Chapter 6 Chapter Six

Chapter Six

“You're being really quiet,” he mumbled.

Selene turned a bit, opening one eye and giving him a cheeky grin. “I'm enjoying the quiet. And your hands.”

He leaned down and kissed her shoulder, taking his time. “You're not worried about what happened to your fiancé?”

“He's not my fiancé yet,” she whispered. “And he's not dead, sadly.”

Nash chuckled and flopped onto his back next to her. They always had this weird, tense thing going on, half attraction, half scheming. But tonight, it felt even more intense.

Selene propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him. “You said you had something for me.”

Nash sat up and grabbed his phone off the side table. “Yep, I do.”

He unlocked it, scrolled for a sec, and then handed it to her.

She watched the screen.

At first, the video was a bit fuzzy, filmed from a hidden camera in the West Wing. Damian had these cameras put in secretly, without even telling his mom. Nash only knew about them because he set the whole system up.

The timestamp showed 2:13 a.m.

In the video, Damian stumbled out of the dark, blood spreading fast on his shirt. He fell. He crawled. Then...

Her.

Selene sat straight up.

“That's…”

“Aria,” Nash said, his voice smooth.

The screen showed Aria dropping to her knees next to Damian, trying to stop the bleeding with her bare hands. She didn't hesitate at all. No panic, just pure instinct. She whispered something to him. Held him like she actually cared.

Selene's stomach did a flip.

“She found him first,” she said, her voice flat.

“Saved him,” Nash added. “If she hadn't, he'd be dead.”

Selene looked at him, her eyes practically on fire. “You showed this to anyone else?”

Nope, he said, leaning closer. Just you. “Cause I knew you'd want to handle it without making a fuss.”

She tapped the screen, watching it again. This time, she really looked at how Aria touched him. The soft look on her face. The desperation.

“Stupid little maid,” Selene muttered.

Nash moved closer, his lips brushing her neck. “It'd be a total bummer if Damian found out. He'll want to know who saved him.”

Selene tilted her head, letting him kiss her collarbone. Her heart was pounding, but not from... pleasure. From pure rage.

“He can't know,” she whispered.

“Then we gotta keep her quiet.”

Selene turned her head, kissing him hard. Their kiss got more intense, rough, like it always was when they were hiding secrets. Her fingers dug into his hair, pulling him on top of her. Nash's hands slid down her waist, holding her like he owned her.

She arched against him, her breath coming faster. His lips trailed down her neck, slow and deliberate, leaving a path of heat.

“I hate her,” Selene mumbled between kisses.

“I know,” Nash growled.

They moved together, like they'd done it a million times, electric.

The room is filled with quiet moans and heavy breathing, the kind of intimacy that comes from shared lies and desire. There wasn't any love between them, just pure fire, control, and the thrill of knowing things others didn't.

Afterward, Selene was curled up next to him, her leg thrown over his.

“She has to go,” she said, her voice low and firm.

Nash lit a cigarette, the tip glowing red and briefly illuminating his face.

“Evelyn doesn't know anything. Neither does the staff. Aria hasn't said a word.”

“Yet,” Selene hissed. “If Damian finds out about her…”

Nash breathed out slowly and kissed her neck. “We could make it look like she was stealing. Little things. Cash. Jewelry. Make it look messy, make her desperate.”

“She's too clean,” Selene said. “Too careful. Even when they asked her questions, she didn't even blink.”

Nash shrugged. “Then we just need someone to say they saw her near the West Wing. Someone Evelyn trusts.”

Selene narrowed her eyes. “Ms. Fletcher?”

Nash shook his head. “She won't talk. She's loyal, but to what, I have no idea.”

Selene rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling.

“We'll blame Aria anyway,” she said. “Proof or not. If Evelyn thinks she's a thief, she'll be out of here by the end of the day.”

She turned to Nash.

“I want that video deleted.”

Nash smirked. “I already got rid of the backup. This copy is the only one. I doubt Damian has another.”

Selene reached over and took the phone. Her thumb hovered over the screen before she tapped delete. Just like that, the video was gone.

Her heart started to slow down.

“She'll never get close to him again,” Selene said, sounding pleased.

Nash leaned in again, his lips brushing her cheek.

“Not unless we let her.”

Selene smiled darkly, already cooking up her next plan.