Chapter 5 Behind Closed Doors

Maya woke to the sound of rain against the windows.

For a few seconds, she didn't remember where she was.

Then she felt the unfamiliar softness beneath her, saw the unfamiliar ceiling above her, and remembered everything.

The wedding.

The wrong groom.

Adrian's disappearance.

Elena's warning.

She turned her head.

Damien was still on the sofa.

He was asleep, one arm resting across his chest while the other hung loosely over the edge. Without the usual tension in his expression, he looked different. Younger, almost vulnerable.

Maya stared at him longer than she intended.

She had spent most of the night telling herself that Damien Vale was dangerous.

Yet he had given her the bed without argument and spent the night on a sofa that was clearly too small for him.

Her eyes moved to his face.

A strand of dark hair had fallen across his forehead.

She almost smiled.

Then his eyes opened.

Maya immediately looked away.

"Enjoying the view?"

His voice was rough with sleep.

She sat up. "I wasn't looking at you."

"You were."

"I was thinking."

"While staring at me?"

"You're very arrogant for someone who slept on a couch."

The corner of his mouth lifted.

"I've been called worse."

Maya climbed out of bed and reached for the robe hanging beside it. "How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to know you were watching me."

She slipped the robe around herself.

"Forget it."

"I might."

She turned toward him. "Did you sleep at all?"

"Enough."

"You look exhausted."

"So do you."

Maya glanced at herself.

Her wedding makeup had mostly disappeared, her hair was a mess, and the expensive gown was hanging over a chair.

She looked nothing like the woman who had walked down the aisle yesterday.

"I look terrible."

"You look human."

She paused.

It was such a simple comment, but something about it made her chest tighten.

Before she could respond, someone knocked.

Damien stood.

The sudden movement reminded Maya that they were alone in a bedroom, and she became painfully aware that she was wearing nothing beneath the robe.

Damien noticed the way she pulled it tighter.

His gaze briefly dropped before returning to her face.

"I'll get it."

He opened the door.

Marcus stood outside.

"Breakfast is ready. Your father wants to see you."

Damien nodded.

"Anything else?"

Marcus hesitated.

"The police have arrived."

Maya immediately looked up.

"For Adrian?"

Marcus nodded.

"And there's something else."

Damien's expression hardened.

"What?"

"Someone accessed the security system again."

Maya's stomach tightened.

"From where?"

"The main house."

Damien looked toward Maya.

"Stay here."

"No."

He sighed.

"I knew you'd say that."

"I'm involved."

"I know."

"Then stop telling me to stay behind."

Marcus looked between them.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Congratulations, by the way."

Maya stared at him.

"For what?"

"Your marriage."

He left before either of them could answer.

Maya looked at Damien.

"I already dislike your security team."

"They'll survive."

They headed downstairs.

The mansion was quieter than the previous night, but the tension remained. Several police officers were speaking with Richard in the study while Evelyn stood near the fireplace.

Maya followed Damien inside.

A detective looked at them.

"Mr. Vale."

Then his eyes moved to Maya.

"Mrs. Vale."

Maya still wasn't used to hearing that.

Damien noticed.

"You'll get used to it."

"I hope not."

The detective opened a folder.

"We've reviewed the hotel footage and confirmed that Adrian left the building shortly before the cameras went offline."

"Alone?" Damien asked.

"That's what it appears."

"Appears?"

The detective turned a photograph toward him.

"There's a second vehicle."

Damien leaned closer.

Maya looked over his shoulder.

A dark sedan was parked near the service entrance.

Its license plate was partially visible.

"Can you identify it?" Damien asked.

"We're working on it."

Richard stepped forward.

"How long?"

"Several hours."

Damien's expression hardened.

"We don't have several hours."

The detective looked at him.

"Mr. Vale, I understand you're concerned, but we need evidence."

Damien stepped back.

Maya could see his frustration.

She touched his arm.

He looked down at her hand.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then Maya realized everyone in the room was watching.

She quickly withdrew her hand.

"Sorry."

Damien's eyes remained on her.

"You don't have to apologize."

The detective cleared his throat.

"We'll contact you if anything changes."

After the officers left, Richard closed the study door.

"I want to speak with you."

Damien nodded.

Maya expected him to tell her to leave, but instead he looked at her.

"Stay."

Richard's expression darkened.

"This is a family matter."

Maya folded her arms.

"So is my husband."

Richard didn't appreciate the answer.

Damien, however, looked amused.

They remained in the study while Richard revealed what he had been hiding.

Adrian had been investigating financial transfers involving one of the family's companies. Large amounts of money had been moved through several shell corporations over the previous six months.

Maya listened carefully.

"Why didn't you report it?"

Richard's gaze shifted toward Damien.

"Because I wasn't certain who was involved."

Damien's expression hardened.

"You suspected someone inside the family."

"I suspected everyone."

That answer silenced the room.

Richard looked at Maya.

"And now you're part of it."

Maya frowned.

"What exactly does that mean?"

"It means whoever is behind this may consider you an asset or a threat."

Damien stepped between them.

"That's enough."

Richard looked at his son.

"You brought her into this."

"I didn't."

"You married her."

"Neither of us knew."

Richard's gaze became cold.

"Then perhaps you should start asking yourself why the mistake happened."

Maya felt a chill.

Because that was exactly what she had been asking herself.

Later that afternoon, Damien took Maya back upstairs.

The moment they entered the bedroom, she closed the door behind them.

"You heard what your father said."

"Yes."

"He thinks our marriage was arranged."

"I think so too."

Maya turned toward him.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're trying to figure me out."

Damien stepped closer.

"Maybe I am."

Maya's heartbeat quickened.

He stopped only a few inches away.

Neither spoke.

The room suddenly felt smaller.

Maya could smell his cologne again.

She looked up at him.

"Damien..."

"I know."

His voice was quiet.

He lifted a hand, then stopped before touching her.

"Tell me to move away."

Maya's lips parted.

She should have.

Instead, she whispered, "I didn't say that."

His hand gently touched her cheek.

The contact sent a shiver through her.

He waited, giving her every opportunity to pull away.

She didn't.

When he leaned closer, their lips met.

The kiss was slow at first, almost cautious.

Maya's fingers caught the front of his shirt as she kissed him back.

For one brief moment, the confusion, fear, and unanswered questions disappeared.

There was only the warmth of his body against hers and the realization that the man she had sworn not to trust was becoming dangerously difficult to resist.

Damien's hand settled at her waist.

Maya felt her breath catch.

He kissed her again, deeper this time, and she instinctively moved closer.

Then he stopped.

Their foreheads rested against each other.

His breathing was uneven.

Maya looked into his eyes.

"Why did you stop?"

"Because you're not supposed to feel like you're being forced into anything."

Her heart skipped.

"We're already married."

"That doesn't mean I own you."

Maya stared at him.

For some reason, that mattered more than she wanted it to.

She stepped back slowly.

"Thank you."

Damien nodded.

Neither of them mentioned what had almost happened.

But the tension remained.

It followed them through the silence that came afterward.

That evening, Maya stood by the window while Damien worked through documents at the desk.

Her fingers touched her lips unconsciously.

She couldn't decide what frightened her more.

The possibility that Damien was dangerous...

or the possibility that she was beginning to trust him.

A soft knock came at the door.

Damien looked up.

"Who is it?"

There was no answer.

He stood immediately.

Maya watched as he approached the door.

When he opened it, nobody was there.

Only an envelope lay on the floor.

Damien picked it up.

His expression changed when he saw the name written across the front.

Maya Hart.

He handed it to her.

She opened it with trembling fingers.

Inside was a single photograph.

Elena.

Alive.

Standing beside Adrian.

And written across the back were four words.

You married the right man.