The Wife He Never Meant to Love (Lila and Damon) novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

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Damon’s smirk deepened as he watched Lila’s face flush, and a slow, almost predatory smile spread across his lips. His mind immediately clicked into place-he remembered the glass of whiskey she’d just drank, the one James had prepared. The realization made him feel even more in control.

Lila, too lost in her anger to pay attention, hadn’t realized that the drink wasn’t just a random glass of whiskey -it had been tampered with. James had made sure of it.

Damon leaned in slowly, his movements deliberate and calculated. His eyes never left Lila’s, and with one smooth motion, he pulled her back into his arms, trapping her once more. He could feel her tension, her resistance, but it only fueled his smirk. He wasn’t finished.

Before Lila could react, Damon’s lips crashed against hers in a rough, almost desperate kiss. The force of it took her breath away, and for a moment, she couldn’t move-couldn’t breathe.

When he pulled away, his eyes were dark, filled with something dangerous. His fingers still gripped her waist firmly, holding her close. He studied her face as she tried to steady her breathing, her eyes wide with shock and confusion.

“You need this,” Damon whispered, his voice low, just above a growl.

Lila’s pulse raced, but not from desire-no, it was the bitter taste of realization that hit her hard. The whiskey wasn’t just whiskey. There was something in it. Something that made her feel dizzy and disoriented, like her thoughts were slowing down.

Her eyes widened in shock as she could feel the alcohol starting to take full effect. The edges of her vision blurred, and her body felt heavy, like she was sinking into him, unable to break free.

“What the hell did you do?” she gasped, pushing against him weakly.

Damon didn’t answer at first. He just studied her, his gaze dark and unreadable. “You needed something to calm you down, Lila,” he said softly, his voice dripping with a sickening sweetness. “You needed to stop pretending you’re in control.”

Lila’s head spun as she tried to pull away, her body betraying her. The drink was starting to affect her more than she wanted to admit, the warmth spreading through her limbs, making it harder to think straight. But she couldn’t let Damon see her weakness.

“You think I need you?” Lila managed to snap, her voice wavering slightly. She hated how weak she sounded, but she wasn’t going to let him see how badly the drink was affecting her.

Damon chuckled low, his grip tightening as he held her against him. “You’ve needed me for a long time, Lila. You just don’t want to admit it.”

Lila struggled to keep her focus, but the dizziness in her head made it harder to concentrate. She could feel the warmth creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. The whiskey was doing its work, clouding her thoughts, making it harder to stay sharp.

“I’m not yours,” she spat, even though her voice now had a tremor to it. “I don’t need you, Damon. Not now,

not ever.”

11:28 Mon, May 4

Chapter 17

91

10 vouchers

But her words came out weaker than she intended, and Damon noticed. He smiled darkly, his fingers brushing the side of her face as he leaned in again, this time with a quieter intensity.

“We’ll see about that,” he murmured, his breath hot against her skin.

Lila felt herself being carried effortlessly by Damon, her head swimming with confusion and frustration. The warmth from the whiskey still pulsed in her veins, making her body feel heavy, yet strangely light at the same time. She couldn’t focus on anything clearly, her thoughts slipping through her fingers like sand.

Damon’s grip on her was firm, his body close against hers, and despite everything, Lila couldn’t ignore the way it made her heart race. The attraction, the danger, the unresolved tension between them-it was all a storm inside her, pulling her in every direction.

She tried to push away the feeling, tried to fight it. But as they moved into the penthouse, she felt the sharp, undeniable pull. Something inside her wanted to give in, wanted to feel him close again, to feel that undeniable connection that had always lingered beneath the surface between them.

Her lips found his-uninvited, yet inevitable. She kissed him, desperately, the heat between them growing. But even in the haze, a part of her screamed at herself to stop, to fight this.

Damon pulled back slightly, looking at her with something like amusement in his eyes. “Hungry, are we?” he said softly, his voice low and laced with that dangerous charm of his.

Lila, her body still betraying her, was breathing heavily. She couldn’t explain it-couldn’t understand why, in this moment, it felt impossible to resist him. The weight of their past, the years of hurt, frustration, and undeniable connection, all mixed together. And there was the ever-present truth-she was still bound to him, by something she couldn’t define.

“I’m not yours,” she managed to say, her voice shaky but resolute, even as her body ached for him.

Damon’s gaze softened just a fraction, his thumb gently brushing her cheek. “No,” he said, his tone quieter now, almost regretful. “But we’re still tangled up in this, whether you like it or not. This…. thing between us.”

Lila closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady herself, to regain control over her own emotions. She couldn’t deny that he had a hold on her, that he always had. But did that mean she had to give in to it?

The room felt suffocating, the tension thick as Damon’s hands stayed gently on her waist, not pushing, just holding. Lila’s breath was steadying, the haze in her mind slowly lifting.

“Let me go,” she whispered, but the words felt hollow even to herself.

Damon didn’t move immediately. He studied her for a moment, and then his expression softened, like a part of him was waiting for her to make a choice. “I won’t push you, Lila. Not this time. But if you need me, you know where I’ll be.”

Lila felt the walls around her heart begin to shift. She wasn’t sure what this was what they were—but in that moment, it felt like something had cracked, just enough for her to see the fractured pieces of their connection.

11:28 Mon, May 4