Where Darkness Learned Breath by Rylor Dusk 110

110 Chapter 110: Going Back Home 

110 Chapter 110: Going Back Home 

Aria pov 

1 

“By hiding?” I moved closer. “Damien, if I don’t show up, I lose everything. The Singapore deal, investor confidence, maybe the whole company. And for what? To sit here and watch Noah cry because he misses his friends?” 

“For safety” 

“There is no safety!” My voice rose, Noah glanced over from the couch, then back at the TV. “Marcus found us in your secure penthouse. He’ll find us here too, eventually. At least in New York, we can control the situation. Set the trap and end this.” 

“You’re talking about using yourself as bait.” 

“I’m talking about taking my life back!” I grabbed his arms. His muscles were tense under my fingers. “I’m done running. Done hiding, I am going to New York. I’m saving my company and yes, I’m using it as an opportunity to catch Marcus.” 

“Aria” 

“You can come with me or stay here.” I pulled away. “But I’m going.” 

He stared at me for a long moment. His jaw working. Then he pulled out his phone. “I’ll call the team to get security arranged.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Don’t thank me.” His voice was grim. “This is insane. And if anything happens to you” 

“It won’t.” I touched his face, his stubble was rough against my palm. “We’ll be smart and be careful. And we’ll end this.” 

“We’d better.” He pulled me close. His chest was solid, warm. His heart beating fast under my ear. “Because I’m not losing you again.” 

I leaned into him, drawing strength. In the living room, Noah laughed at something on TV. The sound bright and innocent. 

That Evening 

Dinner was quiet, the pasta tasted bad in my mouth. Noah picked at his plate, the fork scraping ceramic. 

17:26 

1/7 

30 

O 

IN 

7 ||| 

O < 

110 Chapter 110: Going Back Home 

“Can my friends come to visit?” he asked. 

“Maybe soon.” I forced a smile. “We’ll see.” 

After dinner, Noah helped clear the table. His small hands careful with the plates. Then he settled on the couch with his dinosaurs, lining them up by size. 

“I need to talk to your mama.” Damien crouched beside him. “Can you play here for a 

few minutes?” 

“Okay.” Noah didn’t look up as the T–Rex roared in his hand. 

Damien took my hand. His palm was warm, slightly damp. He led me outside to the 

deck. 

The night air was cold. I could see my breath. Stars scattered across the sky, more than I’d ever seen in the city. The trees were dark shapes against the darkness. 

“What is it?” I wrapped my arms around myself. 

“I’ve been thinking.” He turned to face me. The porch light cast shadows across his face. “About New York,about the trap. About–everything.” 

“And?” 

“And I realized something.” He stepped closer. “When Marcus broke into the penthouse, when I saw that photo of Noah–I thought I was going to die. Not from fear but from the realization that I could lose you both.” 

“Damien” 

“Let me finish.” His hands found mine, his fingers threaded through mine, warm and solid. “I’ve wasted so much time, years running from what I did to you. These past months trying to earn forgiveness. But the truth is—I don’t want to waste another second.” 

My heart started beating faster. “What are you saying?” 

“I’m saying” He pulled something from his pocket. A small box of rings he gave to me the last time but I rejected. “Marry me.” 

“Damien.” My voice came out breathless. “This is” 

“Insane. I know.” He pulled the ring from the box. “But Aria, we’re about to walk into danger. About to risk everything to catch Marcus. And I need you to know–before we 

17:26 

2/7 

< 

110 Chapter 110: Going Back Home 

do this, before anything happens–I need you to know that I love you. That I want you. That I want us to be a family for real this time.” 

“We were married before” 

“That wasn’t real.” He held the ring between us. It felt heavy with meaning. “That was a contract, a business arrangement. This” He took my left hand. His touch was gentle. “This is me asking you to be my wife because I can’t imagine my life without you in it.” 

My hand was shaking. “This is crazy.” 

“Maybe.” He smiled, sadly but hopeful. “But say yes anyway.” 

I looked at the ring. At his face, at the open door where Noah played, oblivious. 

“What if we don’t survive?” The words hurt coming out. “What if Marcus” 

“Then at least I’ll die knowing I tried.” His thumb stroked my knuckles. “That I asked, that I gave you the ring I should have given you years ago.” 

The ring slid onto my finger, it was a perfect fit. Like it was made for me. 

“I haven’t said yes yet.” But I didn’t pull away. 

“I know.” He pulled me close. His arms wrapped around me, solid and warm. “But you’re not saying no either.” 

I leaned into him. His heart beat steady under my ear. The ring caught the light every 

time I moved my hand. 

“Ask me again.” My voice was muffled against his chest. “After we catch Marcus. After this is over. Ask me when we’re not running for our lives.” 

“I’ll ask you every day if I have to.” He kissed the top of my head. His breath is warm in my hair. “Until you say yes.” 

“That’s very persistent of you.” 

“I’m a persistent man.” He pulled back to look at me. “Especially when it comes to you.” 

The door opened. Noah poked his head out. “Mama? I’m cold.” 

“Coming, baby.” I touched Damien’s face. His skin was warm despite the chill. “We should go in.” 

“Keep the ring.” He caught my hand. “Even if you haven’t decided. Keep it please and don’t you dare return it like the last time .” 

17:26 

317 

110 Chapter 110: Going Back Home 

I looked down at it.“Okay.” I squeezed his hand. “I’ll keep it.” 

We went inside. Noah climbed into my lap, his body warm and heavy. He grabbed my hand to look at something on his dinosaur. 

Then he froze. “Mama, you’re sparkly!” 

“I am?” I looked at my hand, at the ring glinting there. 

“Did Daddy give you that?” His eyes went wide. 

“He did.” I glanced at Damien. 

“Does that mean” Noah bounced. “Are you getting married? Like a real wedding?” 

“We were married before, baby” 

“But you weren’t happy.” Noah’s logic was devastating. “My friend said her parents had two weddings because the first one was sad, will you be happy this time?” 

Out of the mouths of babes.“I hope so, sweetheart.” I touched his face. His cheek was soft, warm. “I really hope so.” 

“So that’s a yes?” Damien’s voice was tentative. 

I looked at him, at Noah. At the ring on my finger, solid and real. At the impossible situation we were in. 

“It’s a maybe,” I said finally. “A very uncertain maybe.” 

“I’ll take it.” Damien moved closer. He kissed my forehead. Gentle. Reverent. “I’ll take any maybe you’ll give me.” 

“You’re insane.” 

“Insanely in love.” He grinned. “There’s a difference.” 

Noah cheered, the sound bright in the quiet house. He hugged us both, his small arms trying to reach around us. And for a moment–just a moment–we felt like a real family. 

Then my phone buzzed. The vibration is harsh against the coffee table. We all tensed. 

Damien grabbed it as his face went pale in the screen’s glow. 

“What?” I stood, my heart racing. “What is it?” 

He turned the screen toward me. The photo from earlier–us at the penthouse. But edited. Red circles around our faces. Around Noah. 

17:26 

4/7 

110 Chapter 110: Going Back Home 

Damien’s POV – Later That Night 

The call came at midnight. I was sitting in the living room, watching the security monitors. The screens glowed blue in the darkness. Outside, nothing moved but trees 

in the wind. 

My phone vibrated with the usual unknown number, I almost didn’t answer. 

“Hello?” 

“Leaving so soon, little brother?” Marcus’s voice was smooth. Amused. 

My anger rose. “Marcus.” 

“I thought Portland would suit you, such a quiet and remote area.” He laughed but the sound crawled under my skin. “Perfect place to hide. But I guess business calls, doesn’t 

it?” 

“How did you” 

“I told you, I am always watching.” Papers rustled on his end. “Flight leaves at six AM. Landing at JFK. Meeting with the Singapore group at the Waldorf.” He paused. “Should I send flowers to the hotel?” 

I looked at the security monitors. Nothing moved outside. But he was there, 

somewhere watching. 

“If you touch her” 

“Oh, I won’t touch her. Yet.” His voice went cold. “I’m going to let her have her little meeting to save her precious company, let her feel like she’s winning.” 

“And then?” 

“And then I’m going to take everything. Everything you love. Everything you have. I’m going to make you watch it burn.” 

“Marcus” 

The call ended. I sat there, phone in hand. My pulse hammered in my ears. He knew everything, which meant. 

“Damien?” Aria appeared in the doorway, wrapped in a blanket. Her hair was mussed from sleep. “Who was that?” 

I turned to her. And made the hardest decision of my life. 

17:26 

517 

110 Chapter 110: Going Back Home 

“We’re not going to New York.” My voice was shaking slightly. 

“What? Damien, we just” 

“Marcus knows.” I showed her the phone. The call log glowing. “He knows about the flight, the meeting. Everything.” 

She stared at the screen. “How?” 

“I don’t know but he does.” I moved closer. “Aria, if we go to New York, we’re walking into his trap.” 

“Then we walk into it.” Her jaw set in determination“With our own trap ready.” 

“You’re not listening.” 

“No, you’re not listening.” She grabbed my arms, her fingers dug in. “I’m not losing my company, I am not letting him win. We’re going to New York. We’re having that meeting and we’re ending this.” 

“It’s suicide” 

“It’s a strategy.” She pulled me close, I could feel her heart racing. Fast as mine. “Trust me, Damien. Please. For once, just–trust me.” 

Hooked into her eyes. I saw the determination there. The fierce strength that had carried her through hell and back. The ring glinted on her finger. And I realized–I had no choice. Because Aria Monroe didn’t back down. 

She never had. “Okay,” I whispered. “We are going to New York.” 

“We’re going to New York,” she echoed. 

17:26 0