Damian Cross wasn't the type to beg. He wasn't the type to chase. And yet, here he was—standing in front of Eve, staring into the eyes of a woman who had managed to unsettle him in ways no one ever had.
Her name—whether real or not—was all he had. But it wasn't enough.
He wanted her. Not just her body, but the woman behind the mystery.
She turned to leave, but Damian stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Tell me something real."
Eve blinked, surprised. "I just gave you my name."
"That's not enough." His voice was quieter now, more controlled. "I need more."
Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she caught herself. "You don't need me, Damian. You need the idea of me."
He shook his head. "You're wrong."
Eve's breath hitched. It was the first time she looked… affected.
For a long moment, she just stared at him, as if debating something. Then, without warning, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward a side alley.
"Come with me."
A Glimpse into Her World
They didn't stop until they reached a quiet rooftop, overlooking the city. The night air was crisp, the hum of traffic below a distant sound.
Eve finally turned to face him, arms crossed. "You want to know who I am?"
"Yes."
She exhaled, looking up at the stars for a moment before speaking. "I grew up in a place where girls like me don't dream. Where we survive. Where men take and take, and we learn to give until there's nothing left."
Damian felt his jaw tighten. He had expected deflection, teasing—anything but this.
"No one ever taught me how to survive," she continued. "So, I learned the hard way." Her eyes met his. "And then, I became the best."
Damian swallowed, trying to read between the lines of what she wasn't saying. There was pain beneath her confidence, scars beneath her beauty.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.
Eve gave him a sad smile. "Because you won't stop until you have something real. So here it is, billionaire—my reality. It's not glamorous. It's not a fantasy. It's survival."
Damian stared at her, something in his chest tightening. He had spent years indulging in pleasure, running from his own demons. But Eve—she wasn't just running. She was fighting.
And for the first time, he realized something.
She wasn't just the woman who had satisfied him in ways no one else had.
She was the only woman who had ever mattered.
A Deal She Won't Take
Damian Cross was a man who could buy anything. Influence, power, secrets—he had the means to make the impossible happen.
But as he stood before Eve, watching the way her eyes darkened with warning, he realized she wasn't something that could be bought.
"I can get you out," he said, his voice steady but gentle. "You don't have to live like this."
Eve let out a soft, humorless laugh. "And what? Be your little secret? Your charity case?"
Damian's jaw tightened. "That's not what this is."
"Then what is it?" She stepped closer, her gaze searching his. "You got what you wanted, billionaire. You got the best night of your life. Why are you still here?"
His hands clenched into fists. He didn't know how to explain it—how to make her understand that it wasn't about that anymore. That she was the first woman who had ever made him feel something deeper than just hunger.
"I don't want you trapped in this life," he admitted.
Eve's expression flickered, something raw flashing in her eyes. For a moment, just a second, he saw the girl underneath the armor—the one who had once wanted to believe in something better.
Then, just as quickly, she shut down.
"You don't get to save me, Damian," she whispered. "I'm not a damsel. I don't need rescuing."
Damian exhaled slowly. He wasn't used to people refusing his help. He was the solution—the man who made things happen. And yet, Eve was rejecting everything he was offering.
"You can't tell me this is the life you want," he said, voice lower now.
She looked away, something fragile in her posture. "Wanting something doesn't mean you can have it."
Damian stepped forward, tilting her chin so she had to face him. "Yes, it does."
Eve inhaled sharply, her breath uneven. But then, she pulled back. "You don't understand, billionaire." Her voice was softer now, almost regretful. "You think this is just about money? About leaving? It's not."
"Then tell me what it is about."
She shook her head, stepping away. "You wouldn't believe me if I did."
Damian's chest ached with frustration. He could see it—the war inside her. The part of her that wanted to trust him. But something was holding her back. Something deeper.
She turned to leave, but this time, Damian didn't let her go. He reached for her wrist, stopping her. "I'm not giving up on you, Eve."
She hesitated, her body still. Then, without looking at him, she whispered, "You should."
And with that, she walked away, disappearing into the night once more.
Damian let out a slow breath, watching her vanish.
She thought this was over.
She thought he would stop.
But she was wrong.
Because Damian Cross had never wanted something this much in his life.
And he wasn't about to let her go.