“Damien, I can—” I try to offer to change the sheets, but he gives me a firm look.
“I got it. Go.” I turn and walk slowly to the bathroom, wincing every time I took a step. I stare at myself in the mirror and sigh. I was no longer a virgin, and while that did make me a little sad, I was also happy my first time was with Damien. In fact, I was feeling rather giddy.
Once I cleaned myself up and brushed my teeth, I was ready for bed. When I got to the bedroom, the bed already had fresh sheets laid on. Damien turns and looks at me, standing before him naked. I feel my cheeks heat when his eyes rake over me. There is something so primal in his gaze that sends a delicious heat rush through me. As sore as I still feel, I couldn’t deny the desire swirling around deep in my belly.
Damien wets his lips while he strolls over to stand in front of me. I lift my gaze to his, and he brushes the back of his fingers down the side of my face before he grasps my jaw and tilts my head back. “If you keep looking at me like that pretty girl, I’ll unleash the beast within me that's just itching to come out and play.”
“The beast?” I whisper questioningly.
Damien’s eyes narrow a little, and there's a ghost of a smirk on his lips. “Go to bed.”
“What if I want him to come out and play?” Damien steps closer, and I watch him eagerly. He brushes his fingers through his hair and looks at me, a dark glint in his eyes.
“You don’t want that. Your punishment before was me taking it easy on you. It gets much, much darker than that, I promise you, and I don’t play nice when I’m provoked.” I gulp and shake off the images my mind suddenly conjures up of him punishing me. I shudder inwardly.
“Noted.” Damien pulls me close and kisses me hard, which I happily return with equal zeal. I didn’t realize how tired I was until my head hit the pillow. The last thing I remember was Damien’s chest press up against my back, his arm snaking around my waist, and the overwhelming feeling of security, like nothing, could hurt me while I was in his arms.
* * *
The following morning,I woke up early, unable to sleep. I pull one of Damien’s oversized shirts on. I left him asleep in bed and decided to make breakfast. I wasn’t sure if he even ate breakfast or what he even likes, so I made a cheese omelet. Everyone likes an omelet, after all.
I didn’t want to wake him, so I left it in the oven at a holding temperature till he woke up. I was currently out on the balcony on the eighteenth floor, sipping my cup of coffee, overlooking the city. The view was gorgeous, and the sun was beaming, the birds melodiously chirping. It was peaceful, and I was enjoying soaking up every second of it. I leap startled when I felt something warm press up against my back.
I smile, relaxing when I feel Damien’s arms wrap around my waist, securing me against his strapping chest, his lips on my neck. “Good morning.” I moan, tilting my head back, giving him more room to continue sucking on my neck. “Your breakfast is in the oven,” I tell him breathily when his fingers brush up under the shirt I was wearing and tweaks my nipples.
Damien groans in response, “How could that be when I’ve got everything I want to eat right here in my arms.” I feel desire convoluting in my belly straight down between my legs. This man was something else.
“And what pray tell would you like to eat?” I ask him teasingly, and he swiftly turns me around, so I was facing him. I look up at him, and he presses my back against the glass railing.
“Your pussy. I can’t think of a better breakfast.” Our lips inch closer, and just before they met, Coco decides to start barking and growling. Damien pulls back and glances down at his dog. His brows draw together tightly, and his eyes harden as he scans the surrounding area.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Trouble,” Coco’s barks grow louder. She must have sensed something was wrong. Damien tugs me inside, and Coco follows us. He locks the door and pushes a button, and shutters come down around all the windows.
“Damien? What’s going on?” I ask, watching him as he looks at his cell phone and lets out a string of curses. He holds his phone out to me, and I take it and look at it. “Oh, no.” I look at him and back at the article. “Damien, our marriage is all over the tabloids. Who would sell this to the press?”
“I don’t know,” Damien sighs, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Coco started barking because she saw a pap in the window of the building opposite taking photos of us.”
“Business mogul Hugo Quintero’s only daughter, Ezra Quintero, betrays fiancé Calum Sinclair and marries mystery man in Vegas.” I read the article out loud. “Damien, there are photos of us in Vegas.”
Damien shrugs. “Someone must have recognized you out there and sold the story to make some quick cash.” He explains, rubbing his jaw pensively.
I walk over to the bed and sit beside Damien and sigh heavily. “My father is going to hit the roof when he sees those headlines.” I groan and bury my head in my hands. “He’ll think I did this purposely to defy him. I’ve been fighting him with this marriage to Calum, and when he sees this, he’s going to think I did it to spite him. He’ll never forgive me.”
Damien looks at me sideways, “Your father isn’t exactly the pilgrim of honesty, Ezra. Remember how you ended up here in the first place.” I look at Damien and shrug. “We’ll play this out as planned. We’re happily married, that’s it.”
“He won’t believe it, Damien, nor will he take this lying down. I know my father, and he isn’t the forgiving type. He will know something is wrong; he knows I would never defy him like this.” I get up and pace back and forth. “He’s going to send his people after us; he’ll kill you and either lock my ass away or kill me too for tarnishing his precious reputation.” I stop mid-pace when I almost walk into Damien’s solid form. He grasps my arms and looks at me, jaw set, gray eyes narrowed.
“First of all, I’m not that easy to kill. I promised you I would protect you, and I meant it. No one is going to hurt you if I’m still breathing; you have my word. You’re my wife, Ezra. We’ll go and face him together if you want. If you still want your father in your life, then I’ll respect your decision and support you. Just remember what I told you. You’re no longer a Quintero. You’re carrying my name now.”
I close my eyes and sigh, “What am I going to tell him about us?”
“You tell him that we’re in love, that I was in your life before the whole abduction, and you didn’t want to marry Calum. So we eloped.” I shake my head and pull away from Damien and frustratedly brush my fingers through my hair.
“He won’t believe it. I agreed to marry Calum, and my father knows me too well. He knows everything about my life. He’s known about all my past boyfriends. Besides, he will have you looked up, Damien. What if he discovers that you’re an assassin? Then what?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest and looking at him expectantly.
“That information isn’t out there for him to find Ezra. If he does look me up, he’ll find nothing.” Damien walks over to me and grasps my arm and tugs me up against him. Oh, Joy, back to this again.