MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat - Chapter 507

Chapter 507: Chapter 507: The Moment Before
As Damon sat there, his thoughts circled the same way they had for the last hour. It wasn’t doubt. It was overthinking. Every angle.

Every word. Every second of how this was about to play out. He wasn’t nervous about her answer, he was stuck on the weight of asking.

Something pulled at him then. An instinct, maybe.

He glanced toward the stairs at the far side of the lobby, just as the soft sound of a heel clicked against the polished marble floor.

The moment he saw it, he stood.

Straightened his back.

His breath hitched without him meaning it to.

And then she appeared.

Svetlana stepped down from the landing, calm and effortless, like she had been walking into rooms like this her whole life.

But to him, it wasn’t about the setting.

It was her.

And it hit him harder than he expected.

This was it.

The moment before everything changed.

He was out of words to describe how she looked right now. But he tried to find them anyway.

Svetlana wore a fitted dress, simple in design but perfect in how it hugged her shape. It stopped just above the knee, showing off long legs she had no problem owning.

The color was dark, matching his shirt, something subtle but clean. It had thin straps over her shoulders, leaving her arms and collarbone bare, and a small slit on the side that moved when she walked.

She wore heels, nothing flashy, but they gave her just enough height to meet his eyes easier. Her hair was pinned up, a few loose strands framing her face. The earrings were small. The necklace, delicate. She didn’t need anything more.

She attracted a little attention. A few heads turned, quiet glances her way. But it wasn’t a scene. People noticed, but they moved on.

Damon walked toward her, slow, a small grin forming as his eyes moved from her face, down, and back up again. He didn’t rush it. She met his look without flinching.

When he stopped in front of her, he took her hand without saying anything at first. His fingers closed around hers, firm but easy.

He exhaled once and smiled.

“You ready?”

She closed her hand around his without hesitation. The grip was natural, easy. Damon walked with her at a steady pace, not in a rush to get anywhere fast. He took his time, stealing glances at her as they made their way through the lobby toward the terrace.

“You look beautiful,” he said quietly, his tone steady but real.

She smiled, glancing over at him. “You clean up alright yourself.”

He chuckled at that, shaking his head. “I try.”

They stepped out onto the terrace where their table was waiting. It was set off to the side, away from the other guests. Private, but not isolated. From where they stood, the view of Lake Como stretched out in front of them.

The last of the sunset painted the water in shades of gold and deep blue, and the lights from the towns across the lake were just starting to flicker on.

Damon moved ahead and pulled out her chair without saying anything. Just did it, then waited for her to sit. Once she did, he took his seat across from her.

Their table was simple. White linen, clean silverware, a single candle in the middle. It didn’t need more.

Svetlana glanced out at the lake, taking it in.

“This looks amazing,” she said, her voice quiet but full of it.

She wasn’t being polite. She meant it.

Looking at her across the table, Damon felt that same pull again.

That same feeling he’d had the first time they met.

The first time she’d smiled at him like he wasn’t a broken kid with too much weight on his shoulders.

Sitting here now, watching the last of the light from the lake reflect in her eyes, he realized he was falling for her all over again.

And it hit just as hard.

But the moment didn’t last.

A polite voice cut in, smooth and respectful.

“Buona sera, signore, signorina,” the waiter greeted, standing just off to Damon’s right.

He held a leather menu in his hands and gave a slight nod.

“My name is Luca, I will be taking care of you tonight. If-a you need anything, please, you let-a me know, sì?”

Svetlana smiled politely.

“You can leave the menus,” she said. “We’ll call you over if we need help.”

“Certamente,” Luca replied with a quick smile, setting them gently on the table. “Take-a your time.”

Damon paused, his hand resting lightly on the edge of the table.

“Actually,” he said, glancing up. “Can we get some wine?”

The waiter nodded immediately.

“Of course, signore. What kind-a wine you prefer? Red, white, rosé?”

Before Damon could answer, he caught something in the corner of his eye.

A flicker in Svetlana’s expression.

It was small. Barely there.

But he saw it.

A quick flash of something close to panic.

Her hand came up in a casual motion, but her voice was quicker.

“Please,” she said, “make it non-alcoholic.”

Luca gave a small nod without missing a beat. “Ah, sì, sì. We have-a very nice non-alcoholic wine. I bring it right away.”

He stepped away smoothly, leaving them alone again.

Damon turned back to her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

He didn’t mind. Not really.

But it made him think.

Through this whole trip, she’d been avoiding alcohol.

Not once had she ordered a drink.

Not at dinners, not during the day when they sat by the pool.

At first, he hadn’t thought much of it.

Svetlana wasn’t big on drinking to begin with.

But she wasn’t against it either.

And it was different now.

It felt like she was really avoiding it.

Damon shook his head slightly, brushing it off.

It didn’t matter.

Whether it was wine or water, he didn’t care.

As long as she was sitting here with him, that was all he needed.