Bound by One Night

Aria sat in the back of the limousine with her hands clasped tightly in her lap, eyes fixed on the city lights streaking past the window. Silence hung heavy between her and Damien. He sat beside her, one arm draped casually along the seat back, but she felt the tension in the set of his shoulders. Neither had spoken a word since leaving the hotel.

Her lips still tingled from the kiss they'd shared on the terrace. Nearly an hour had passed, but she could hardly think of anything else. The heat of Damien's mouth on hers, the feel of his strong arms drawing her close – every time the memory surfaced, her heart fluttered wildly. She stole a glance at him in the dim interior. His face was unreadable in the passing streetlights, jaw clenched, gaze fixed ahead.

Had that kiss been a mistake? They'd crossed a line she hadn't meant to cross. This is just an arrangement, she reminded herself. A contract for Noah's sake. It was supposed to be simple. So why did nothing feel simple now?

Noah. The thought of her little boy sleeping back at the penthouse grounded her. Tonight was the first time she'd left him in someone else's care for an entire evening, and though the housekeeper had texted that Noah went to bed without trouble, part of her was still on edge. Perhaps that's why her emotions were so high-strung… or perhaps it was the man sitting beside her and the memory of his lips claiming hers.

She swallowed hard, summoning courage to address what had happened. The silence was suffocating; her mind raced with unanswered questions. Did Damien regret kissing her? Would he brush it off as a lapse in judgment? Part of her almost hoped he would, so she could chalk it up to the heat of the moment and shove it down deep. And yet, the idea of him dismissing it so easily pricked painfully at her heart.

Before she could speak, the car rolled to a smooth stop. Aria realized they were already pulling through the gates of Damien's estate. The driver announced their arrival as the car halted in the driveway.

Damien finally turned toward her. In the dim glow of the interior lights, his grey eyes searched her face. Aria's breath hitched – she couldn't decipher what she saw there. Passion? Regret? Both?

"We're home," he said quietly, voice careful.

She nodded wordlessly. The driver opened the door, and Damien stepped out first. He offered his hand to help Aria; his grip was warm and steady as she emerged into the cool night. For a fleeting second, when she was pressed close to him getting out, his thumb brushed against her fingers in reassurance. But as soon as she stood upright, he released her hand.

They entered the mansion in silence. It was very late; the foyer was dim, the household staff long retired for the night.

Aria headed for the grand staircase immediately. "I should check on Noah," she murmured, needing an escape from the charged silence.

"I'll come with you," Damien offered quietly.

Surprised, Aria paused on the first step. His expression was calm, but there was uncertainty in his eyes, as if he wasn't sure he was welcome. Wordlessly, she nodded, and together they ascended to the second floor.

Outside Noah's bedroom, a soft nightlight glow seeped under the door. Aria carefully eased it open. Damien hung back at the threshold while she tiptoed inside.

Noah lay fast asleep in his little bed, one arm wrapped around the teddy bear Damien had given him. His mouth was slightly open in innocent slumber.

Aria gently brushed a curl from Noah's forehead. He murmured faintly but didn't wake. She felt the tightness in her shoulders ease; he was safe and peaceful.

Behind her, Damien stepped quietly into the room and stopped at her shoulder. In the dim light, his face gentled as he looked at their sleeping son. For a moment, it almost felt like they were simply two parents watching over their child.

Aria pulled the blanket up around Noah and then slipped back into the hall with Damien.

In the hallway's hush, she whispered, "Thank you for coming to check on him with me."

"Of course." Damien's reply was just as soft. "I wanted to be sure he was alright." He hesitated, then added, "And that you were alright too."

Aria's heart gave a little jump. "Me?"

His grey eyes held hers. "It's been a long day for you."

Aria managed a tiny, unconvincing smile. "It has. But I'm fine," she lied, the strain evident to both of them.

Damien nodded slowly, clearly unconvinced. He raked a hand through his hair, the composed CEO facade faltering. "Aria," he began quietly, "about… earlier."

Aria's heart lurched. Here it was. She forced herself to meet his gaze despite her nerves screaming to flee. "Yes?"

He struggled for words, something rare for him. Aria's nails bit into her palms. Please, she thought, either take it back or say it meant something. Just don't leave me in between.

"I—" Damien exhaled. "I'm sorry if I overstepped."

Her heart plummeted. Overstepped. The word made the hopeful part of her wither. Of course he would apologize. Maybe he regretted it; maybe he thought he'd pressured her. "You don't have to—"

"No." His voice was firm, and her eyes snapped back up to find sincerity taut on his face. "I mean, I'm sorry if it upset you. That wasn't my intent."

"It didn't—" Aria started, then stopped, heat rising to her cheeks. She lowered her voice; the last thing she wanted was for a staff member to overhear. "It didn't upset me."

Something in Damien's posture eased slightly. They stood scarcely a foot apart; Aria could see the faint stubble on his jaw, the way his throat moved as he swallowed.

"So it was… alright?" he asked, almost shyly. Hearing such uncertainty from ever-confident Damien nearly made her smile.

"Unexpected," she whispered, "but not unwelcome." Admitting it made her feel exposed, and she dropped her gaze again.

Damien exhaled slowly and stepped closer. Aria's breath caught as his familiar scent – crisp and comforting – enveloped her. "Aria," he murmured, tilting her chin up gently with his fingers. She yielded, eyes wide and uncertain as they met his.

"I don't want you thinking any of this is just pretend for me," he said, voice low and earnest. "Not anymore."

Her lips parted in surprise. The raw honesty in his tone floored her. "Damien..." she breathed.

He gave a small, wry smile. "None of this was part of our deal, I know. And it complicates things. But I meant what I said on the terrace. To hell with the contract. There's more between us now – at least for me."

Aria swallowed hard. "You don't have to say it," she interrupted softly. Her heart was in her throat. "I… feel it too."

Relief flickered through Damien's eyes. His thumb gently stroked her jaw, making her lightheaded. It would be so easy to close the gap and taste his kiss again.

A shrill ring suddenly cut through the hush, making them both jump. Aria realized it was her phone, trilling from her clutch on the side table downstairs.

"I should – get that," she stammered.

They moved downstairs toward her clutch. Aria fumbled out the phone, hands still shaking from their charged moment.

Unknown Number. Her stomach lurched. Who would call at this hour?

"Do you want to answer it?" Damien asked quietly behind her.

The phone buzzed again, insistent. Aria pressed it to her ear. "Hello?"

A crackle of static, then a tentative female voice: "Aria? It's me. Please don't hang up."

Aria's blood went cold. She knew that voice. "Isabelle?" she whispered, heart hammering.

Beside her, Damien tensed. He didn't know the name, but he recognized her distress.

Isabelle's words tumbled out urgently. "I saw the news – your engagement. I thought you should know: reporters have been sniffing around Millstone asking about you. One came to my parents' house. They know, Aria. They're asking about… everything."

All the blood drained from Aria's face. Her worst fear was materializing. She braced her free hand on the table. "W-what did you tell them?" she croaked, barely able to form words. Damien stepped closer, concern sharpening his gaze.

"Nothing!" Isabelle replied. "I didn't say anything. But others might. They're asking about your father, about… the trial. It's only a matter of time before someone talks."

Aria's chest constricted. The phone felt like it was underwater, her old life drowning her anew. Reporters were onto her background – her real identity, her family's disgrace. Everything she'd tried to bury when she became Aria Lancaster.

"Aria? Are you there?" Isabelle pressed.

"I'm here," Aria managed, voice thin.

Damien hovered at her back, a hand almost but not quite touching her in support. "What is it?" he murmured.

Aria couldn't answer him. Not now. The engagement had painted a bright target on her back and resurrected the past she'd hoped to keep hidden. And it was all closing in.

"I have to go," she whispered into the phone. "Thank you for telling me." She ended the call with trembling fingers.

For a long moment, Aria stood frozen, phone in hand, staring blankly ahead. Damien's concerned gaze bore into her.

"Aria," he said firmly, stepping around to face her. "Who was that? What's going on?"

She lifted her eyes to his, panic rising. There was no escaping this now. "It was someone from my hometown," she said haltingly.

Damien's eyes narrowed with worry. "What did they say to you?"

Aria's throat closed. How could she tell him? If he knew the truth – would he look at her the same, or would everything change?

"They said the press is looking into my past," she forced out. The last word barely above a whisper.

Damien's expression hardened protectively. "Your past? What about it?"

Aria's pulse raced. She stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself. "I... I'm not sure of the details," she lied shakily. "It's late, Damien. I-I can't do this right now. Can we talk about it in the morning?"

Hurt flickered in Damien's eyes before he masked it. "Alright," he said evenly. "We'll talk tomorrow."

Aria could only nod, an unbearable weight on her chest. "Good night, Damien," she whispered, before turning and fleeing up the stairs.

Behind her, Damien stood in the foyer, mind churning. Whatever specter from her past had frightened her so, he would unearth it. He had promised to protect her and Noah – whether or not she trusted him with her secrets yet.

In her bedroom, Aria shut the door and leaned against it, finally letting a tear slip free. Mere minutes ago, Damien's words had kindled such hope – hope now at war with the terror of her past unraveling. She'd known being with him might drag her into the spotlight, but she never imagined her secrets would crack open this quickly.

She collapsed onto her bed, muffling a sob into a pillow. It was cruel – just when she allowed herself to imagine a future with Damien beyond their cold agreement, the ghosts of her past were reappearing to threaten it all. Damien's words echoed: There's more between us now. Would that "more" survive once he knew the truth?

She had never felt more torn. Letting him in would mean facing wounds she wasn't ready to share. Yet hiding the truth could mean losing the man who was slowly claiming her heart.

Across the foyer, Damien finally moved, heading upstairs – not to press her tonight, but to prepare. If the press was digging, he needed to know what they'd find. For her sake, he would shine light on whatever darkness scared her, and he would stand by her through it.

Aria curled up on her bed, clutching a pillow to her chest. The quiet shadows of midnight closed in. She'd fought so hard to build a life free of her family's disgrace. Now it was closing in, threatening what fragile happiness she'd found with Damien and Noah.

But she wasn't alone anymore. Through her fear, she held onto that thought – Damien was here. He wouldn't let her face this alone.

Aria closed her eyes, exhaustion and worry battling within her. The road ahead would be hard, but for the first time in years she had someone to share the burden. The faintest spark of hope endured.

She had love. She had family. And as frightening as the future felt, she wouldn't trade that for anything.