I’d been with other men since Liam, casual rendezvous that were just about physical satisfaction. The first few were awkward because I was getting used to being with someone else besides my husband. The others were fine, but not great. The best I’d ever had was Liam, and I was disappointed I couldn’t find anyone to replace him. Damien would probably be the same. “I’m not in the right place right now.”
His eyes dimmed in disappointment. “I’m not asking anything from you. No expectations, no commitments, no explanations. I am kinda going through something myself…and I’m in a pretty dark place. I understand how you feel.”
That was the first thing he’d said that actually intrigued me. I’d felt alone in this because I lost everyone close to me. I didn’t have any friends, relatives… I was on my own. It would be nice to have someone…a friend. “You’re divorced?”
“Pretty much.”
“You’re either divorced, or you’re not.”
“I said no explanations.”
Now, I was more intrigued. “I may be bitter about my divorce, but I won’t be with a man who’s made a commitment to someone else. I won’t be the other woman. That’s nonnegotiable.”
“Then we have no problem. I have no commitments.”
I stared at him with slight confusion because I wasn’t sure what I’d just agreed to. One moment I was walking away from him, and now I was talking about a physical relationship I had somehow entered into.
“So, I can call you some time, Annabella?” He spoke in that same deep voice, looked at me with those same deep eyes. When he was serious, he was so potent I could feel his energy in my blood.
“Yeah…I guess. Let me give you my number.”
“I already have it.” He turned and walked away.
3
Damien
I’d never chased down a woman.
Not once.
Most of the time, women came to me. Maybe they just wanted good sex. Maybe they wanted to be taken out to a place they could never afford on their own. Maybe they just wanted to make their ex jealous. Whatever the reason, they came to me.
Annabella was different. Cash and suits didn’t impress her. She wasn’t afraid to start over and get her hands dirty. So, I really had nothing to offer her, nothing that would catch her attention.
Until I told her I had my own problems.
It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full truth either. But if our relationship was just physical, I guess it didn’t make a difference. Ever since she’d stepped into my office, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. A part of me wanted to help her. A part of me wanted to know all the details of her divorce. And another part of me just wanted to fuck her.
With Hades gone, I felt isolated. Sofia was my only other friend…but I’d burned that bridge. Every time I looked at her, I had to think about the asshole I despised. I already had to deal with him at work, so I didn’t want to think about him a second longer than I had to.
It really did feel like a divorce.
We hated each other because there had been feelings there once…a long time ago.
I waited a few days before I called her because I had shit to do. The Skull King stopped by and wanted to have a conversation, but I wasn’t going to crawl to him like some obedient servant. So, I was working a lot, preparing for that unexpected visit. With Maddox gone, I was running the city and the entire country. It was a lot of territory for one person, and I lost a lot of sleep because I was too busy making money. The bank was hectic too. It made me wonder if Hades could really handle it if I did step away.
I doubted it.
I sat in my office at the end of the day, leaning back in my chair. I dialed the number into the phone and stared at the screen before I finally had the courage to connect the call. I’d never been a nervous guy, even with a gun pointed at my head, but this woman made me nervous. She was different from the others, smart and independent. She was even different from Sofia.
It rang a couple times before she answered. With a deep voice that was soft as a rose petal, she answered. “Hello?” She possessed an innate level of professionalism, like a secretary. But there was always a hint of unmistakable sass. She didn’t take shit, and she subtly gave off that vibe.
“Get a drink with me.” I refused to state who I was because my voice did it for me. I wanted to see her tonight, to see her sit across from me with her beautiful long hair and a short dress. I wanted the night to conclude in my bed, but I was also fine if it didn’t. My loneliness made me crave things that had never been on my palate before. My closeness with Hades gave me intimacy I’d never needed from someone else. He was family to me, and even though he’d been gone a long time, the wound was still fresh.