Page 14 of Forbidden Access

She considered pressing him but decided against it. They were already on shaky ground, and she didn’t want to push too hard. Instead, she refocused on the task at hand. “I want to make sure you’re ready for this, Damian. The threats against you are real, and they’re not going away just because you’re in Miami.”

He looked at her, his expression unreadable. “You don’t think I’m taking this seriously?”

“I think you’re trying to downplay the danger,” she replied, her voice steady. “But that won’t help anyone, least of all you.”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he stood and walked to the window, staring out at the expansive grounds. “I’m not used to all this—being protected. It feels... awkward.”

Thorn crossed her arms, watching him closely. “You’ll get used to it.”

He glanced back at her, a flicker of something—perhaps guilt or frustration—crossing his face. “You don’t trust me, do you?”

She bit her lip. “I trust my instincts. And right now, they’re telling me to be cautious.”

Damian turned fully to face her. “I’m not your enemy, Thorn.”

She held his gaze, searching for any sign of deception. It was hard to see past his shuttered gaze and creased brow. “Maybe not,” she admitted, her voice quieter now. “But that doesn’t mean you’re not dangerous.”

He didn’t flinch at her words. Instead, he nodded slowly, as if accepting a truth he’d long been aware of. “Fair enough.”

There was a pause, interrupted by his cell phone ringing. Glancing down, he said, “It’s Christine.”

Thorn nodded. “Keep it brief—and remember to stick to the story as per the briefing.”

A droll roll of the eyes. “Don’t worry. I know my lines.”

She left him to his call, closing the door softly behind her. Instead of going back to the living room, she hovered in the corridor and listened.

“Christine?”

She waited.

“Yes, it’s true. She’s an old girlfriend I reconnected with recently.”

She walked away, already knowing the rest of the script.

CHAPTER 5

Damian went at it hard.

The rhythmic thud of his fists against the heavy bag echoed through the home gym, each punch working out some of his pent-up frustration. Sweat dripped down his face, stinging his eyes, but he didn’t stop.

He needed this—needed to feel the burn in his muscles, the sharp ache in his knuckles. It was the only thing that made sense right now.

His life had become a damn circus, and he was the caged animal on display. Everything he’d built, all the freedom he’d fought for, was slipping through his fingers. First, the constant surveillance, and now, he couldn’t even step outside without a bodyguard shadowing his every move.

It was suffocating.

And Christine... He hadn’t expected her to take the news well, but hearing the hurt in her voice when he’d lied to her this morning had hit harder than he’d thought.

She didn’t deserve that.

He’d always been good at compartmentalizing, at keeping his personal and professional lives separate, but this time, the lines had blurred, and Christine had been caught in the crossfire.

Damian grunted, throwing a series of rapid punches at the bag, each one landing with a satisfying thud. He hated feeling trapped, boxed in by his own choices.

He’d always valued his independence, his ability to do what he wanted when he wanted. But now, with Thorn hovering over him, watching his every move, he felt like he was losing control of his own life.

Fuck.

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