The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 41

Chapter 26: Aftermath-1

He gathered her into his arms, slow and reverent, cradling her against his chest. Her head fell beneath his chin. Her body felt like ice.

Behind him, Beckett roared.

“She’s mine! You can’t take her! YOU DON’T DESERVE HER!”

Ashcroft took a step toward him – but Damien turned.

Just one look.

One venom-laced glance.

“He’s mine.”

Ashcroft’s man, about to land another blow, froze mid-swing-his fist suspended inches from Beckett’s ruined face.

“Throw him in the trunk. I need him alive and conscious and able to feel every… single.. thing.

Damien’s voice was pure frost. The room stilled.

Ashcroft exhaled sharply. “Tsk. You just made the biggest mistake of your life, boy.”

He turned to his men. “You heard him. Load up the trash.”

Two of them hauled Beckett up-one slammed a fist into the side of his head, hard enough to drop him limp-then dragged him out.

As the door shut behind them, Damien spoke again, voice tight with urgency.

“She needs a hospital. Now.”

Ashcroft raised a brow. “That’ll be messy. Press might catch wind of it. Someone’s bound to recognize you. You want this tied to your name? To hers?”

He tilted his head, almost amused. “Why not take her to your penthouse? I’ll have a doctor waiting before you even arrive.”

Damien shook his head. “No. I… I can’t.” He hesitated. His voice cracked. “I… she…”

For the first time, Damien Blackwood couldn’t find the words.

James cleared his throat gently as he stepped forward. “Sir-Monroe and I can take her. We’ll say she didn’t report to work, and we were sent for a welfare check. That covers why we went

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< Chapter 26: Aftermath-1

to her apartment earlier. We can frame the whole thing as an internal rescue.”

Damien’s jaw locked.

Then, finally, he nodded.

It was better this way. For now.

While he figured out what this emotion clawing at his chest really was.

While Maya recovered.

She didn’t need pressure. Not after what she’d survived.

She needed space. Patience. Safety.

And when the time came – He would do it right.

+25 Points

As they cleared the room, Damien lifted her as though she were something sacred-fragile, irreplaceable, already half-lost.

She didn’t stir.

But he felt her heartbeat.

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