Damian's Seduction (The Steamy Billionaire Series: Book 1)

Chapter 11: Ties that Bind

Chloe paced the library's airy fifth-floor foyer, each step echoing her mounting anxiety. Damian was more than fifteen minutes late. Was he tangled in traffic or still at volleyball practice?

She adjusted her backpack, steeling herself to leave, when the elevator dinged. The doors slid open, and Damian emerged, his presence commanding. His T-shirt clung softly to his chest muscles, hinting at the strength underneath, while his perfectly fitted jeans accentuated his lean form. He closed the distance between them with urgent steps, capturing her in an embrace and kissing her with years' worth of longing, though it had only been days.

"God, I've missed you so damn much," Damian murmured against her lips, his voice thick with emotion. "Life's been a whirlwind—with the family drama and all."

"No explanations needed. I've been following the news," Chloe answered, kissing him softly.

Damian broke the kiss and exhaled sharply, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "My world's a mess. My mother's lawyer is gunning for her early release, and it terrifies me."

"Your mother scares you that much?"

"You have no idea. She's more than just troubled—she's dangerous. I can't have her back in my life. Peace seems like a distant dream as long as she's alive. She'll use the media to hurt the people I love."

"And the stories about you losing part of your inheritance—those are lies too?"

"Complete fabrications. She despises Hope because she's my dad's daughter from another woman. And my stepmother gets dragged through the mud, too."

"Is Vera as bad as your mother portrays her?"

"Not at all. Vera is the kindest, most loving person. She's more of a mother to me than Saira ever was."

"And your dad? The rumors about the drugs, parties, and women?"

"He's changed. Faithful to Vera, dedicated. He'd do anything for her—even took a bullet once."

Chloe's eyes widened, empathy etched across her face. "I can't imagine what that was like growing up in such a tumultuous household. My family is so ordinary by comparison."

"Forget my family drama; I'm here for you now. Let's find our study room," Damian said, taking her hand and pulling her gently along with him.

Deep inside, he worried for Chloe, unsure how to deal with the day his mother would find out about their relationship. Chloe deserved a happy life, not one with threats and manipulation.

***

Chloe and Damian delved into her exam preparations in their quiet sanctuary. They dissected case studies and formulas, from the intricacies of net present value calculations to the strategies behind capital rationing.

"If the firm accepted all positive NPV projects, it would increase in value by the total NPV, which is over 60.91 million dollars," Chloe discussed with Damian a problem scenario in her textbook.

Damian nodded, his eyes scanning the figures on her laptop screen. "Right, but remember the capital constraint limit—three hundred million dollars. How much would they need to fund all the viable projects listed here?"

Chloe paused, her mind racing through calculations before answering, "Around nine hundred million."

A proud grin spread across Damian's face as he squeezed her shoulder, sending a thrilling shiver through her. "You've really got a handle on this, baby girl."

"Thanks to your tutoring. I think I'm ready for Wednesday's exam," she said, a hint of relief in her voice as she closed her laptop.

"We've put in a solid two hours, Chloe. You're going to ace it," Damian reassured her, his confidence infectious.