Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 102 What’s got you so distracted?

Victoria’s POV

"Victoria?" she called once, but I didn’t respond.

"Victoria!" Grace repeated louder, finally pulling me from my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I blinked, suddenly aware she’d been trying to get my attention.

"What’s got you so distracted?" Grace asked curiously, leaning forward.

"Nothing, nothing at all!" I couldn’t possibly admit that I’d been thinking about Damien Sterling’s scent—how it seemed uniquely pleasant to me, different from any other wolf I’d encountered. How was it possible that his scent affected me so strongly when he was so infuriating?

I mentally shoved thoughts of Damien aside. We’d parted on awkward terms at the gala, and who knew when I’d see him next. Better not to dwell on it.

"Brian seems kind," I said, changing the subject, "but there’s a certain distance about him. With his status and family background, he might not be easy to pursue."

Grace scoffed. "Who cares about that? See, Victoria, that’s where your thinking is wrong. I’m attracted to him and want to enjoy the present—to be with him now. I’m not thinking about the future, marriage, family—all that seems so distant. Love has an expiration date anyway. If we stop liking each other, we break up."

She stretched out on my couch, utterly relaxed in her philosophy. "If you like someone but worry about too many complications, you’ll just exhaust yourself. Better to enjoy the pleasure of romance, keep your spirits high. Besides, dating a man like that—how could it possibly be a bad deal?"

I laughed at her straightforward approach. "Your outlook is refreshing, Grace. But are you sure Brian will be that easy to win over?"

She shook her head. "No idea. But I’ll try. When can you help arrange a meeting?"

"I’m not sure that’s appropriate," I hesitated.

"What’s inappropriate about it? I need to return his clean jacket, don’t I? Just ask when he’s free, and I’ll return it. Perfect opportunity, right?" Her eyes gleamed with mischief.

I sighed. "Fine. When do you want to meet him?"

"First, ask how long he’s staying in the country," she suggested.

I sent Brian a quick message, asking about his schedule and when he planned to leave. His response came quickly—he mentioned that both his brother and younger brother were currently in the country, so he was taking vacation time for the family to relax together. They’d be around for about another week.

"A whole week?" Grace calculated aloud. "No rush then. We can play it cool, return the jacket in the last couple of days."

"That works. I’ll tell him you want to return his jacket but you’re busy these next few days. We’ll set something up later."

Grace nodded eagerly. "Perfect! Thank you so much, Victoria. I don’t know how to thank you enough!"

"It’s nothing. That’s what friends are for," I said. "Maybe I’ll end up playing matchmaker. But if Brian’s not interested, promise you won’t push him."

"Of course not! I’m not that kind of person," Grace assured me. "But to show my gratitude, I’m sending you a special surprise!"

She began tapping on her phone, clearly sending some messages. From her mischievous expression, I immediately grew suspicious. Grace’s "surprises" were often more trouble than they were worth.

"No need, Grace. Our friendship doesn’t require gifts," I protested.

She just grinned. "Just wait for my arrangements. Oh, and about tomorrow’s beach trip—how about we stay overnight? I’ll book the rooms now."

"Sounds good," I agreed,

——

We soon arrived at our destination and changed into sexy swimsuits.

I looked at myself in the mirror and was very satisfied.The sun beat down on my skin as Grace and I stepped onto the pristine beach;

"Damien?" My pupils contracted in shock as I collided with a solid wall of muscle. My wolf, Nora, instantly stirred within me, recognizing his scent before I’d even processed who stood before me.

How was this possible? What were the odds of running into Damien Sterling at this exclusive beachfront resort? My heart pounded violently against my ribcage. No way was this a coincidence. Had he followed me here? The thought sent an electric current through my body.

He stood before me in an impeccably tailored suit, his hair perfectly styled, looking as if he’d stepped out of a board meeting rather than onto a beach. When we collided, his arm had instinctively wrapped around my waist to prevent me from falling, and now we were pressed together in what could only be described as an intimate embrace.

The sheer cover-up I’d been wearing was still in Grace’s hands, leaving me in nothing but a skimpy bikini against his formal attire. The contrast of his crisp suit against my exposed skin created a provocative image that made my temperature rise. My wolf howled with approval inside me, urging me closer.

"Click!" The sound of Grace’s phone camera snapping a photo broke through my stunned silence.

Heat rushed to my cheeks as I became acutely aware of our position. I tried to step back, to put some distance between us, but Damien’s hand remained firmly on my waist. His touch scorched my skin, his fingers splaying possessively across my bare flesh, sending waves of heat radiating through my body.

"Let go of me!" I demanded, my voice betraying my flustered state.

Of all the people to literally run into, it had to be him. The man whose scent drove my wolf crazy, whose touch I couldn’t seem to forget since our night together.

Instead of releasing me, Damien’s lips curved into that infuriating smirk of his. "Is this not you throwing yourself at me, mate of my brother?"

There it was again. That title. "Mate of my brother." Every time he called me that, it felt like we were engaging in something forbidden, something deliciously wrong.

"I’m not throwing myself anywhere! This is just a misunderstanding," I insisted, trying to ignore how his thumb was now tracing small circles on my lower back. "And what are you even doing here? Is this really just a coincidence?"

I couldn’t believe the universe would be so cruel as to place us together like this. Running into the Gillies family yesterday had been coincidence enough.

"Weren’t you the ones who invited me here?" Damien’s eyes glittered with amusement, watching me as if I were putting on a performance. "Pretending this is a chance meeting seems a bit amateur, don’t you think?"

"What are you talking about? I never invited you anywhere," I said, genuinely confused.

With his free hand, Damien pulled out his phone and showed me a text from Grace: "This is your invitation, isn’t it? Still playing hard to get?"

I turned toward Grace, my eyes wide. "Grace, what’s going on?"

She grinned mischievously. "Didn’t you help me arrange that meeting with Brian yesterday? I told you I’d thank you with an amazing gift! I noticed things got tense between you two last night, so I invited Damien to clear the air. What luck running into him here! I’ll just... leave you two to talk."

Before I could stop her, Grace was walking away, leaving me alone with Damien, wearing practically nothing.

"Grace!" I called after her, but she was already gone.

I couldn’t believe her betrayal. There was no misunderstanding between Damien and me to clear up. Nothing to discuss at all.

Especially not like this!

I could be practically naked in front of anyone else and not care. I’m not exactly shy about my body.

But with Damien... standing before him in just this tiny bikini made me feel completely exposed. His eyes on me felt like physical touches, and my body remembered all too well what his actual touch felt like. My wolf preened under his attention, contradicting my human discomfort.

"We don’t have any misunderstandings between us, do we? Everything’s perfectly clear," I said, trying to sound confident.

"Hmm?" Damien raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

My eyes darted around nervously. "Grace misunderstood. I should go explain that to her. Since you’re here, enjoy yourself. I need to go!"

I placed my hand on his wrist, attempting to remove his hold on me. My entire body was flushed now, not just my face. The awareness of my near-nakedness in front of him was overwhelming.

"I think we have significant misunderstandings that need clearing up," Damien said, his voice dropping to a dangerous octave.

Before I could protest, he scooped me up with one arm still around my waist and carried me toward his suite. My wolf practically purred with satisfaction while I struggled against him, acutely aware of how my body pressed against his with each movement.

When he finally deposited me onto the sofa in his room, his powerful frame loomed over me. I pushed against his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath. "You can talk without being this close!"

"I’m just appreciating the view," he murmured.

"Appreciating what?" I felt exposed under his gaze, my skin tingling everywhere his eyes touched.

"Grace’s design choices. The swimsuit suits you perfectly." His gaze traveled slowly over my body, lingering on the curves barely contained by the bikini.

My skin flushed under his scrutiny, and I was acutely aware that he’d seen every inch of me before. My wolf reveled in his attention, urging me to press closer, to invite his touch. I fought against her instincts.