Chapter 14 Controlled Burn 2
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Chapter 14: Controlled Burn-2
Damien let out a low breath. “You ever thought about applying for early mentorship programs?”
Maya turned her head, startled. Her eyes met his for a fleeting second – too brief to hold, but long enough to leave a mark. There was gratitude there. And something else. Something quiet and
unreadable, like even she didn’t have a name for it yet.
Jamie’s eyes widened. “They have those?”
“They do,” Damien said. “Some through Blackwood. Internships for high school students – if your health permits.”
From the corner of his eye, Damien saw Maya fully lift her head now, surprise softening into
something warm.
Jamie was already nodding, excitement flickering to life. “That would be awesome.”
Damien turned toward him. “When you’re ready, have Maya contact my office. We’ll see what we
can do.”
The car fell silent again – but it wasn’t heavy. It was thoughtful. Shifted.
Jamie looked like he’d just been handed a map to another future.
And Maya?
She was staring straight ahead, stunned. Hands clenched tightly in her lap, eyes glistening – caught between gratitude and disbelief.
Damien didn’t speak. He didn’t trust himself to.
Because the weight in his chest had only grown heavier.
Not long after, the car pulled up to the hospital entrance.
The moment it stopped, Jamie was the first to speak. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Blackwood.
And you too, Mr. Horton.” He leaned forward and gently tapped the driver’s shoulder. “And you, sir. Thank you again for the ride! Take care!”
Damien gave a small nod. James smiled and offered a polite, “You’re welcome.”
The door opened, and Jamie climbed out first.
Maya turned to Damien, her expression reserved but sincere. She offered a subtle bow of her head. “Thank you, Mr. Blackwood. Please take care.”
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Then she glanced at James. “Sir.” A soft, silent thank-you in that single word.
But just as she shifted forward to exit, Jamie’s voice cut in.
“May! Wait- not yet!”
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He suddenly ducked back into the car, surprising everyone inside. In one swift move, he shut the door again-and since Maya was seated in the middle, she was caught completely off guard.
Her body jerked with the motion and, before she could stop it, she was pushed right up against Damien-thigh to thigh, shoulder grazing his chest.
The contact was brief, accidental.
But it was enough to light a fuse.
Maya’s face turned the shade of a tomato as her shoulder brushed against Damien’s chest, and their knees pressed too closely together. But she quickly pulled herself together, straightened her posture, and scooted back to create space-flustered, but composed.
She shot her brother a look. “What’s wrong with you, Jamie?”
Jamie huffed, clearly annoyed, and pointed toward the hospital entrance. “That weird doctor is
there again. Look!”
Damien and James followed his gesture.
Standing near the entrance was a man in a white coat, probably in his late thirties, holding a takeout bag in one hand and a single red rose in the other. He kept checking his watch, glancing toward the sidewalk like he was waiting for someone.
Jamie leaned forward, his tone laced with frustration. “He probably saw our name on the schedule. He’s going to start pestering you again. I told you he’s weird!”
Damien’s gaze narrowed on the man in the white coat.
Tall, Clean-shaven. Polished in that over-eager way. He had that look-the kind that screamed smug and persistent. The kind that assumed a woman like Maya should feel lucky to be noticed.
Damien’s jaw ticked.
The rose. The fucking rose.
Who the hell brought a rose to a hospital check-up?
The way the man kept looking toward the curb, checking his watch like he was waiting for something personal – it didn’t sit right. Not with Damien. Not with the heat crawling under his skin.
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Then Jamie’s words echoed again.
“He’s going to start pestering you again.”
Pestering. So this wasn’t the first time.
Damien’s fingers curled slightly, resting on his thigh.
He didn’t like it.
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Didn’t like the idea of some persistent doctor making Maya uncomfortable. Didn’t like that Jamie already knew the man’s behavior well enough to be wary. Didn’t like the image of that guy walking toward her, smiling, thinking he had a chance.
And he especially didn’t like the sudden, gut-level urge to break something just to get the image
out of his head.
Calm the fuck down, he told himself.
But the tension didn’t leave. Not when Maya leaned slightly forward to look, her hair brushing Damien’s arm. Not when she sighed under her breath like she was preparing for battle.
She shouldn’t have to.
Not for that.
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.