Chapter 205: 205 - without fear
205
~Lisa’s POV
I froze, my tears caught between us. My body stiffened at first, my mind screaming, but then his warmth broke through. The anger in his kiss wasn’t for me; it was desperate, raw, aching.
When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against mine. His breath was hot and uneven, his voice rough, trembling.
"Stop tearing yourself apart, Lisa. Please. I can’t stand it. Not from you."
My lips parted, but no words came out. My chest rose and fell too fast, my tears still streaming silently down my cheeks.
Behind him, I could feel it, the weight of their stares. Rowan and Kael were still by the door, not moving, watching us. I didn’t even have to look. Their presence was heavy, sharp, almost bitter in the air.
Damon finally turned his head a little, his jaw tightening. "Go," he said firmly, not looking back at them.
They didn’t move. I heard Rowan shift, the sound of his boots dragging slightly on the floor. Then his voice came, low and tight.
"So it’s Damon now? Only Damon?"
Kael let out a breath, sharp like a scoff. "We risk everything for her, and she pushes us aside. Always Damon." His voice was rough, almost cracking.
I opened my eyes and turned my head slightly. Their faces were dark, twisted with emotions I couldn’t read fully, anger, jealousy, hurt. Kael’s fists were clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. Rowan’s eyes were bright, too bright, as if he was fighting back something he couldn’t say out loud.
"You don’t understand," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "You never understood."
Rowan flinched, Kael’s lips pressed into a thin line.
"Leave," Damon said again. His arm tightened around me, as if daring them to argue.
For a long moment, no one moved. Then Kael turned away sharply, his shoulders stiff. Rowan lingered a second longer, his gaze burning into me, before he finally followed his brother out.
The door shut softly, but the silence it left was heavy, almost ringing.
Damon moved so fast I couldn’t even step back. His hands held my face, strong and steady, and then his mouth pressed against mine again.
I gasped, my eyes wide, but his lips didn’t let me speak. His kiss was firm, deep, like he wanted to lock away all my anger with it.
I pushed at his chest weakly, but he only pulled me closer. His breath was warm, his mouth moving over mine again and again. He kissed me like he was afraid I would vanish if he let go.
My tears slid down my cheeks, mixing with the kiss. Damon kissed them away, his lips brushing my skin, then returned to my mouth, rough, desperate, almost begging.
At first I tried to turn my head, but he followed, catching my lips again. My hands trembled, clutching his shirt. My body was stiff, but little by little, the heat of his mouth broke through the wall around my heart.
"Stop, Damon," I whispered against his lips, breathless.
He kissed me again, slower this time, gentler. His mouth lingered on mine, soft but unyielding, as if he wanted me to feel his every heartbeat through it.
The kiss deepened, lasting longer, his lips parting mine. My chest rose and fell too fast, my tears still flowing, but I didn’t pull away. His hand slid to the back of my head, holding me steady as his lips moved against mine again and again, unhurried now, full of need and pain.
By the time he finally pulled back, both of us were breathless. His forehead rested against mine, his voice low and raw.
"Lisa... please. Don’t push them away. Not like this."
I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, still breathing fast from Damon’s kiss. My voice came out rough, but I forced the words out.
"Damon... I had to push Rowan and Kael away. Don’t you see? They don’t even know what they did wrong. They’re not sorry. They still look at me like I’m nothing, just a vessel to carry their child. Nothing more."
Damon studied me quietly, his dark eyes softening. Then, to my surprise, he gave a small crooked smile.
"Then show them pepper," he said, his voice low but teasing. "Let them feel the fire. Maybe then they’ll learn their lesson."
I blinked at him, caught off guard. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a tiny smile tug at my lips. It escaped me before I could stop it. Damon saw it too, and his smile widened just a little.
We stood there, both of us smiling faintly through all the mess and pain, and it felt strangely light, like a weight had shifted between us.
Then Damon’s face grew serious again. He brushed a strand of hair away from my cheek, his thumb lingering there. His voice dropped, steady but full of regret.
"No one will come for you, Lisa. I promise you that. Belinda has already been punished. She won’t touch you again." He paused, his jaw tight. "I’m only sorry we couldn’t kill her when she almost killed you."
My eyes widened, my breath catching. "Kill her?"
His hand tightened on mine. "Yes. She deserved it. She dared to hurt you, to try to end our child’s life. I should have ended her with my own hands. But..." His voice cracked faintly, and he swallowed hard. "We didn’t. We need proof, and so we had to confine her instead."
I shook my head quickly, my tears spilling again. "Damon, no. Don’t say that. I don’t wish for her to be killed. I don’t want her blood on your hands."
He frowned. "After all she did?"
"Yes." My voice was firm even though my chest trembled. "I don’t want revenge. I don’t want death. I only wanted someone to believe me." My throat tightened, memories rushing back. "That night...the man who almost forced himself on me... I told you. I told you it was Belinda’s doing. But you didn’t believe me."
His face crumpled, his voice breaking as he spoke. "I know. And I’ll never forgive myself for that. Lisa, I’m sorry. I should have believed you then. I should have protected you, not doubted you. I failed you."
I closed my eyes, breathing shakily. My heart was aching but also strangely calm. "I don’t want her dead, Damon. I just want peace. I just want to breathe without fear."
His hand cupped my cheek again, warm and steady. "Then peace you’ll have. I swear it."