Alpha Damon (Sienna) novel Chapter 71

Sienna:

I stood with my arms crossed in the middle of Damon’s suite, glaring at the email on my phone like it was some kind of personal insult. Because, in a way, it was.

He was trying to trap me.

He wanted to think that he was giving me some kind of independence, but he wanted to control that independence and I did not want to allow him to do that. I did not want to allow him to think that he could have a word on me, that he could do whatever he was that he wanted simply because he believed that he could.

A cushy position at some high-end company, his company, of course, generous pay, flexible hours. It was everything I could have asked for, and exactly what I didn’t want. Exactly what I was not going to give him the satisfaction of saying yes, that I was going to accept it, because I knew that if I did, he was just going to end up holding a whip on my back or rubbing a collar around my neck.

A cage was still a cage, no matter how comfortable it was, and I did not want him to think that he could seduce me using something like this.

When he walked in, his shirt sleeves rolled up, tie slightly loose around his collar, I was already bracing for a fight. “I’m not taking the job,” I said without looking up. “You can find another candidate. I’m sure that there are other women who would be more than willing to take the job, but neither one of them is me.’

”

He stilled. “You haven’t even seen the details. I believe that you should. They would be more appealing and more intriguing than whatever it is that you think they’re going to do as a secretary.”

“Nice to see that you already knew what I was going to work as and chose to offer me a higher rank. Regardless, I’m not taking it.” I said, rolling my eyes at him.

“You need to stop being stubborn and choose to accept something that is going to actually help you out.” He said, making my eyes hard and even more than they were. And if looks good, kill. I knew that he would be long dead.

“I don’t need to. It’s yours.” I said, and he frowned.

“I didn’t say that,” he muttered, walking toward the desk and setting a few folders down. “It’s Ethan’s company. He would be the one being your boss. I believe the two of you have become friends. You can actually think about finding it in yourself to work for him.”

I gave a humorless laugh. “Please. Ethan doesn’t breathe without your say-so. He is your beta and he’s your friend and if he’s choosing to hire me it is simply because you told him to do so.”

His jaw ticked, but he didn’t argue. “It’s a good offer.”

“It’s a leash.”

“It’s a chance.”

“It’s control,” I snapped. “You don’t get to decide how I support myself, Damon. You don’t get to hand me a life and expect me to be grateful. You already have me trapped in your room. Do not expect more from me. I’m already standing on a loose edge right now. And trust me when I say it is only a matter of time before it ends up bursting on you and you are not going to like the outcome of it.”

He stepped closer, voice rising. “I’m trying to help you, Sienna. For once, maybe stop treating everything like an attack.”

“I’m fine…”

“You’re exhausted.” His voice didn’t carry the usual edge. There was no order in it this time, only a quiet insistence.” I have some things to take care of. You won’t be disturbed. Take the bad go to sleep on it. I’m not going to be coming back until late anyway. That is, if I come back in the first place.”

I didn’t answer.

I just stood there, Isla in my arms, staring at the man I once thought I hated, who I wasn’t sure I could keep hating. The man who had kissed me earlier, the man who I should have punched in the face for kissing me, and yet my body still reacted to his touch. It was as if his voice was soothing enough for me to calm down, and that was not something that I liked.

His eyes lingered on mine for a moment longer, before he stepped back, giving me space. He turned toward the door and paused, speaking over his shoulder without looking at me.

“She sleeps better when she hears your heartbeat. So sleep near her.” He said, putting the bassinet, dragging it with its wheels and putting it closer to my side of his bed aside. That, he suddenly decided, would be mine. “It would keep her calm. I believe you too. As you know, wolves tend to calm down when they’re near their pups.”

And just like that, he was gone.

Leaving me standing there with our daughter in my arms… and my walls just a little more cracked than they were a few minutes ago.