by Penelope Sky
“He is one hundred percent committed. He wouldn’t have retired if that weren’t the case. He made a huge sacrifice…and I need to do the same.”
His expression showed how much he disagreed with that. “If you tell him the situation, he might bow out.”
He couldn’t be more wrong. “You don’t know Liam the way I do. If I told him what happened, he would hold me tighter. He would move us to France or England so we could start over away from you. And honestly, that’s not the worst idea.”
His eyes narrowed in pain. “He’s not worth it, Annabella.”
“I don’t want to keep talking about this, Damien. I picked him—end of story.”
He inhaled a deep breath. “But you picked the wrong man.”
“You should go…”
He didn’t move. “What are you afraid of, Annabella? You think, if you choose me, I’ll just hurt you?”
I never allowed myself to think that far.
“I can’t promise you marriage and kids, but I can promise you that I’m committed to us, that I want to be with you in any capacity. Don’t pick him just because he’s the easy choice. You’re better than that.”
“That’s not why,” I whispered. “You don’t understand what marriage is. If you sleep with married women, then you obviously have no respect for the institution. It’s a promise, a lifelong commitment, and I already made it. This isn’t some random guy. This is a man I was already married to, whom I have a history with, and despite what he did, I still respect him and love him. I can’t do that to him… I just can’t. You need to respect my decision. I know you’re used to getting whatever you want, but not this time.”
He released a sigh so big, his nostrils flared. He massaged his knuckles and bowed his head, processing the rage that coursed through his veins. “I would respect your decision…if we weren’t so fucking in love with each other.” He raised his head again and looked at me with fury in his eyes. “That’s the problem, Annabella. You love me in a way you don’t love him anymore. And I love you in a way I’ve never loved anyone before. Why don’t you understand that?”
My eyes started to water. “I do understand that…more than you know.”
His eyes filled with sadness.
“You really should go. Nothing will change my mind.”
He didn’t rise from his seat. “I want to tell you something.”
“Damien—”
“Listen.”
I ran my fingers through my hair and glanced at my phone, relieved that Liam hadn’t texted or called.
“Remember the night I told you Hades and Sofia were soul mates?”
“Yes…on the balcony.” As if I could ever forget.
“You asked me how I knew that…so I’m going to tell you. This story is ludicrous and unbelievable. Anyone else would think I’m batshit crazy, that I made up this story just for attention. But I know you’ll believe me.”
Now that he had my full attention, I listened.
“Hades and I went to Marrakech for his twenty-first birthday. We met a gypsy there who read our fortunes. The woman said Hades would only love one woman all his life…but she would never love him back. It was punishment for the crimes he committed…for killing his father. We both thought it was horseshit. But every prophecy she made came true, and when Hades met Sofia and fell in love with her on the spot, he knew it was real.”
“If that’s the case, how does she love him now?”
“Because he had to break the curse…which he did.”
This did sound like a fable, a story parents told their children at bedtime.
“It took him a long time. He suffered a lot to make it happen. But he did it because…the gypsy said she was his soul mate.”
It was one hell of a story, and I was paralyzed by the tale.
“Do you believe me?”
Normally, I wouldn’t. But if two powerful men like Damien and Hades believed it, it was compelling. Drug lords and criminal bankers didn’t believe in bullshit like that…unless they lived it. “What does it matter if I believe you or not?”
“Because the gypsy read my fortune too…and I want to share it with you.”
Now my heart sank as a shadow of fear crept over me. It was a curve ball I didn’t expect.
His green eyes shone with sincerity, as if this was the most serious conversation he’d ever had. “Annabella, do you believe me?”
“I trust you,” I whispered, the words coming out of my mouth all on their own. “So, yes…” I got lost in those green eyes, fell so deep into our connection that I would believe anything he said.
He didn’t say anything for a moment, but the affection in his gaze showed how much that meant to him, that my unconditional trust was everything to him. “She told me only one woman would love me for me, that she wouldn’t care about my wealth or power, but I would lose her…and she would be gone for good.” He rubbed his palms together. “I think she was talking about you…”
If that was the case, then there was no hope for us, ever. And that disappointed me…even though I’d made it clear that I intended to be with Liam for the rest of my life. It was terrifying to think that this was meant to happen, that we’d never had a chance to be together anyway. “Then we need to move on.”
“Hades broke his curse. Why can’t I break mine?”
“But is it really a curse? Did she say that?”
“No, but it seems that way.”
“No. It seems like you took me for granted, and now you’re suffering the consequences.” I shouldn’t be petty right now, but I was resentful that he took so long to fight for me, that he waited until I was married to another man.
His eyes showed his pain. “She said as long as you’re married, we have no chance.”
“That’s obvious. That’s the only thing dividing us. And no, I won’t leave Liam.”
“What if Liam leaves you?”
It was a stupid suggestion. “He wouldn’t. Not now. Not ever.” I knew Liam made mistakes, but his love for me was obvious. We could be in our fifties, and a twentysomething could throw herself at him, and he wouldn’t leave me for a younger woman. “I know you don’t have a very high opinion of him, but he’s more than the mistake he made. The only reason I knew he cheated in the first place was because he told me himself. He’s not gonna let me go, not gonna trade me in for someone better. He’s committed…as am I.”
His words came out as a whisper. “I don’t believe that.”
“Did the gypsy say we were soul mates?” Was that why she’d told him this story in the first place?
He held my gaze for a long time. “Would it make a difference if I said yes?”
My heart started to race in my chest. If his answer was yes, it would complicate everything. It would make me question my loyalty to my husband. Because if I was destined to be with someone else…then everything wouldn’t be in black-and-white anymore. “Yeah…I think so.”
He rubbed his palms together as he continued to stare, his answer on his tongue. But he kept his mouth shut, breathing loud in the quiet office. He stared at the floor for a moment, drawing out the silence.
“Damien…is that what she said?”
He closed his eyes for a moment before he lifted his chin. He didn’t open his eyes as he answered. “No.”
Disappointment ran rampant.
He finally opened his eyes and looked at me. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t love you from the bottom of my heart, Annabella.”
“Even so…it makes a difference.”
“It shouldn’t. Because I could have lied to get what I want, but I won’t. I won’t lie to the woman I love…and that’s pretty fucking strong.”
23
Damien
Hades sat next to me in the bar, his drink untouched in front of him. He ordered the scotch but never drank it, probably just to keep up appearances. But he was cutting back on the booze…on Sofia’s orders. “Why the fuck didn’t you lie?”
“Because I couldn’t.”
I held the glass close to me, gripping it like a lifeline. “Would you lie to Sofia?”
“She’s my wife. That’s different.”
“Whether she’s your wife or not, you wouldn’t lie to her.”
“Or I would have lied and told the truth later. Because if you waited long enough, you would fight and she would forgive you. But at the end of the day, you would have what you wanted.”
That was probably the smart thing to do, to say we were soul mates and confess to the truth later. But I couldn’t look her in the eye and deceive her. My relationship with her was pure—fucking holy—and I couldn’t tarnish that. “It’s done, so whatever…”
Hades shifted his gaze across the room, staring at the wood paneling on the wall with a scowl on his face.
“She won’t budge.” I thought if I got her alone enough times, she would cave. How could she be with Liam every night when she felt this way about me? It was impossible not to think about her when I was with Charlotte, even if she was a supermodel. “Says we shouldn’t see each other anymore because it’s not fair to Liam.”
“I think staying married to him isn’t fair to Liam,” he said sarcastically.
“I agree, but I guess he doesn’t care. She told him she was in love with another guy and that didn’t change anything. That’s devotion. So, I guess I understand why she’s so committed to him…even though I don’t like it.”
He shook his glass, the ice rolling with the movements. “We could entice Liam to fight again.”
I shook my head. “Leave it alone.”
“You’re just going to give up?” he asked incredulously. “Did I give up on Sofia?”
“Sofia wasn’t married to some other guy. Different situation.”
“But Liam is a tool. We both know it.”
“He’s not all bad…”
He gave me an incredulous look. “Did you tell her that he was going to fight behind her back until you talked him out it?”
After a long pause, I shook my head.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I’m not a snitch.”
“But he’s not your friend. You’re trying to take his woman, and that means you have to play dirty.”
“Nothing ended up happening, so it doesn’t matter. She would have forgiven him anyway.”
“Maybe…but who knows?”
“I waited too long to tell her. If I do it now, it’s pointless. He already retired from fighting, so he made the grand gesture. She doesn’t live in the past, so she’s not gonna hold that against him.”
“Man, this woman is infuriating.”
“A bit.”
He finally caved and took a drink.
“Good thing I’m not a snitch…”
“She’ll know the second I get home anyway, so whatever.” He finished the glass and turned it upside down, so the bartender knew he didn’t need a refill. “How about we encourage Liam to fight again? I know exactly what to say to entice him. We’ll get him in the ring, convince him to keep a secret from Anna—”
“No.”
He turned back to me.
“I’m not going to sabotage the relationship she’s working so hard to fix.”
“Who gives a shit? You just tried to hire Bones to kill Heath. Don’t sit there and pretend you’re a good guy—”
“I’m a good guy for her, alright?” I snapped. “I’m not gonna do that shit, okay?”
Hades finally let it go. “Crazy. Never thought this day would come.”
“Neither did I.”
“So, what now?” he asked. “You’re really just gonna move on? Let her go? Forget about her?”
I couldn’t imagine myself doing any of those things. But what other choice did I have? “Yeah…I guess.”
24
Annabella
A week passed, and I didn’t hear from Damien again.
Hopefully, I’d ended things…for good. It was time to move on and stop thinking about him, to be devoted to the man who was so devoted to me. I’d made my bed, and I had to lie in it.
We had dinner together like we did every night then watched TV on the couch. My arm was hooked through his with my face pressed to his chest. When we snuggled like this together, I loved feeling his size, feeling the strength of his biceps and every other muscle. And his smell was divine too.
It made me drift off to sleep.
Liam turned off the TV then picked me up.
I was aware of him carrying me to bed, his powerful arms holding me like I was weightless. He set me on the bed a moment later and pulled off my bottoms.
I thought he was getting me ready for bed, like when a parent put their child to sleep.
But he took off my panties too.
He dropped his sweatpants and moved on top of me, his thighs separating mine before he slid inside me. My shirt was still on, so he pulled it up so the bottoms of my tits were visible. He started to rock inside me, doing all the work because he knew I was tired and ready for bed. He was a manly man, so he wanted sex every night, every morning, and any moment in between.
I lay there and enjoyed it, my nails deep in his back. My ankles couldn’t lock together because he was too wide, so my knees hugged his hips as I felt his large length move inside me. I moaned as he rocked me, knowing he would make me come like always, even when he was doing the least amount of work. His hard muscles rubbed against my clit, making me reach heaven every single time.
His face was buried in my neck, and he rocked me gently, pressing me into the mattress over and over.
My nails dug in, and my breathing became deeper, harder. My toes curled because I knew the threshold was on the horizon. Ecstasy was just heartbeats away, when the pleasure would make my brain cells flatline. It was coming quicker and quicker…and then it hit me just right. “Yes…” My nails sliced down his back, and I whimpered as it felt so good, as my mind left my body and went somewhere else. “Damien…” I closed my eyes and felt the cramps begin in both feet because I was clenching my toes so hard. It was so good, an explosion that sent me deep into space. All I could do was feel…feel this carnal goodness.
Then Liam stopped.
I finished anyway because I was too far gone. My eyes were clenched tightly shut, and my head rolled back once the pleasure began to fade. I could hear my own breathing, feel my pussy loosen its hold on Liam.
When he didn’t resume, I knew something was wrong. He hadn’t finished even though I knew he usually followed me immediately. I opened my eyes and looked at him, wondering if he wanted me on top instead.
But I was met with the most ferocious look I’d ever seen.
That was when I realized what I’d said…what flew out of my mouth.
His blue eyes burned into mine with such savagery, it might set me on fire. They shifted back and forth, looking at me with sheer disappointment…and unbridled aggression. He wasn’t hard inside me anymore. He went limp like a fish out of water.
I had no idea what to say.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, as if he was doing his best to holster his anger, to not say or do something he would regret. Then he got off me.
“Liam—”
“Shut the fuck up, Anna.” He grabbed an outfit from the closet and quickly dressed, throwing on denim jeans and a black t-shirt.
“I’m so sorry—”
“I don’t want to hear it.” He grabbed his wallet and phone and marched out of the bedroom.
I ran after him, in just my t-shirt. “Let me explain—”
“Oh, you’ve explained enough.” As he walked down the hallway, he deliberately knocked over a vase of flowers so it would shatter onto the floor. He knocked paintings off the wall, pictures of us from our wedding day. He demolished everything in his path on the way to the door.
I ran after him. “It just came out. I didn’t mean it.”
He turned around at the doorway, looking at me as if I was an opponent in the ring. “I accepted the fact that you had feelings for him, that y
ou still loved him, but I don’t accept this goddamn bullshit. I don’t think about anyone else when I’m with you, so how dare you—”
“I wasn’t thinking about him. It just came out—”
“I’ve fucked women in the ass, chained them to my bed, had more threesomes than I can count—but I don’t think about that shit with you. I only think about you.” He pointed his finger in my face, his hand shaking uncontrollably. “Yeah, I fucked up in the past, but I didn’t do this. Go fuck yourself, Anna.”
Tears streamed down my face. “Liam, please don’t go.”
He ripped the front door open and stormed out.
“Liam!”
He reached the sidewalk, crossed the street, and then disappeared down an alleyway.
I was in only my t-shirt, so I couldn’t chase after him. But even if I did, I knew it wouldn’t make a difference. He was too far gone…and I was the only one to blame.
25
Damien
“What do you think about the first guy?” I sat beside Hades in the first row of the fight. We’d spent the evening examining all the different fighters we could recruit next. There were some good ones, but none like Liam.
Hades shook his head. “No.”
“The third guy in the death match?”
He shook his head again. “He got lucky because the other guy tripped.”
It looked like we were out of ideas. We made a couple bets and paid up with the ring announcers before we left the basement. We got into the industrial elevator and rose to the casino floor.
It’d been over a week since Annabella and I had last spoken, and I was doing my best to respect her wishes and leave her alone. I did my best to persuade her, but it was pointless. She’d made up her mind, and I couldn’t make her go back on her word. She was too honorable—and that made me want her more.
The doors opened to the casino floor, and we passed the poker tables, the sounds of chips in play audible. The closer we got to the bar, the more we could hear the music from the speakers. Women danced in cages, and topless women carried trays of drinks to customers.
