by Sadie Grubor
Inside, there is an area with colorful tables sectioned off. Alex sees the rides and ball pits, immediately making him want down.
"I want ride!" Alex struggles in Damon's arms.
"After you eat." Damon finds an empty table while I retrieve a highchair.
"Now!" Alex screams.
"Alexander," I scold.
"Come on, Alex, eat some pizza with Daddy. Then you can go play. Okay?" He slips Alex into the chair.
"Now," he screeches, kicking his legs and almost knocking over the chair.
"Alex," I warn.
"Play now!" he shouts.
"Do you want me to take you to the restroom, little boy?" I threaten.
Alex stiffens. He shakes his head, his eyes wide.
"Then settle it down." I point at him.
He obeys, but continues to pout.
Damon retrieves pizza from a large buffet style set up and brings it to the table. As we begin to eat, Damon sits back, giving me a curious look.
"What does the restroom mean?"
"No restroom." Alex shakes his head, stuffing a cut up piece of pizza into his mouth.
"You aren't going to the restroom. As long as you behave." I rub his cheek.
Turning back to Damon, I answer his question.
"It's sort of a mother's secret weapon for discipline."
Damon still looks confused.
"Children figure out quickly that most moms won't spank or discipline them in public, so by taking him to the restroom when he behaves badly, you have privacy to discipline."
"So, you spank him?" Damon's voice tightens.
"On occasion I have, but it doesn't always mean a spanking. Mostly, it's like a time out. We talk and he has to stand patiently for a few minutes before we return to the public area." I shrug.
"I don't believe in beating a child," Damon states firmly.
"I don't believe in beating a child either," I bite out. "However, if my son is misbehaving, I'm not above a swat on his butt to get the point across."
"It's not necessary to—"
"I don’t beat my son, Damon," I growl low, narrowing my eyes.
"I didn't mean to imply you did."
"Then what did you mean to imply? You’re making it seem as if I beat him. A beating and a swat are very different."
"But you have spanked him?"
"I've swatted him, yes. Not like bend him over your knee spankings. He's still young."
He nods, but sits quietly, eating, for a few moments.
"Play now?" Alex pushes his mostly empty plate away from him.
"Let me clean this up."
I start stacking the garbage onto a red tray. Damon takes the tray and heads to the garbage.
"Play," he cheers, trying to climb out of the chair.
Once he’s unbuckled from the chair, I lift Alex and set him on his feet. He tries to dart off toward the games, but I grab his arm.
"No running or taking off from me. Stay with Momma."
We walk to the game side and begin utilizing the golden tokens Damon acquires from a change machine against the wall.
Two hours later, Alex is passed out and I'm trying to slip him into pajamas without waking him. Tucking him into bed for the night was harder for me than him. I only hoped waking up in a strange room wouldn’t scare him. Sighing louder than intended, I exit the room.
"You okay?" Damon walks up behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist.
"Just tired," I respond, moving out of his grasp and descending the stairs.
In the living room, I sit on the couch and let the softness surround me. I don't want to even discuss sleeping in the same bed yet, but the argument would be inevitable.
"So, he's really started talking." Damon forces a smile as he sits next to me on the couch.
"Mmhmm." I nod, resting my head back.
"You're tired. Why don't you head to bed?"
I tense for a second. I guess this argument will come sooner rather than later.
"Nothing is going to happen that you don't want to happen. I promise." His fingers gently touch under my chin, moving my face to look at him.
"I would like to know the plan for this week first." I remove my face from his fingers and stretch a little.
Taking a deep breath, he leans back on the couch.
"Tomorrow, I need to stop by my office, but I would like for both of you to come with me."
"To your office?"
"Yes." He shrugs. "Then we will head over to my father's place for brunch or lunch."
"You're taking me to meet your parents tomorrow?" My eyes widen.
"You will meet my father, Damon Senior, and my stepmom, Heidi."
"Do they know about all of this?" I motion between us.
He nods.
"Yes, he is aware that I've remarried and of Alex."
"Does he know the details?" I prod.
"Everyone is very much aware of the details now. Hugh couldn't keep his damn mouth shut," he growls.
"Hugh?"
"My younger brother. You will meet him at the office, as well as his fiancée, Scarlett." Standing from the couch, he pauses and looks down at me. "Do you want something to drink?"
I shake my head.
"What about your mother?" I ask his retreating form.
He stops at the steel fridge and retrieves a beer bottle.
"We will meet with her for brunch the next day."
Upon his return, he sits back on the couch.
"I'm sure she will also want us for dinner at some point, but the evening after we have brunch with her will be our first date night." He smiles large before taking a long pull from his beer.
"What exactly are we going to do with Alex?" I smirk, thinking I finally have him. "There's no babysitter here."
"Taken care of," he quips.
"Taken care of how? You can't just leave him with a stranger. He won't like it," I argue.
"Heidi has graciously offered to watch him here. She is amazing with kids. They love her. He will be fine, trust me."
His hand finds my thigh. I narrow my eyes at him and push it off. He shrugs again.
"If he gets upset, I won't go."
"You agreed to two dates." Damon sits up straighter, his face intense.
"Yes, but I won't make Alex suffer just so you can have a date," I say, knowing he wouldn't argue once I used Alex as the main point.
Huffing, he slouches back into the couch.
"And you need to stop introducing me as your wife. You and I both know that at the end of this week—"
Damon sits back up and leans toward me.
"You are my wife and that is how you will be introduced.”
"So, you won't have a problem later, after the annulment is finalized? Or are you trying to tell me that you won't sign the papers?" I raise a brow, challenging him.
"I will introduce you as what both you and Alex are to me. You are my family. Regardless of what some piece of paper says about our union." His intense eyes bore through me.
Suddenly, I'm too exhausted to fight.
"I'm going to bed." I stand before he can say anything else and make my way upstairs.
After quickly brushing my teeth and changing into pajamas, I slip into the massive bed, hoping to get lost in the covers. I try to stay as close to the edge as I can without falling off.
While my body is exhausted, my brain won't stop. After the conversation with Damon, I'm more nervous about the events of this week. I can't be sure he will sign the papers and I have no clue what he has up his sleeve. But if he thinks I’ll back down from this, he has another thing coming.
Olivia
True to his word, Damon did not take advantage of us being in bed together. He climbed into bed, without touching me, and we fell asleep on our own sides. I thought I would've been more relaxed at his distance, but I still couldn't sleep soundly. Waking alone the next morning makes me feel rejected, even though I do so every single day at home. And I do not like that one bit. Shaking off the unreaso
nable feeling, I focus on the scent of bacon in the air.
Reaching the kitchen, Damon is standing at the stove in a white t-shirt and pair of blue pajama bottoms. Alex is sitting in a high chair near the island. He really has thought of everything.
"Good morning, baby." I lean over and kiss Alex on the head.
"Good morning to you, baby." Damon looks over his shoulder with a grin.
Rolling my eyes, I slip onto a stool next to Alex.
Damon sets some eggs on a plate and turns back to the stove.
"Mon," Alex calls as he reaches for the eggs.
"They need to cool down first," Damon responds.
"Daddy will give them to you when they aren't so hot. I promise," Damon continues.
My eyes widen in astonishment.
"What?" Damon asks.
"Daddy?" I clip.
He shrugs.
"I already told you I wish for him to call me dad. With the paternity test confirmation, I didn't think you would fight me further about it."
"You don't think we should've discussed it before you decided to start?"
He shrugs.
I cross my arms over my chest and Damon chuckles.
"You look alike when you pout." Using the turner, he motions to Alex and me.
I look over at Alex and sure enough, he’s pouting about his eggs. Realizing I'm acting like a two year old, I quickly stop.
"Here you go. All cooled." Damon sets the plate on Alex's tray, along with a sippy cup of juice. "Do you want some orange juice?" he asks me.
"I can get it. You don't have to serve—"
"Sit, I'll get it." He moves around the kitchen with grace and familiarity.
He’s different here. Not better or worse, just different. Something has changed compared to the man I first met. I hate it. I hate it because I find myself drawn to him more.
At the completion of breakfast, Damon shoos me upstairs to prepare for the day of visiting his family. Just thinking about the introductions has my nerves on edge and I take a little longer in the shower than necessary. My only hope is his family feeling like this is madness. Mentally crossing my fingers, I pray they will be my allies in getting him to sign the annulment papers.
After I finish getting dressed, I get Alex cleaned up while Damon showers and dresses. Soon, Douglas is once again chauffeuring us. First stop, B.I.G., where Douglas parks in a cavernous garage below a tall building and escorts us to a silver elevator.
Upon arriving to the executive floor, we step into a wide marble floor lobby where designer labeled professionals bustle about. Even with Damon wearing dark jeans and a button down shirt, my black skinny jeans and blue blouse suddenly feel like a bad choice.
Damon takes my hand, leading us past a dark reception desk. He introduces us to executive assistants who look surprised, but are quickly fawning over Alex. Not to mention, fawning over Damon right in front of me.
"Is there anything I can get you, Mr. Knyght?" a sleek blonde wearing a barely appropriate pencil skirt practically purrs.
"I don't believe I've ever seen you dressed so casual, sir." Perfectly curled dark hair leans forward, showing ample cleavage from her button-up silk blouse. "It's a very handsome look on you." She extends her arm and fingers the cuff of his shirt.
Damon quickly steps back, discomfort wrinkling forehead.
I hook my arm around his and he relaxes, allowing me to press against him. I excuse us from the executive harem and provide them with an obviously fake smile. Laying my head against his arm, I walk us in the direction we were previously headed.
"You have quite the number of well-groomed groupies," I taunt, though I don't really care about them. It was mostly amusing. I move away from him and drop my arm from his.
"Jealous?" He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back against him.
"No," I protest a bit too quickly, trying to pull out of his hold.
"That has actually never happened. I'm not sure what’s gotten into them." He tightens his arm to keep me in place.
"Yeah, right," I snort.
"I've never noticed that behavior before." His fingers apply pressure to my hip. "Quit fidgeting," he commands, looking down at me.
"Give me some room to breathe," I mumble, narrowing my eyes.
"Damon." An unfamiliar voice breaks our moment.
I look toward the voice and see a tall, lean man with brown hair and bright eyes approaching.
"I thought you were out for the week?"
"Sorry to disappoint you, Hugh," Damon chuckles, pulling me tightly against him.
I swear, if he squeezes any more, I won't be able to breathe.
"I need to take care of a couple things before we head to Dad's for lunch," Damon finishes.
"So, you're going to Dad's first?"
"Yes, I want him to meet Alex and…" Damon pauses and then frowns. "Shit, I'm sorry." Damon rubs the back of his neck. "Hugh, meet your nephew, Alex."
Damon takes Alex from my arms and holds him high.
"Alex, meet your Uncle Hugh." Damon smiles proudly at Alex before turning to me. "And this is my wife, Olivia." He takes my hand and presses his lips to my skin.
My jaw muscles tense at the label he places on me. I fight to provide a genuine smile.
Hugh stands silent and stoic. My nerves ping pong underneath my skin the moment his gaze meets mine. I stiffen. He smiles.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Reaching out, he offers his hand. I take it.
"Oh my goodness. Who is this handsome little guy?"
From behind Hugh, a perfectly coiffed blonde with a glowing peaches and cream complexion appears. I can't help but assume she is another Damon Knyght groupie. My hackles rise.
"This is Olivia and Alex." Hugh introduces before turning an affectionate gaze upon the woman.
"Oh." She fumbles a moment, but quickly composes herself. "It's so nice to meet you both."
Her warm and genuine smile shows that she really means those words.
Stepping closer, she places a perfectly short-nailed manicured hand on Alex's cheek.
"You are such a cutie."
Alex, nervous at first, beams at her praise and affectionate cooing.
"This is Hugh's fiancé, Scarlett," Damon informs.
"Now I'm just Hugh's fiancé?" Scarlett raises a brow at him. "Last time I checked, I am your Vice President of Marketing and E-commerce." She crosses her arms over her chest.
I'm gonna like Scarlett.
"Scarlett, I didn't mean—"
"Mr. Knyght?" Another unfamiliar voice announces the entrance of a well-put-together brunette in a skirt and jacket set that suited her age and profession. She needs to pass styling tips out to the rest of the executive assistant pool.
"Yes," Damon and Hugh answer in unison.
"Um, Mr. Knyght, sir." She focuses her attention on Damon. "Your mother is on the phone for you." Her discomfort is obvious, given her fidgeting with the hem of her jacket.
"Tell her I will call her back—"
"I'm sorry, sir, but she insists you speak with her." She clears her throat and drops her voice. "In regards to the Proneau situation."
Damon groans low and hands Alex back to me.
"I will be right back." He kisses the top of my head and turns before catching my glare.
"She can keep me company in my office." Scarlett wraps her arm in mine.
Damon turns to leave, but briefly looks back at Scarlett with a warning glance before disappearing around a corner.
As soon as we enter Scarlett's office, she releases my arm and motions to a large leather sofa.
"Please, make yourself comfortable." She smiles.
The click of her office door draws my attention to Hugh.
I place Alex on his feet, walk to the sofa, and sit. Scarlett appears with a large legal pad and pens, handing them to Alex. He squats on the floor and begins scribbling.
"Thank you," I say. "I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do to entertain him."
"No p
roblem." She sits next to me on the sofa.
"So…" Hugh hesitates, "how are things?"
The way he asks and the expression on his face makes it clear he’s not trying to make small talk. He wants to know how things have been since Damon's crazy ass entered my life.
"It's a bit unusual, but things are okay. For now," I answer carefully, unsure of his motives.
"I'm so sorry for...for everything that’s happened." Hugh's shoulders fall. His face expresses pure guilt.
Clearing my throat first, I answer, "It's far from your doing. In fact, I'm partly to blame for the situation I find myself in."
"Please understand that I love my brother very much."
I nod.
"I just don't believe he’s going about things the right way."
I nod again.
"Frankly, I didn't believe he was in the right frame of mind when he told me about all of this."
"You didn't, but you do now?"
Fear pangs my chest. Would his family encourage this?
With a sigh, Hugh pulls a black guest chair over to sit before me. Before he answers me, Scarlett chimes in on the subject.
"It's not that we think Damon doesn't have demons that need to be dealt with—"
"But I've never seen him so…so different, Olivia," Hugh interjects. "I don't know what it is, but he seems better. It's as if he's the man I knew before…" He allows the sentence to trail off.
"Before the accident," I finish for him.
Scarlett and Hugh both look at me with wide eyes.
"He told you about the accident?" Hugh practically whispers.
"Sort of. I discovered information online when I was trying to…well, when you have a man stalking you, internet research is the least a woman can do." I shrug.
Scarlett smiles.
"He hasn't given me exact details of the event, but I know he lost his wife and son in an accident he blames himself for."
Scarlett places a hand on my leg.
"The accident was never reported as Rebecca's fault, but it was her fault, Olivia."
"Scarlett," Hugh hisses.
Ignoring him, she continues. "She'd been drinking. And with her medications, the alcohol wasn't a good combination to drive on."
"Medications?" I wrinkle my brow, confused.
"Scarlett, this isn't our story," Hugh warns.
