Chapter 82: Even Wolves Need Patience-1
Damien’s POV
The glass door clicked shut behind them.
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Outside, the night stretched wide and silent, a sharp contrast to the echo of Maya’s voice still ricocheting in Damien’s chest. Cool air kissed his skin, but it did nothing to ease the burn crawling up the back of his neck.
He gripped the railing like it was the only thing keeping him tethered.
Ashcroft leaned beside him, forearms resting on the railing, his gaze steady on the dark horizon. For a while, neither of them spoke-the only sounds were the rustle of palm leaves and the faint crash of waves in the distance, the quiet tension hanging between them.
Then, after a few beats, Ashcroft said plainly, “You scared the shit out of her, man.”
Damien’s jaw clenched. “I’m starting to wonder if this is even worth it.”
Ashcroft turned his head, one brow lifting. “You’re giving up already?”
“Everything was going fine. Better than fine. And yet every time I think we’ve taken a step forward, she pulls away like I’m the danger. I’ve crossed lines I swore I’d never cross-for her. I meant every damn word I said back there. But the way she looked at me?” Damien’s voice lowered. “She really thinks I’d walk away that easily.”
Ashcroft took a sip from his glass, eyes unreadable. Then, voice calm, he said, “And that’s exactly why she panicked.”
Damien let out a breath through his nose, slow and hard. He hadn’t planned on saying it-not like that. But it hadn’t felt like a risk. It had felt right. Harper joked, Maya laughed, and then-
Then her laugh had cracked, and she’d started running.
Right into the place that always made him ache: her fear of not being enough.
He hated that part of her. Hated that he couldn’t erase it. Hated that she still looked at herself like a temporary placeholder in someone else’s dream.
“She looked at me like I’d dropped a bomb on the table,” he said, voice low. “Like I’d pulled her into some fantasy she didn’t ask for.”
“Because to her, that is a fantasy,” Ashcroft said simply. “You don’t get it. You’re Damien godd amn Blackwood. And for most people, that name comes with terms and conditions.”
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Chapter 82: Even Wolves Need Patience-i
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“Not for her,” Damien said flatly, eyes cutting to him. “You, of all people, know exactly what I’m putting on the line.”
“I know that. But she doesn’t. Not yet.” Ashcroft replied evenly.
That silence stretched again. This one tighter.
“I’m not playing games with her,” Damien finally said. “I’m not saying things I don’t mean.”
“No one said you were.” Ashcroft straightened, rubbing a hand along his jaw. “But you’ve got to remember-this girl’s been holding herself together with duct tape for years. And tonight, you basically looked her in the eye and said, ‘Here’s the rest of your life. Just say yes.’ That’s a beautiful thing, D.”
Ashcroft paused. Then added, gently, “But it’s also terrifying when you’re still learning how to believe it’s real.”
Damien turned back to the sky, hands gripping the railing again. His voice was quiet, but every syllable was deliberate.
“I don’t want perfect. I want her-as she is. With the fear. With the doubts. With the hurricane of thoughts in her head. I don’t care if she takes a year to say yes… or never says it at all. But I needed her to know that I’m not going anywhere.”
Ashcroft nodded slowly. “She heard you. That’s why she looked like someone took the floor out from under her. Doesn’t mean she knows what to do with it yet.”
Ashcroft exhaled slowly, his voice calm but direct.
“She’s not afraid of you, D. She’s afraid of what being with you means. You walked into her life and flipped it upside down-shook everything she thought was stable. You’re used to being the one in control, the one who decides. Getting what you want and knowing how to hold it. But Maya? She’s used to surviving in silence. To juggling chaos without ever being seen. She’s been running on fumes, not for herself, but for everyone else.”
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.