She leans her head against my shoulder blade and caresses my intertwined hands over her stomach. “You’re still engaged.”
I rest my chin on the top of her hair and let the waves erupting at the shore wash some peacefulness over me. “Tell me everything that keeps you from trusting my love in you.”
“Let’s start with Monica. She’s my cousin, and you’re engaged to her. Plus, every time I heard you were with someone else and watched how you paraded them in front of me hurt me. It still does.” Her body quivers with her silent tears, and my grip on her tightens.
“My engagement is fake, but still, I’ll end it—should have ended it months ago. I’m so damn sorry for every time you hurt because of me. But you were not the only one to be in a dark place, baby. Do you really think I was fine without you? Or that I had something worth calling a life? I would do anything to go back in time and erase that fatal day out of our lives. But I can’t, like I can’t erase that I was so engrossed in craving your reaction, I ended up accepting the help of the one person responsible for taking you from me. The last three long months, I thought only of you. There was nothing or no one on my mind except for hoping you would come back to me. This one thought kept me going.”
I shut my eyes, wishing to poke my damn eyes out for confessing the next part. She gauges my reaction and stills in my arms. “But the other women I was with is another matter. It’s my past. I don’t intend to apologize for it. It was my coping mechanism and my way of living a life without you in it. Please don’t hate me, I love you so damn much, you own me. Whatever makes me, it’s yours. You command over every cell of mine. This is the truth. Yes, I was with women, but I’ve loved only you, and I’m sure there wouldn’t have been so many if you hadn’t shown up after three years with another man at your side.”
She cranes her neck to the side, her eyes spearing me with the hurt engraved in them. “I can’t believe you . . . I brought Alex with me because I needed support, too, when I had to face you and our families.”
She yanks herself from my arms. My head drops, I slide my fists into my pockets and gnash my teeth.
“You left and returned after three years. We both made mistakes we paid for. We still do. And then you left me again for another three months. I thought how coldhearted can you be not to even call me to say at least you decided. There were moments I doubted you ever loved me. You don’t put the one you supposedly love through hell.”
Our eyes collide, and I witness the storm gathering inside her. This is what I’ve waited for, for her to unleash that locked part of hers.
She claps and snarls, “Wow, wow. You deserve an award for keeping it in your pants while I was on a one-way trip that would’ve killed me in the end if not for the last-minute surgery I underwent.” Tears pour down her face. I inch toward her, but she lifts her hands in front of her. “I was terrified I wouldn’t survive the surgery, so I gathered all the courage I needed to call you—you, and no one else.”
“Bria, please, let me hold you.” But she shakes her head at me, her face scrunches up in pain, and my heart shreds in my chest.
“It was your voice I wanted to hear for the last time. But instead of hearing your voice, Monica picked up, Damien. The hurt. How should I trust you with my heart when every time I gave you the opportunity, you tore it apart?”
My heart speeds up. I won’t lose her, not again. “The moment I found out she did it, I flew back to Zürich because I was afraid I might kill her this time, and what I intend to do to her won’t be quick nor merciful. She staged a scenario where you supposedly cheated on me. She made you ill and caused your miscarriage. How much can I take before I snap? Because I’m on the brink every time you mention her as she means nothing else than an endless wrath.”
Her eyebrows furrow with indecision. Seconds later, she crashes in my arms and locks her hands over my neck, crying. The sounds tear at my chest, and I stroke her back.
“Why won’t you accept there’s no other woman for me. That the only one I want and love has wrapped herself around me.”
I scoop her up, stride to the couch where I slide down and place her on my lap. I clasp my hands around her neck. “I won’t let you go until you believe me. With you, I have a chance at the life I want to live. I’ll fight for you until the end of time for us and this love of ours. You were made for me. Don’t you get it? And I was made to love you.”
She nods, acceptance shining in her eyes, and all my fears vanish.
My breath caresses her lips, and I whisper, “I’ll dedicate my life to loving you. Trust me, baby. I’ll lay this entire world at your feet.”
She nibbles at her lower lip, and her eyes shine with a light I swear to myself will never fade away.
“I don’t want nor need the world, only you and your love like always. Plus, your body is quite a bonus too. Mm-hmm . . . those full lips and other ripped parts of you.”
“You turn me on.”
Her lips twitch into a smile, illuminating my entire being. My finger trembles as I twirl a strand of her hair. “You’re easily turned on. I’m impressed you lasted this long.”
Playing already?
I tickle her and she twists and turns under me, her laughter echoing around us.
“Stop it, Damien. It’s not fair.”
I dip my head, and my mouth grazes her earlobe.
“You know what to say to stop me.”
Her teeth dig into her lower lip, and I’m rock-hard.
“Okay. I’ll say it. Just stop.”
“No, no, no, this isn’t how we play this game.”
She pouts, crosses her hands over her chest and puffs out, “It’s a stupid game in which only you can win.”
“But you win through association.”
I wink at her, and heat flushes her cheeks. Her love-and-lust-induced gaze melts my heart, and she rasps, “I’ll do anything, anything you want.”
“Be mine then.”
Our eyes meet, and she locks her hands over my neck. “I’m yours.”
My chest flutters with the happiness flooding my being. “Let me love you.”
She cranes her neck, and her lips graze mine. “Again, I don’t know how not to let you love me.”
I bury my face in the curve of her neck, planting a kiss on the sweet spot. “Are we good?”
“I think we are.”
Our eyes collide as we seal and bind our fate together. “It must be true love then.”
She narrows her eyes at me and deadpans, “It’s true love, Damien.”
“It is.”
Our mouths meet in the middle. As we kiss, a long-lost feeling of being happy surfaces. I’m lost to her. It’s always been like this. She’s everything I’ve ever needed and desired.
Bria fists my polo in her hands, her desire matching mine. The frenzy submerging us always reciprocal as we pause, and she glances at me as if I hold her world together. I devour her mouth. My hands conquer her silky skin as my lust and need for her unleash. There’s no coming back from here. My craziness for her could intoxicate the entire sanity of this planet. There’s only her for me, only ever her. All the rest is a simple reminder of fleetingness.
My fingers delve into her skin, and a moan parts her swollen lips. I graze her earlobe, and she shudders.
“Do you need something, baby?”
“Ah hum.”
I nibble on her sensitive skin below her ear. “And what does my baby need?”
“More action, less conversation.”
Laughter rocks me, but I gather myself. “We have to postpone the action.”
“Why? No, it feels too good,” she pouts. I summon the strength not to give in to her plea and lose myself in her sultry lips and luscious body squirming beneath me.
“I must feed you first.”
“I can survive without food.”
“First food. I promise I’ll make it up to you. You know how I love to prove to you my word.”
I wink at her, pick her up and lead Bria to the table r
elieved we didn’t ruin our dinner.
We eat our grilled fishplates and the ripe avocado salad with roasted fennel and juicy grapefruit as our hands interlace. The thought of losing her unleashes an anguish inside me. Feeling my distress, she squeezes my hand, and the love shining in her eyes brings me back to her.
“I can’t lose you again.”
“I’m here.”
I offer her a small smile shoving aside the fear of her not being next to me one day.
DAMIEN
She places her fork down, and I spring to my feet, lust erupting inside me demanding to be satisfied.
“It’s time to show you how well I keep my promises.”
The chair scrapes on the floor as she pushes it aside. Playfulness crosses her face as she sprints away and shouts over her shoulder, “You have to catch me first.”
“Is this a challenge?”
“Fair warning, I’m in good shape.”
“And if, let’s say, I catch you?”
She tilts her head, her elegant finger tapping those lips I want glued to mine. “Then I’m your captive.”
“You will be at my mercy then?”
She shoots me a challenging look and my heart rate spikes. “Someone is overconfident.”
I tsk and tip my head to the side, thinking of all the ways I’ll make her scream my name. “When I catch you, my love, I’ll tie your hands to the bed frame and ravish you with no end in sight.”
She gasps and presses her legs together, her eyes burning with heat. “Words, words, and more words, my love.”
“Oh, baby, we’ll see how empty my words are when you cry my name repeatedly and drip with cum an entire night.” I take one step and she shudders. “I’ll keep taking you until you can’t keep your eyes open and your legs stretched.”
She gulps, and her pupils dilate. My words arouse not only her but my cock as it jerks in my pants. She catches herself as I strut in her direction, and the stairs creak under her.
Our laughter mingles, infusing every room we rush in and out of, but it’s more than play, more of proof I’ll always be there beside her, behind her to catch and keep her safe. I let her have her way as I watch her hair wave in the air and picture my hands wrapped around it in a fist with her bottom peeking at me while I fuck her from behind. Raw lust seeps through me. I sprint and catch her on the second floor, right in front of the master bedroom.
She pouts and plays with the collar of my polo shirt. “It’s not fair.”
“You’re a lousy loser.”
She sticks her tongue out. I pin her to the wall and swallow her tongue in my mouth.
“I’ll catch you every time, and I’ll take what’s mine afterward. Just like now.” I gather her in my arms as she giggles. We reach the bed, and my grin widens. Her back hits the mattress, and she pants.
“Damien . . .”
I saunter into the dressing room, pick up a white scarf, and dangle it in front of her. She blinks at the soft fabric hanging from my hands and swallows. I tie her hands to the bed frame while I snap this picture of her like this to memory.
I climb in bed next to her as she eyes each of my moves while desire and nervousness dance in her eyes.
“I’m still dressed.”
“That is one of the least concerns you should have.”
“And how will you get me undressed with my hands tied?” she asks and tugs at her restraints. I smirk.
“Nothing stands a chance when it comes to me having you. I’ll never allow it. There’ll be nothing between us.”
With one movement, I tear her dress open and she gasps.
“I kind of liked this dress.”
“Baby, I kind of like it more off of you.”
She giggles and her defiance melts. My mouth finds hers as she opens to me. I slip her thong down her soft skin, and groan with satisfaction at the sight of her naked and all for myself.
She parts her legs and asks, “Like what you see?”
“Did you steal my line?” I wrap my hand around her calf, running my fingers up to her thigh. “What should I do to you first?”
I crawl on top of her and nuzzle at her neck down to her chest, grazing her pebbled nipples. She writhes under me, her moans erupting in the room. I knead her sensitive bud between my thumb and my forefinger. I trail long, wet kisses down her stomach and bite her flesh, needing to mark her. Witnessing her lost in pleasure as my fingers stroke her soft skin, exploring every inch of her body. I put a finger inside her, and she trembles with pleasure. I shed my shirt and shorts. When I thrust into her heat, my head falls back.
“You . . . you feel incredible inside me.”
Her moans inundate my brain, and my thrusts speed up.
Our eyes lock as we reach our climax together.
Sweating and gasping for air, we come down from our pleasure high. I untie her, and she climbs on top of me, her hair cascading and tickling my chest. Bria on top of me with the purplish sunset framing her beauty robs me of words. No photo and not even a master painter could capture the perfection displayed in front of me. I cup her cheek, and she leans her face into me.
“You have no idea how beautiful you are and what you do to me.”
I twirl a strand of golden hair, my emotions choking me, and her eyes shine with love.
“I believe you if you look at me like you do in this instant.”
“And how do I look at you?”
She tilts her head, her face scrunching up in search of what to say.
“Like you love me and only me.”
I nod and plead with my eyes for her to never doubt it as she clasps her hands together, cheerfulness transforming her posture.
I love to see her like this—happy, playful, in love with me. I would’ve never dared to dream of us like this. I won’t take it for granted again.
I drag my body higher on the bed, so my back rests on the bed frame and lean my head on the wall. She nestles to my chest, and I wrap my arms around her. With her body glued to mine, and our hearts drumming in sync to the tune of our love, my body relaxes a bit. I swallow a lump and stroke her hair.
She’s here, I have her.
I heal from within with every second we spend together, with her at my side, loving me.
“You never cut your hair. I often thought you’d cut it off to spite me . . . new life, new hairstyle crap.”
She props her hands under her chin as she peeks at me from her silky, curved lashes.
“It might have crossed my mind a few times, but it reminded me of a happy time and of the boy I loved playing with it. Plus, I always believed change happens from within and not the other way around. What would it have brought me by cutting it, when on the inside, I’d have remained the same? I was already cut to shreds inside. I didn’t need the visual on the outside too.”
A tremor rolls through me at her words, and I ask through a knot in my throat, “How was it? Not to care?”
She chews on her inner cheek as she rests her face in her palm, a mix of intense emotions shimmering in her eyes.
“Sometimes a blessing, other times a curse. I got used to it. I still think it was the best thing that happened then. The grief suffocated the life out of me. And still, I shouldn’t have allowed it . . .”
Her pain wrecks me, and I shut my eyes. I press her to me and rock us both.
“Baby, it’s over. Our love will heal us. We’ll overcome it together.”
She burrows her face in my neck and cries into my chest.
“That night, everything that followed should’ve never happened, not in our lives.”
I battle with the fact I’m incapable of changing it. It will trail after us like a shadow, a shadow that’ll never allow us to forget. Fuck, maybe it’s for the best. Forgetting it would come with the risk of letting someone pull strings once again.
“Not being able to give you the one thing you need desperately rips me apart.”
She cranes her neck to me, her fingers caressing my cheek. “The only thing I need ha
s always been you. This time, we’re strong enough. Why should history repeat itself?”
Undiluted fury surges through me at that snake, and I greet my teeth, “I’ll deal with her.”
“It’s clear something is not right with her. She needs professional help.”
Does it surprise me? No. Does it bother me? Fuck, yes.
I purse my lips and count to ten.
“Because you’re that good of a person. But don’t demand the same from me. I can’t, whatever her reasons, she went too far.”
She plops on her bottom, and the sheet slides to her belly, a pensive look crossing her face.
“Do you think if her parents were still alive, she would’ve turned out differently?” I don’t tell her I don’t care, because what she did, robbed me of any sympathy I might have had for her. All she will get is my wrath and the punishment she deserves.
“Baby, there are people who embrace the pain and turn into insidious creatures. She has always been self-centered and pining for what others have. But I believed it stopped at being a mere wish. I regret I didn’t pay more attention.”
“Damien, it was you and my mom she wanted the most. In her own way, Monica loves you both. She’ll have nothing left if you strip her of her position in the company and of yourself. What’ll become of her?”
I lift my chin and glance at the ceiling to try to calm down. “Not our problem. Don’t allow yourself to be blinded by your own kindness. She wanted to kill you,” I bellow and pinch the top of my nose.
“I’m trying to understand why she has become like this.”
“Because of her own selfishness. She, like everyone else alive, has hundreds of paths to choose from. She built herself a life on the remnants of what she destroyed—something that wouldn’t last once the truth was discovered. When life resets the balance again.”
“I’m afraid . . .”
I hook my thumb under her chin and angle her face back to me, my eyes probing hers. “Of what exactly?”
“Of telling our families what really happened and whatever this is between us.”
Healing Love: A Billionaire Romance (Forever Us Book 2) Page 12
