Novels by Jessica Sage

The morning felt heavier than usual when Damon pulled his car into the lot. His body ached from the bruises left by the men who had jumped him the previous day, but his mind was sharper than ever. He stepped out of the car, straightened his shirt, and adjusted the collar as if that alone could hide the exhaustion in his bones. He knew the office might already be buzzing with talk, and the last thing he wanted was to give anyone more reasons to look at him differently. He locked the car door and walked toward the building but before he could get to the entrance. Damon was halfway across the lobby when he heard a voice behind him. “Mr. Damon!” He stopped, recognizing the tone before he even turned. It was Clara—the staff whose mother he had helped. She hurried toward him, clutching a small velvet pouch in her hand. Her hair was pulled back neatly, though the worry on her face made her look restless. “I’m glad I caught you,” Clara said, slightly out of breath. “I… I couldn’t wa

The first punch landed on Damon’s jaw, and his head snapped to the side. His back hit the wall, and the second man grabbed his shirt and slammed him hard against it. The third man swung his elbow into Damon’s ribs, and air rushed out of him in a short grunt. Damon tried to push forward, but another fist smashed into his stomach, folding him over. His knees bent, and he dropped halfway to the ground while they kept hammering at him. He tried to cover up, as he used his arms to cover his face, but they were three and they came from every side. One kicked his leg, another grabbed his shoulder, and another shoved his head back against the wall again. His eyes stung, and his lip split, and he felt the hot taste of blood at the corner of his mouth. “Think you’re better than us?” the stocky one yelled, his spit flying close. Another punch hit his side, and his body shook. Damon wanted to shout back, but no sound came out. He could only breathe rough and hold his ground. His back slid do

The first punch landed on Damon’s jaw, and his head snapped to the side. His back hit the wall, and the second man grabbed his shirt and slammed him hard against it. The third man swung his elbow into Damon’s ribs, and air rushed out of him in a short grunt. Damon tried to push forward, but another fist smashed into his stomach, folding him over. His knees bent, and he dropped halfway to the ground while they kept hammering at him.He tried to cover up, as he used his arms to cover his face, but they were three and they came from every side. One kicked his leg, another grabbed his shoulder, and another shoved his head back against the wall again. His eyes stung, and his lip split, and he felt the hot taste of blood at the corner of his mouth.“Think you’re better than us?” the stocky one yelled, his spit flying close.Another punch hit his side, and his body shook. Damon wanted to shout back, but no sound came out. He could only breathe rough and hold his ground. His back slid down t

The first punch landed on Damon’s jaw, and his head snapped to the side. His back hit the wall, and the second man grabbed his shirt and slammed him hard against it. The third man swung his elbow into Damon’s ribs, and air rushed out of him in a short grunt. Damon tried to push forward, but another fist smashed into his stomach, folding him over. His knees bent, and he dropped halfway to the ground while they kept hammering at him.He tried to cover up, as he used his arms to cover his face, but they were three and they came from every side. One kicked his leg, another grabbed his shoulder, and another shoved his head back against the wall again. His eyes stung, and his lip split, and he felt the hot taste of blood at the corner of his mouth.“Think you’re better than us?” the stocky one yelled, his spit flying close.Another punch hit his side, and his body shook. Damon wanted to shout back, but no sound came out. He could only breathe rough and hold his ground. His back slid down t

That night, Damon lay awake longer than he wanted. He turned on his side, then onto his back, staring at the ceiling where faint lines split across the plaster. The jade necklace rested on the table beside him. Each time he closed his eyes, the memory of Vivan holding her own jade piece came back. The two stones had almost burned when they touched, the light from them filling the room. He could still see the way her eyes widened, how both of them froze like they were tied to something older than themselves. He sighed, pressing his palm to his face. Sleep barely touched him before the alarm rang. When the morning came, he dragged himself up, showered quickly, and dressed. His shirt collar felt stiff, his tie sat uneven, but he didn’t bother fixing it twice. He slipped the jade into his pocket, grabbed his case, and left unhurriedly for work. At work, Damon threw himself into catching up. He didn’t want anyone saying he had slacked off, not after all that had happened these past few

Hope leaned in slightly, her gaze unwavering. "Start with Ethan. What exactly went down between you two?" Jeremy hesitated for a moment, the weight of the memory clearly making him uncomfortable. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he recalled the events. "I was at the office. Just taking a break, trying to get some air. Then I saw Ethan... he was harrasing one of the younger girls in the company, some kid who probably just started. Jeremy's voice grew tight as he continued. "Ethan was practically cornering her, making her feel small, like she didn't belong. He was saying stuff about how she wasn’t cut out for the job, pushing her around like she was some kind of punching bag. I couldn’t stand it." His eyes darkened, the anger still fresh in his mind. "So, I stepped in." Hope leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed on him, sensing the deeper layers to his actions. "What did you do?" Jeremy's jaw clenched. "I told him to back off, that the kid was just trying to do her job

"This is quite the cozy little celebration," A voice said as it dripped with sarcasm. Jeremy and Vivian turned immediately to see Ethan standing there with his tie loosened and his face full of rage. "Ethan," Jeremy said as he rose to his feet, “What the heck did you think you were doing?” Ethan chuckled bitterly as he stepped closer. "Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just disappear?" Vivian chuckled as she rooted to her feet in shock, understanding what was going on. "What you mean, Ethan?" she said, her voice steady but firm. Ethan ignored her as he kept his focus on Jeremy, “If you think that you can keep me locked behind bars, then you are wrong.” Ethan said as he took a step closer. Jeremy slowly walked in front of Vivan protectively, trying to make Ethan and Vivan meet. Ethan let out a bitter chuckle as he stepped further into the room. “Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just vanish like I never existed?” Vivian

"This is quite the cozy little celebration," A voice said as it dripped with sarcasm. Jeremy and Vivian turned immediately to see Ethan standing there with his tie loosened and his face full of rage. "Ethan," Jeremy said as he rose to his feet, “What the heck did you think you were doing?” Ethan chuckled bitterly as he stepped closer. "Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just disappear?" Vivian chuckled as she rooted to her feet in shock, understanding what was going on. "What you mean, Ethan?" she said, her voice steady but firm. Ethan ignored her as he kept his focus on Jeremy, “If you think that you can keep me locked behind bars, then you are wrong.” Ethan said as he took a step closer. Jeremy slowly walked in front of Vivan protectively, trying to make Ethan and Vivan meet. Ethan let out a bitter chuckle as he stepped further into the room. “Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just vanish like I never existed?” Vivian

"This is quite the cozy little celebration," A voice said as it dripped with sarcasm. Jeremy and Vivian turned immediately to see Ethan standing there with his tie loosened and his face full of rage. "Ethan," Jeremy said as he rose to his feet, “What the heck did you think you were doing?” Ethan chuckled bitterly as he stepped closer. "Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just disappear?" Vivian chuckled as she rooted to her feet in shock, understanding what was going on. "What you mean, Ethan?" she said, her voice steady but firm. Ethan ignored her as he kept his focus on Jeremy, “If you think that you can keep me locked behind bars, then you are wrong.” Ethan said as he took a step closer. Jeremy slowly walked in front of Vivan protectively, trying to make Ethan and Vivan meet. Ethan let out a bitter chuckle as he stepped further into the room. “Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just vanish like I never existed?” Vivian

"This is quite the cozy little celebration," A voice said as it dripped with sarcasm. Jeremy and Vivian turned immediately to see Ethan standing there with his tie loosened and his face full of rage. "Ethan," Jeremy said as he rose to his feet, “What the heck did you think you were doing?” Ethan chuckled bitterly as he stepped closer. "Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just disappear?" Vivian chuckled as she rooted to her feet in shock, understanding what was going on. "What you mean, Ethan?" she said, her voice steady but firm. Ethan ignored her as he kept his focus on Jeremy, “If you think that you can keep me locked behind bars, then you are wrong.” Ethan said as he took a step closer. Jeremy slowly walked in front of Vivan protectively, trying to make Ethan and Vivan meet. Ethan let out a bitter chuckle as he stepped further into the room. “Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just vanish like I never existed?” Vivian

"This is quite the cozy little celebration," A voice said as it dripped with sarcasm. Jeremy and Vivian turned immediately to see Ethan standing there with his tie loosened and his face full of rage. "Ethan," Jeremy said as he rose to his feet, “What the heck did you think you were doing?” Ethan chuckled bitterly as he stepped closer. "Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just disappear?" Vivian chuckled as she rooted to her feet in shock, understanding what was going on. "What you mean, Ethan?" she said, her voice steady but firm. Ethan ignored her as he kept his focus on Jeremy, “If you think that you can keep me locked behind bars, then you are wrong.” Ethan said as he took a step closer. Jeremy slowly walked in front of Vivan protectively, trying to make Ethan and Vivan meet. Ethan let out a bitter chuckle as he stepped further into the room. “Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just vanish like I never existed?” Vivian

"This is quite the cozy little celebration," A voice said as it dripped with sarcasm. Jeremy and Vivian turned immediately to see Ethan standing there with his tie loosened and his face full of rage. "Ethan," Jeremy said as he rose to his feet, “What the heck did you think you were doing?” Ethan chuckled bitterly as he stepped closer. "Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just disappear?" Vivian chuckled as she rooted to her feet in shock, understanding what was going on. "What you mean, Ethan?" she said, her voice steady but firm. Ethan ignored her as he kept his focus on Jeremy, “If you think that you can keep me locked behind bars, then you are wrong.” Ethan said as he took a step closer. Jeremy slowly walked in front of Vivan protectively, trying to make Ethan and Vivan meet. Ethan let out a bitter chuckle as he stepped further into the room. “Oh, come on. Did you think you could kick me out and I’d just vanish like I never existed?” Vivian