Chapter 293: back in her dorm II

Chapter 293: Chapter 293: back in her dorm II

(Damian POV)

"Hello?"

Damian released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

He was still irritated.

Still jealous.

Still carrying everything he’d heard earlier.

But he forced himself to calm down.

He needed to talk to her.

Not accuse her.

Not ask about Anthony.

Not even ask about Christopher.

He simply needed to see her.

"Where are you?"

There was a brief pause.

"I’m in my room."

"Are you alone?"

Another pause.

"Yes."

Damian glanced toward the dormitory.

The building was quiet.

Most of the students were still out for the evening.

"All right."

Vivienne sounded slightly puzzled.

"Why?"

"Nothing."

He hesitated.

"What’s your room number?"

"My room number?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Damian looked up at the darkened windows.

"I just want to know."

There was another pause.

"Okay... 314."

Damian nodded to himself.

"All right."

"Damian?"

"Yeah?"

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

He ended the call.

For a moment, he simply stood there.

Then he looked toward the dormitory entrance.

He had never done anything like this before.

He had never gone to a woman’s room simply because he wanted to see her.

But tonight, apparently, he was making a habit of doing things he knew he shouldn’t.

He slipped his phone into his pocket and walked toward the entrance.

It took him a few minutes to find the right corridor.

The dormitory was almost unnaturally quiet.

Damian checked the numbers as he walked.

310. 311. 312.

He stopped.

For a moment, he simply stared at the door.

Then he raised his hand and knocked.

There was movement inside.

A pause.

Then the lock turned.

The door opened.

Vivienne stared at him.

Her eyes widened.

"Damian?"

He said nothing.

He hadn’t expected the sight of her to affect him this much.

She was still wearing the red dress from dinner.

The same dress he had watched her wear across the restaurant.

The same dress she had worn when she sat across from Christopher.

She looked beautiful.

Beautiful enough that, for one brief moment, Damian forgot everything else.

Then the thought came.

She hadn’t dressed like this for him.

She had dressed like this for another man.

His jaw tightened.

Vivienne was still looking at him, clearly trying to understand why he was standing outside her room at this hour.

Damian didn’t give himself time to think.

He stepped forward, pushed the door open a little farther, and kissed her.

--

(Vivienne POV)

For a moment, Vivienne couldn’t move.

Damian.

Standing outside her door.

Here.

At this hour.

She barely had time to process it before he stepped forward and kissed her.

Her mind went completely blank.

He kissed her hungrily, and for several seconds, she simply stood there, stunned.

Then she pushed lightly against his chest.

"Damian."

He finally pulled back enough to look at her.

"What are you doing here?"

His expression was unreadable.

"I’ve been wanting to do this since earlier."

"Earlier?"

"When we were at the equestrian grounds."

Vivienne stared at him.

Her mind immediately flashed back to earlier that afternoon—the two of them sitting together, his hand wrapped around hers.

She had barely thought about it tonight.

Not with Christopher.

Not with Anthony.

And now Damian was standing in front of her as though the entire evening hadn’t happened.

"Damian, we’re in the women’s dormitory."

"I know."

"My roommate could come back."

He glanced toward the corridor.

"Is she here?"

"No."

"Then we’re fine."

"Damian—"

He closed the door behind him.

The lock clicked.

Vivienne stared at him.

"You really shouldn’t be here."

"I know."

And yet he didn’t leave.

Instead, he stepped closer again.

Vivienne’s heart began beating faster.

Everything about tonight felt upside down.

Anthony had confessed.

Christopher had walked her home. ℯ

She had spent the last hour wondering what she had done wrong.

And now Damian was here.

She didn’t know what to do with any of it.

Damian’s gaze moved over her.

"You look beautiful tonight."

Vivienne’s cheeks warmed.

"Thank you."

"Where have you been?"

She hesitated.

"I had dinner."

"With?"

Vivienne looked away.

"A friend."

"A friend?"

There was something different in his voice.

She glanced back at him.

"Yes."

Damian stared at her.

He knew.

He knew exactly where she had been.

He had watched Anthony take her outside.

He had heard every word.

He had heard her say Christopher’s name.

He had heard her admit that she liked him.

He had watched her return to the restaurant.

He had watched Christopher walk her home.

And now she was standing in front of him, looking at him with those same innocent eyes, giving him a friend.

Damian almost laughed.

Almost.

Instead, he swallowed the irritation rising in his throat.

He didn’t want her to know he’d been there.

He didn’t want her to know he’d followed them.

He certainly didn’t want to explain why.

So he said nothing.

He simply looked at her.

At the red dress.

At the woman he had spent the entire evening watching from across the restaurant.

His jealousy burned hotter.

He knew exactly what had happened.

He knew exactly who she had been with.

And he hated that he had no right to be angry about it.

No right to ask.

No right to demand anything from her.

They were friends with benefits.

That was all.

He knew that.

He had always known that.

But tonight, for the first time, the words felt like an insult.

Because he wanted more.

He wanted her.

And seeing her with another man had made that painfully clear.

Vivienne looked at him uncertainly.

"Damian?"

He stepped closer.

She barely had time to react before he kissed her again.

This time, there was nothing hesitant about it.

The kiss was deeper, more forceful, all the jealousy and frustration he’d been swallowing finally breaking through.

Vivienne’s hand caught against his shoulder.

"Damian—"

He didn’t answer.

He kissed her again.

Anthony could have her history.

Christopher could have her affection.

And himself?

He could have this.

They were friends with benefits.

And if that was the only way he could have her...

If this was all she was willing to give him—

Then, for tonight, he would take it.

--

Tbc