by Claire Marta
This is the Damien I know. The bastard I married. With shaking hands I remove my bra, letting my heavy breasts fall free. Then pushing my panties down I kick them away. Excitement makes my breath come out faster. This is a side of Damien I’ve missed. Domineering and taking what he wants.
“Get on your hands and knees.” He orders words low.
Swaying my hips I obey, moving to the edge of the bed before settling myself in position.
The sound of clothes being removed reaches my ears. Clutching the covers below me I try not to whimper.
“Is this what you wanted, princess?” Damien asks, as he moves behind me. Hands touch my hips making me jerk. “Spread your legs wider.”
Biting my lip I shift them further apart. My belly is heavy, but I don’t mind having him fuck me on all fours. Anything just to feel him inside me again.
A finger slips through my wet folds checking my readiness.
“Lost your voice?”
“You know what I want.” I reply through my teeth. “Just shut up and fuck me already. It’s been too long.”
Before I’ve even finished my sentence his cockhead is pushing inside me. Making me moan. The grip on my hips fierce, he doesn’t stop until he’s seated at the head of my womb.
I can’t speak. Don’t want to even move. We stay like that for God knows how long. How can it always feel this good?
Hissing out a breath Damien begins to thrust in and out of me. I’m wound so tight I know it won’t take me long to find an orgasm. The fact he’s also not wearing a rubber just adds to the delicious friction.
“You always feel so fucking perfect.”
I groan in response to his words. Fingers caress downwards and then a finger works over my clit.
Slamming my arse back against his groin I feel my release building. Screaming his name it crashes into me so hard I see stars.
Damien pumps into me a few more times before he cries out, his hot seed filling me.
“Fuck,” he pants stepping back, his softening cock slipping free as he releases me.
Slumping onto my side I place a hand on my pregnant belly, unable to hide my grin. Contentment is buzzing through me. Finally we’re one again, in a way that matters and that he understands.
“Now I’m late for my own meeting.” He complains raking a hand through his dishevelled blond curls.
Damien
Damnit. A fifteen hundred dollar suit ruined because my wife decided that was the best way to get my attention.
Oh she got my attention all right. She also got fucked good and well. Which I’m assuming was her goal.
Sighing, I run a hand through my curls and then walk into the large dining area. It’s the only place large enough in this house to hold all of the important people. I don’t even care I’m about to start without my wife. Even though we agreed she’d be present to these types of meeting.
She’s the one who made us late.
My family sits at one end of the long table, with Sheila’s brothers standing close.
Dominic, Malcolm, Vega, Rodriguez, Argo, and Grey occupy the other side. With Dominic now living with us, as he left Garron’s coven, he’s here more or less because he’s a friend and we respect him.
Grey is standing in for his uncle because I am not letting that bastard know our exact location or get anywhere near my wife.
“We need to make a move. The longer we sit on our asses the longer Lucius has to prepare to fuck us all.”
“Agreed,” Vega says. “He’s been putting out feelers, seems he’s aware of our alliance.
“The last thing I need is a scumbag like him nosing around my people.” Rodriguez remarks.
“And we’re going to handle it. My brothers and I have a plan.”
“Which is?” Sheila asks, for once on the outside of things.
“We’re going to go to him. And we’re going to kill him.”
The room is silent.
“What do you mean you’re going to go to him?” Sheila’s voice is low.
“Exactly that. We’re going to find out where he’s staying and we’re going to go to him. This time next week the fucker is going to be dead.”
There’s a gasp from the front of the room. Everyone turns to watch as Ava stares at me in horror.
“There’s no sugarcoating it for you, princess,” I tell her. “We’ll leave adequate guards to protect you. We’ll do our best to come home, alive. However, we’re not playing around.
We need him dead.
The day before we leave we’ll be moving into the city. My realtor found an acceptable place to live. Large enough to hold our family, our guards, our servants.
We’ll make it our permanent home.
So, yes, it was reckless to allow you to create a nursery here. But, I figured it would keep you busy enough to not know of our plans.”
“You son of a bitch. You know the nursery is important to me.” Her voice half breaks. “All my work for the baby.”
“Is that all you have to say?” Sheila butts in. “Our bastard husbands plan on walking into enemy territory and you only care about the fucking room?” She pushes away from the table.
Samson and Shane shift slightly. There’s no telling what their sister might do.
Eyes narrowing the princess turns on her. “What the fuck do you want me to say, Sheila? That I think it’s too soon? That I don’t want these bastards to risk their lives? That I am terrified Damien won’t come back? That I wish they could just drop this, but know Lucius won’t stop until he’s murdered us all?” Her voice rises as she continues.
“Whatever the fuck I say won’t matter. My family is going to war and there is nothing I can do about it, except worry about a stupid room I want to look pretty for my child, so we have somewhere she can sleep and play if any of these fuckers come home.”
“If you cared as much as I think you do that’s exactly what you do. I know there are feelings there. You might not have married my brother because you cared for him, but you’re too soft not to feel something for the bastard.
I can tell you right now, I spent the past twenty-seven years with the man I love and I plan to spend many more years with him. I already lost one lover, and I refuse to lose another.
And guess what? If you were naïve enough to think we’d make this house our home base, then you don’t deserve to be making any plans.
We bought this house for this exact reason. A safe place to go if we ever needed it. Same with why Damien had his secret Rochester house.
We belong in the center of things.
Our husbands and our brothers are going to do the stupidest thing they’ve ever done, and that’s saying a lot. And you don’t even care.
I know I can’t change their minds. But I’m going to try my damndest to remind them why they need to come back.
You think your fucking nursery is enough?
No.
Damien needs you, not the whiny little bitch either. But the woman who open his eyes in the first damn place.”
My wife’s chin juts out aggressively and I for the first time in months I can see hellfire burning in their depths.
“Fuck you, Sheila. If I could go out and slit Lucius’s throat myself I would. I’d do whatever I could to save all the fucking heartache that’s going to come with the shitstorm that is brewing.
I love Damien, even if he’s stupid enough not to see it. If I lose him it will fucking destroy me.
So maybe I am a whiny little bitch, but you can shove your opinions up your arse. As no one tells me a fucking thing how was I supposed to know we’re moving? And if you call me naïve one more time I will gouge your eyeballs out with a fucking spoon.” She screams her whole body shaking with her emotions.
The only warning is the narrowing of those glacial eyes.
The knife embeds itself into the wall behind Ava. My wife touches her bloodied cheek.
“Stupid, naïve bitch.” She whispers.
She shoves a knife into Phillip’s shoulder and
storms out of the room. Before she disappears she says, “If you really love my brother you wouldn’t be fighting with me.”
Ava
My eyes sting with the tears that threaten to fall, but I refuse to show that type of weakness. Fucking bitch. Right at that second I want to carry out my threat. Touching my cheek again I can feel it already healing. I can’t believe she cut me.
Turning to look at my husband I can see him watching me. “Is that how you feel too?” I ask, aware I’ve let slip that I love him.
“Depends on what you mean, princess.” He says cooly. “If you’re referring to the fact that you still act like an unaware child, then at times.
By now you should know how we operate.
There’s a reason I allowed our location to be found out when you killed Carr. Because we had another safe house ready to go.
When you were gone I was busy putting future plans in motion. You never asked. You won’t know unless you ask.”
“Engaging my wife in a shouting match is a dangerous thing. You’re lucky you’re pregnant and the only thing she was allowed to cut was your face.” Phillip tells me, wincing as Oscar removes the blade from his shoulder.
I stare at each of them, aware that Damien just stood back and let it happen. That he let a family member hurt me and he acts like he doesn’t care.
The thought crushes something inside me. Swallowing the lump in my throat I turn to leave. If they want to get themselves killed then so be it. Sheila might have power over her husband and her brothers but I certainly don’t. All I am is a spoilt child-like princess to them.
“Wait,” Oscar calls out. “If you think any of us were in a position to help you, it’s worse than we thought.
The one thing you never do, is try to stop our sister.
If we thought you were in any real danger it never would have happened.” I forget he’s still so attuned to me thanks to our sessions. Damien has him watching me like a hawk.
“We threaten each other every day.” Michael pipes in. “We hurt each other every other day. It’s how we deal.
Go ahead and hate us. But you were perfectly safe.”
“Do I care that my sister drew blood from my wife? Yes. However, I see Sheila’s point.
You’re not even going to try. You’re just going to walk away.”
That stops me in my tracks. Swivelling around I am in front of Damien before anyone can blink. “Try what? You’re leaving me here under guard. I thought I was becoming part of this family but obviously I don’t understand your fucked-up relationships.
What more do you want from me Damien? You want me to bleed more? I told you I loved you and you didn’t even bat an eyelid.”
“You were going to walk away without really saying how you feel!” He shouts. “If Sheila didn’t say anything you never would have.
The only reason I’m not blowing up another goddamn house is because of you. Because I need somewhere safe for you to be.
I could get my father out of hiding.
It’d take more time, more energy, and a whole lot of more men. My family is prepared for anything, but you aren’t. I was trying to save you from the bloodshed.
Until just now you didn’t even act like you cared.
So if it takes a little blood, then yes. Bleed.”
Tears roll down my cheeks. Why does he always have to hurt me?
“Because I thought you wouldn’t want my love. You’re so hard. I didn’t think you wanted to ever hear it.
It’s soft and messy something you aren’t. It makes me vulnerable telling you how I feel and that’s something you never try to be.
So yes, I acted like I didn’t care. I’ve been ignoring the fact that you’re going off to war and might not come back, because I want to squeeze what happiness I can out of this before something happens.” I sob, pressing my hands to my face trying to stem my misery.
“You won’t get anywhere unless you fucking ask, Ava. You want me to feel something, tell me, because maybe I feel the same fucking way.
You say I’m cold, that’s not news, darling.
I care, more than I probably should. But fuck me I care. So much that I’m willing to put my family’s lives on the line to make sure you’re safe. What does that tell you?”
Oh my God he’s doing this for me. That just makes me cry harder. All these weeks—months thinking I was nothing more than a burden he felt a little warmth for—Damien loves me in his own way and I’ve just been to blind to see it.
Sinking to my knees on the floor I cradle my bump. Caught in the storm that’s been bottled up inside me since realising I love him.
“This is such a fucking mess.” My words are barely coherent. “I’m sorry…I was caught up in my own feelings and fears. I didn’t see.”
“Obviously.” Sheila’s back. “Why do you think I have such a problem with you? You want us to accept you so badly, we already did. So much so that we’re doing everything we can to protect you.” Raising my head I watch as she sashays over to her husband. There’s blood on his jacket from where she stabbed him, but he’s mostly healed now.
“My own husband is going with yours to try to end this fucking war.
And you wonder why I went off? Because you only cared about yourself. While they were caring about you.” She wraps her arms around Phillip and he leans back into her.
Hiccuping, trying to get myself under control I wipe away my tears. “Well you got what you wanted. Now you know how I feel. Happy now?”
“I’ve never known how you felt. Because I understand how to talk to, listen, and connect with our family.
And I won’t be happy until my husband doesn’t get dead.”
All eyes are on me.
Suddenly I am more aware it’s just not the family in the room. Expressions of pity, distaste, and contempt swim before my waterlogged eyes.
This was never how I planned to tell my husband I loved him. I never intended to tell him at all.
Now I have exposed myself to those closest to him as well as his allies and I feel vulnerable, broken. Bowing my head my weeping leaves me quiet and subdued.
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Damien
“EVERYONE IN POSITION?” I MURMUR.
“Check.” The simple check in is repeated as Sheila and her brothers, Serg and Shaun make their statuses known.
With all the confidence of a Rochester my brothers and I make our way up to the loft Lucius is holed up in.
This has been a long time coming and revenge is going to be so very sweet.
The few guards he has posted go down easily. He should know we’re coming.
The elevator doesn’t take long to reach the top floor.
The doors open to reveal a large spacious great room. It’s light and airy, it would be something I might like, but seeing as how Lucius picked it out I hate it.
“I was wondering when you boys would show up.”
His voice comes from the far corner of the room. Sitting in a black leather chair Lucius is dressed in an immaculate suit. His dark hair is perfectly combed. Cold silver eyes study the four of us.
“I see you haven’t been taking care of my sons, Damien.” He comments when he notices Michael’s arm. Or lack thereof.
“You can thank Carr for that one.”
“English bastard. I hear your English whore is the one who killed him.” It doesn’t surprise me in the least that the asshole had spies on us that night.
“And then you went dark. Not a trace. Until now. Why is that? Are you going to kill me?
You already own half of this Godforsaken state. Why do you want more? You’re nothing.
Nothing but a bastard I shouldn’t have allowed to live.”
“You know we’re going to kill you.” I say.
“Why don’t you just make it easy on us?” Phillip adds.
“It’d be so much better,” Oscar remarks. “Though I wouldn’t mind cutting you into tiny pieces.”
“How easily the three of you tur
ned on me. Ever wonder, Damien? How easily they could turn on you?”
“No. Because we have something you never did. We have trust, loyalty.”
“Hmmm,” he stands. “You know, I wondered why you waited so long to come after me.
Are you worried you won’t be able to do it?
You stole all of my business allies from me. You killed my biggest adversary, but you never made a move towards me. Even when you sent your mother back to me in pieces.”
He moves closer to me, the guards hiding in the shadows make their presence known.
“Trying to intimidate us?”
“Now why would I do a thing like that?”
My response in a blade in his neck.
I allow myself to be thrown to the ground when a guard launches himself at me. The sharp point of a blade pokes into my side, ignoring it I wrap my leg around one of the guard’s and easily flip us over.
The silver burns when it cuts my skin but it doesn’t go deep.
My own blade slices a clean line across his neck.
“Fuck,” the expletive comes from Michael and for the first time ever I break my own rules and check on him.
He’s backed up to a wall, his good arm restrained by the guard holding him. Every instinct in me screams to run, to help, but I don’t. I know he can take care of himself.
The next guard that comes at me gets a knife in his heart.
My brothers managed to take down the rest of the guards.
The four of us turn to our father.
“I’m not going to go down so easily.” Before anyone can blink he moves behind Michael, grabbing him and holding a blade to his throat. “You should have left him home. What good is he to you with one arm? Sure he defeated his opponent, but he’s not the same man he once was.”
Lucius shifts and stabs Michael in the back with a second knife.
Nobody move. I warn my brothers.
He’s bluffing. He wouldn’t kill one of his children. Phillip reasons.
Bluffing or not Lucius is unstable.
“He’s not the one you want to hurt.”
“Isn’t he? He betrayed me. Isn’t that your only rule?”
“You don’t have rules for family.” I say calmly.
Michael manages to knock Lucius off balanced and rightens himself before he falls as Lucius tosses him away from him.
