Where Darkness Learned Breath by Rylor Dusk 107

Posted by ADMINMMADMIN, ? Views, Released on January 27, 2026

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Pinterest Telegram

107 Chapter 107: Match Making

Aria pov

“Subtle?” He laughed. “You practically threw them at each other.”

“And it worked.” I turned in his arms, looking up at him. “They’re perfect for each other. She needs someone kind and he needs someone who sees him for who he really is. Not just the successful CEO.”

His eyes searched mine. “And what about us? What do we need?”

“I don’t know yet,” I whispered. “But I’m figuring it out.”

“Take your time.” His thumb traced my jawline. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Noah’s voice called from his bedroom, breaking the moment. “Mama! Daddy! Come see my T–Rex roar!”

We pulled apart. Damien’s hand found mine as we walked.The three of us spent the next hour on Noah’s bedroom floor, making dinosaurs battle for control of the volcano. Damien’s expensive pants were covered in dust. My blouse had a chocolate stain. Noah was grinning so wide his face might split.

It was perfect. And as I watched Damien roar like a T–Rex, making Noah shriek with laughter, I thought about Thursday. About Olivia and Lucas. About the possibility of helping two good people find happiness together.

About the possibility that maybe, just maybe, I was learning to find my own happiness

too.

“Mama?” Noah tugged my hand. “Can Daddy read me a bedtime story?”

“Of course he can.” I looked at Damien. “If he wants to.”

“I want to.” His voice was rough. “More than anything.”

We got him into pajamas, brushed the chocolate off his teeth. Tucked him into bed

with his new T–Rex clutched in his arms. Damien settled on one side of the bed while I took the other.

And together, we read Noah his favorite dinosaur book. His eyes grew heavy, his breathing evened. By the last page, he was asleep.

107 Chapter 107: Match Making

We stayed there, neither of us moving, both watching him sleep.

“Thank you,” Damien whispered. “For today, for all of this.”

“He’s happy.” I stroked Noah’s hair. “That’s all that matters.

“You made him happy” Damien reached across Noah, his hand finding mine. “You’ve given him everything. I’m just–catching up.”

“You’re doing a good job.”

“Am I?” His eyes searched mine. “Because sometimes I feel like I’m drowning, like I’ll never be enough to make up for”

“Stop.” I squeezed his hand. “You can’t make up for the past. You can only build the future.”

“I want to build it with you.” The words hung between us. “Both of you, I want this” He gestured around. “to be every day, not just birthdays.”

“Damien”

A sound came from the living room as we both froze.

“Did you lock the elevator?” I whispered.

“Yes.” Damien stood slowly. “Stay here.”

“Damien”

He was already moving toward the door, his whole body tense.I followed despite his instruction, my heart pounding. We stepped into the living room.

A man stood by the windows, surveying the party decorations with an amused smile. Tall, dark–haired, with a scar across his left cheek. He looked like Damien–if Damien had been broken and put back together wrong. Marcus.

“Brother.” His voice was smooth, dangerous. “You didn’t invite family to the party? How rude.”

Damien stepped in front of me. “How did you get in here?”

“I have my ways.” Marcus turned, his cold eyes finding me. “Aria, my brother’s weakness”

“Get out.” Damien’s voice was deadly calm. “Now.”

<

107 Chapter 107: Match Making

“But I came all this way.” Marcus moved closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “To meet

my nephew I’d love to say hello and wish him a happy birthday.”

“You’re not going anywhere near him.” I found my voice. “Security!”

“Won’t help.” Marcus smiled. “I paid them very well to take a bathroom break.”

Damien lunged. Marcus dodged easily, laughing. “Still so predictable, little brother, still so easy to manipulate.”

“What do you want?” Damien blocked Marcus from moving toward Noah’s room.

“What do I want?” Marcus’s smile turned cruel. “Everything you have. Everything you took from me, starting with”

He moved fast, grabbing something from the coffee table. The photo. The family photo from earlier. Noah, Damien, and me, all smiling.

“this cute kid.” Marcus studied the photo. “It would be a shame if he ended up like we did. Broken. Alone. Destroyed by the Blackwood legacy.”

“Give me the photo.” Damien’s voice shook with rage.

“Why?” Marcus pocketed it. “I think I’ll keep it as a reminder of what I’m going to take from you.”

He moved toward the elevator, pressing the button.

Damien started forward, but I grabbed his arm. “Don’t, he wants you to attack him.” “Smart woman.” Marcus stepped into the elevator. “I can see why you love her, brother. Too bad love makes you weak. Too bad it gives me all the leverage I need.”

The doors started to close. “This isn’t over,” Damien growled.

“Oh, I know.” Marcus’s smile was pure evil. “It’s just beginning. Happy birthday, nephew. I’ll be seeing you once again.”

The doors closed. We stood there, frozen, the party decorations suddenly seeming grotesque in the dim light.

Damien’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out, his face draining of color.

“What?” I moved closer. He turned the screen toward me, a text from an unknown number.

The photo Marcus had stolen, but edited–Noah’s face circled in red, with a message:

107 Chapter 107: Match Making

Soon. “Oh God.” My knees went weak.

Damien caught me, pulling me against his chest. “I won’t let him touch Noah. I swear to you, Aria. I will destroy him before I let him hurt our son.”

“How did he get in?” My voice broke. “This place is supposed to be secure.”

“I don’t know.” His arms tightened around me. “But I’m going to find out and then”

His phone rang, it was the security.“Sir, we’re so sorry. Someone drugged our coffee, we just woke up”

Few hours later

I couldn’t stop shaking. The penthouse felt wrong now, violated. The dinosaur decorations Noah had been so excited about seemed to mock us from every corner. Security guards filled the living room, their boots heavy on the marble floor. “How?” My voice came out harsh. “How did he get in here?”

“He bribed the guards.” Damien’s jaw was tight. “Fifty thousand each for a fifteen–minute break.”

“Fifty thousand?” I stepped forward. “You let a terrorist pay you off?”

The head of security opened his mouth.

“Don’t.” Damien cut him off. “You’re fired, all of you. Now get out.”

“Sir”

“Now.”

They left as the door clicked shut behind them. Silence pressed in on us. I could hear my own heartbeat, loud in my ears.

“I need to check on Noah.” I turned toward his room.

Damien caught my wrist. “Wait.”

“Wait?” I yanked away. “Your psychotic brother just broke into our home and

threatened our son!”

“I know.” His grip was gentle but firm. “But if we panic, if we run to him right now, we’re doing exactly what Marcus wants.”

“I don’t care what Marcus wants!” Tears burned my eyes. “I need to see my son!”

107 Chapter 107: Match Making

“He’s safe, the door is locked. Marcus is gone.”

“For now.” I wiped my face roughly. “But he took that photo, He”

“I know.” Damien pulled me against his chest, his shirt smelled like the cologne he’d worn earlier, mixed with sweat. “I’m going to fix this.”

“How?”

“I don’t know yet. But I will.”

I let myself lean into him for five seconds. Drew one shaky breath. Then pulled back. “I’m checking on Noah.”

This time he didn’t stop me. Noah slept peacefully, his new T–Rex was clutched in his small fist, its plastic teeth digging into his palm. His chest rose and fell in the steady rhythm I’d watched a thousand times before.

“He’s okay.” Damien appeared beside me.

“For now.” I couldn’t look away. “But what if Marcus comes back? What if next time” “There won’t be a next time.” His voice was cold. “I’m packing us up because we are leaving.”

“What?”

“Tonight, right now.” He turned to me. “I’m taking you somewhere Marcus can’t find you.”

“Damien”

“Don’t argue.” His eyes were fierce. “He showed his hand. Which means we run. Now.”

“Where?”

“I have a safe house in Portland, no one knows about it. Not even my board.”

Portland, across the country. “I need to make a call,” I said.

“Aria”

“I need to call Olivia.” My voice shook. “She needs to know we’re leaving.”

He nodded as he stepped back. I pulled out my phone with trembling fingers and hit Olivia’s contact. She answered on the second ring, her voice groggy. “Aria? It’s three in the morning”

107 Chapter 107: Match Making

“Marcus broke in.” The words tumbled out. “He was here, in the penthouse. He took a photo of Noah and threatened him and we’re leaving”

“Slow down.” Olivia’s voice sharpened immediately. “Marcus was there? In Damien’s building?”

“He bribed the security guards.” I pressed my hand to my mouth. “Liv, he stood right there. He looked at me and talked about Noah like–like he was a toy he wanted to