EUPHORIA

Undeniable

Weeks passed.

Raven was no longer the same terrified girl Damian had pulled from that auction. She still had nightmares, still flinched at loud noises, still tensed when she saw blood—but she had changed.

She had learned.

She had adapted.

And most importantly—she had started to trust him.

At first, it had been small things. Letting him help her when she struggled with something, no longer pulling away when he stood too close, allowing herself to meet his eyes without fear. Then, she began speaking more—first in broken words, then in full sentences. She picked up English quickly, surprising even him.

But trust wasn’t just about words.

It was in the way she leaned into him when he sat beside her. The way she relaxed when she heard his footsteps. The way she sought him out when she didn’t need anything—just to be near him.

Damian didn’t push. He never did.

But something between them was building.

Neither of them spoke about it.

Neither of them had to.

And then, one night, it all came crashing down.

---

It had been snowing all day, and by the time the sun had set, the world outside the cabin was nothing but white and silence. The fire was warm, crackling softly, the only sound in the room besides their breathing.

Raven sat on the couch, curled up with a book, though she hadn’t turned the page in minutes.

She could feel him watching her.

Damian was beside her, his arm resting along the back of the couch, his body close—but not touching hers. He had been quieter than usual tonight.

Not distant.

Just waiting.

She turned her head slightly, meeting his gaze. His green eyes were steady, intense in a way that made her breath hitch.

“Something wrong?” she asked softly.

His lips parted slightly, but he didn’t answer right away.

Then he said, “You trust me now.”

It wasn’t a question.

Raven’s fingers curled against the fabric of her sweater. “Yes.”

A long pause. His gaze flickered down to her lips for only a second before returning to her eyes.

Her heartbeat stuttered.

She wasn’t afraid of him anymore.

But what she was feeling now—that sharp pull deep in her stomach, the way her skin burned under his gaze—that was something else entirely.

Something dangerous.

Something inevitable.

She didn’t move when he reached for her.

His fingers brushed along her jaw, his touch featherlight, as if giving her a final chance to pull away.

She didn’t.

Damian exhaled softly. “Habibi,” he murmured, so quiet it was almost a whisper.

And then he kissed her.

The moment their lips met, heat shot through her, sharp and consuming.

Damian wasn’t careful this time. He wasn’t hesitant. The weeks of restraint, of silence, of unspoken tension—it all shattered in an instant. His hand slid into her hair, gripping just tightly enough to make her shiver, pulling her flush against him.

Raven gasped against his mouth, her fingers digging into his shirt as he deepened the kiss. He tasted like fire and warmth and something she couldn’t name, something that made her forget everything except him.

She wasn’t used to this.

She wasn’t used to wanting.

But right now, all she wanted was him.

His other hand settled at her waist, firm, grounding. She felt his warmth through her clothes, felt the way he held her like she was something precious. Like he had been waiting for this just as much as she had.

When they finally broke apart, she was breathless.

Damian rested his forehead against hers, their breathing uneven in the quiet. He didn’t say anything. Neither did she.

There was no need.

Something had changed between them.

Something undeniable.

And neither of them were going to fight it anymore.