Damon's not here to protect me. He's here to claim me.
"I'm not asking you to surrender, Ella," he says, his voice rough and filled with an intensity that makes my heart race. "I'm not giving you a choice. You're already mine, whether you want it or not."
The words sting, but I can't deny the truth in them. He's right. I've already given him more than I ever intended to. I've given him my body, and my heart, and now I'm handing him my mind. I'm drowning in this, and there's no lifeline to pull me back.
I look up at him, searching for any sign of softness, any trace of the Damon I once knew—the man I once hated. But all I see is the man who's claimed me as his own. His eyes are dark, filled with that same dangerous intensity that both terrifies and thrills me.
"Why are you doing this?" I whisper, more to myself than to him. "Why are you doing this to me?"
Damon pauses, his grip loosening just slightly as he studies me, his gaze unreadable. There's a flicker of something in his eyes, something I can't quite decipher, but it's gone as quickly as it appeared.
"Because I can," he says simply, and for a moment, I'm struck by the coldness in his voice. "Because you make it impossible for me to stay away."
His words cut through me like a knife, and I wonder if he even understands the weight of them. He can't stay away, not because of me, but because of whatever power he feels he holds over me. I'm not just a woman to him—I'm something to be conquered, something to be controlled.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "I'm not yours," I say, my voice shaking, but there's defiance in it, too. "I'm not some possession for you to claim."
Damon's expression hardens, his jaw clenched. "You think you have a choice in this? You think you can control this?"
I don't answer. The truth is, I don't know what I think anymore. I don't know if I have a choice. But I refuse to let him see how deeply his words have affected me. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble.
"I'm not afraid of you," I say, and it sounds more like a plea than a declaration, but I don't care. I can't let him see my weakness, not now.
Damon stares at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without warning, he pulls me close again, pressing his lips to mine in a kiss that is both demanding and desperate. I don't fight it. I can't. The moment his lips touch mine, it's like the world stops spinning, and for a fleeting moment, I forget everything—everything except him.
When he pulls back, his eyes are dark with desire, but there's something else in them now. Something more calculating, more possessive. "You don't have to be afraid of me, Ella," he says, his voice low and heavy. "But you should be afraid of what happens when you try to run."
I can feel the weight of his words, the threat buried beneath the surface. I want to tell him that I'm not scared of him—that I can walk away anytime I choose. But the truth is, I don't know if I can.
Damon doesn't wait for a response. Instead, he steps back, his gaze lingering on me for just a moment longer before he turns and walks toward the door. "I'll see you soon, Ella," he says over his shoulder, his voice steady and final. "You can't hide from me forever."
As the door clicks shut behind him, I stand there, my heart still racing, my mind spinning. I'm not sure if I'm scared of Damon or if I'm scared of myself. All I know is that I'm tangled up in him, and there's no escaping now.