Damien didn’t answer right away, and his expression remained stoic. “Anais, there are actors at play and events happening that you have no idea about.”
“That you won’t talk to me about. You are treating me like a child.”
“And you’re acting out like one.” He glanced at me before turning his eyes back to the road. “You will lie low and do as I say. No more sneaking off, but since you failed to do that this time, I can’t wait for your next punishment.”
19
Anais
“Pull out the light blue dress in the corner. That might be a contender.”
I looked around and grabbed the dress that Ellie mentioned and placed it on the bed. Damien’s stylist had sent over quite a few options to choose from but none of the options felt like me. After all the compromises I’d had to make, I wanted this outfit to be something I felt good in.
As far as I knew, Damien didn’t care what I wore because he hadn’t mentioned it, nor had he laid out a dress in the guest room. His priority was making sure that we were ready when the crew got here and that there would be no problems while filming the video. He even asked Melissa to come over to the apartment at around 10:45 a.m. to help keep everything organized. He thought it was going to be that busy.
Yet here I was hiding in the guest room closet, trying not to freak out about what was going to happen in just a couple of hours. The three options that Ellie had helped me pick were in front of me, and it didn’t take me long to decide.
“You’re right. The light blue dress it is.”
“Yes!” Ellie said. “I think it’s going to look great against your skin tone. Maybe you can see if Damien could wear a light blue tie?”
I snorted. “Do you think Damien would listen to anything I asked him to do?”
Ellie shrugged. “I mean, you never know, but you need to shower and go get ready, so I’ll talk to you later. Let me know how it all goes, okay?”
“You got it. Talk to you later.”
Ellie waved and ended the video call. I took a deep breath and looked around. This had the potential to be a disaster, but damn, at least I was going to look good doing it.
I headed into the bathroom to start my shower and as I was brushing my teeth, I remembered I hadn’t seen Damien much at all today. He had left the bed when I got up and I saw him briefly when I grabbed a bagel and cream cheese, but that had been it. I knew it was only a matter of time before he came in here.
My shower was quicker than normal because I didn’t wash my hair, having washed it the day before. I picked out my makeup carefully, trying not to clash it with the light blue dress. Damien appeared in the doorway as I was finishing curling my hair and I knew it was almost time.
“You’re wearing the blue dress that you have laid out on the bed?”
I looked at him through the mirror and took a quick second to admire the way he looked before he was completely done up. With his white shirt untucked and unbuttoned at his neck and his hair not yet styled, he looked like he might have just rolled out of bed and threw the nearest set of clothes on. I wasn’t complaining, not one bit.
“Yes.”
“Okay. Red tie or blue?”
He was asking my opinion on something? That was new.
“Blue. Thought you usually just stuck to black ties, you know, because they’re dark like your soul.”
I saw his lips twitch, but he said nothing before he left the room. I stared at the place where he’d just been standing before I went back to finishing my hair. Today was definitely going to be an interesting day.
When I finished pulling myself together, I checked the time. I still had ten minutes to go before I needed to be out in the living room to meet the crew. I took a quick photo and sent it to Ellie to see what she thought.
Ellie: You are going to knock them all dead. Good luck and let me know when the video is online so I can watch it.
Me: Thanks.
I was going completely out of my way to make sure this farce of an engagement was believable in order to make sure that my family and I remained under Damien’s protection. Or that was what I continued to tell myself. But had it become something more?
I took another deep breath, telling myself to pretend to be a blushing bride as I made my way to the living room. When I walked down the hall, my dark blue heels clacked along the wooden floor, alerting everyone to my arrival. When I appeared in the door frame, all eyes turned to me, including Damien’s, who was talking with Melissa.
He told Melissa something before he used his long stride to eat up the distance between us. His eyes never left me.
“Perfect,” was all he said as he looked at me, admiring my handiwork.
I didn’t know if I’d made him speechless, but he didn’t say anything else, and I knew I had to break the ice here.
“And I’m not late.”
He leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “Yes, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t punish you later. You’re lucky I didn’t require you to wear the vibrator.”
“I wouldn’t have worn it anyway. It would have clashed with my outfit.” I gave him a fake smile and he shook his head.
“Keep it up and you’ll see what happens the moment these people leave. I didn’t forget that I owe you for the stunt you pulled last night.”
I didn’t have a retort. I was thankful that a producer for the video came to give us a quick rundown of what we should expect from the video. The crew already had everything set up and ready to go. This wasn’t going to be an interview, but more of a taped announcement and someone would guide us through a few takes until we got it right.
Before the recording started, I leaned over and asked Damien, “Why don’t we just take a photo, post it on social media, and then send it to some of Kate’s media contacts and call it a day? You leaking it would drive buzz alone. Then we could have a statement ready to go.”
“Because that’s not what people would expect me to do.” He sat up and adjusted his tie.
I never would have guessed that he really cared what people thought. It wasn’t unheard of for him to be completely extravagant and showcase how wealthy he was. My “engagement” ring was a perfect example. It felt like something that royalty would do. In fact, one article that Ellie had emailed me called the Cross brothers, “The Princes of New York.”
“Let me do it,” I said, watching him mess with his tie. I put my hand on his and pulled it away so I could fix his tie for him. Surprisingly, he didn’t stop me. This might have been one of the few times he’d allowed me to touch him without it leading to sex. I figured everyone had their eyes on us anyway, and that this might be him trying to put on a good show in case any leaks happened from the behind the scenes. Actually, that was a pretty good idea.
All I felt was Damien’s eyes burning a hole into me as I finished adjusting his tie until it looked perfect, like every other part of him. When I pulled back, Damien grabbed my hand, which had been placed on his heart, and he held it there for a moment. I looked up into his eyes and saw fire shining in them. I heard what sounded like a camera flash and the moment broke.
“Are you guys ready to get started?” the producer asked.
I tapped Damien, who had turned to glare at the producer. I pasted on a bright smile and said, “Yes. Let’s get this started, please.”
The countdown began and I felt nervous. Worried about perpetuating a lie, worried about whether not being with Damien would put an even bigger spotlight on my family. When it was showtime, I put on my best cheerful voice that didn’t sound too fake and told the camera that we were engaged and how excited I was to become Mrs. Damien Cross.
When it was Damien’s turn to speak, he said, “Anais is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. I’m not just talking about her appearance, but her soul. She’d do anything to take care of anyone and that was apparent the first day I met her. I can’t wait to marry this woman.”
He looked at me before he took my hand in his and stroked the ring
. It was one of the sincerest moments we’d had in terms of public displays of affection. It almost made me think that this might have been all real.
“And cut.” The producer smiled back at us. “Now we’re going to do it a few more times just to make sure we’ve got the perfect shot, and then we can take some photos of the two of you and wrap things up. Do you guys need anything?”
“No,” Damien said.
I shook my head. The next few takes were done and as we were getting ready to go up to the balcony to take some photos, I started feeling weird, as though I wanted to get out of there, but that wasn’t an option.
“Are you both ready?”
“Yes.” I glanced at Damien, who was looking out at the New York landscape before turning back to me. He didn’t say a word.
“Hold her hand in yours again, much like you did during the taped segment, and place it here so that the ring is front and center.” We adjusted our bodies to fit how the photographer wanted us and stayed that way until she told us it was okay to move. “How about you kiss the future Mrs. Cross?” the photographer asked.
I swallowed hard, then saw the big smile on her lips. She was clearly more excited than the couple to be capturing this moment. I looked back at Damien and I watched as his blue eyes darkened and his stare landed on my lips.
“That shouldn’t be any problem,” he said before he gently cupped my cheek.
My body felt electricity at his touch. My next breath left my lips just before he laid a sensual kiss on my lips.
“Perfect,” the photographer whispered, but if she said anything else, it faded into the background. All that was left was Damien and me kissing on a balcony, in front of the New York City skyline.
We took a few more shots before the photographer said, “That should be good. That’s a wrap.”
We had been too caught up in another kissing session and it took us a second to pull our lips apart. When we did, I looked up at him and gave him a small smile that he didn’t return. He turned to the photographer, leaving me standing by myself for a moment.
He shook the photographer’s hand. “Thank you so much for coming on such short notice.”
“It was my pleasure. These photos are stunning, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy them when I finish and send them over.”
The whole point of the photos was to “leak” them several days after the video to give the media something else to talk about. Then we would hopefully fade into the background a bit and be able to go on about our daily lives. Or maybe that was a pipe dream.
I shivered as Damien turned to me and without asking, took off his suit jacket and placed it around my shoulders. That left another good impression on the photographer, who smiled at us once more. If we had our photographer fooled, I could only hope that the public would be too.
20
Anais
I heard a sound play from my phone, alerting me to a text message. I sighed and put down my book.
Damien: Grab the little black leather dress in your closet and meet me at Elevate. Your security team will be ready to go in an hour. It’s time for you to receive your punishment.
I blinked twice while staring at the message. There’s no way he wanted to go to Elevate tonight. Why did he want to go to Elevate when we still didn't know who left us the anonymous messages? Damien hadn't let me go to work since the night I snuck out. I had also developed a false sense of security because he hadn’t mentioned punishing me since the engagement photoshoot. I looked down at my clothes and back up at my phone. There was no way I was going to be ready in time. Another text message came through.
Damien: You now have 59 minutes to get ready and if you aren’t here on time, your punishment gets worse.
Me: Screw you and your punishments. I did what I felt was right to get the answers I needed.
He didn’t reply right away, so I figured that was the end. I should have known better.
Damien: 56 minutes.
I cussed out loud as I got up and dashed into the guest room. I debated whether it was worth it to take a shower, but after taking one look at myself in the mirror, I realized a shower was needed. It was several days after the engagement announcement and I had thrown my hair up in a messy bun and lounged around in sweats most of the day. I hopped in the shower, thinking I didn’t have any time to waste, and was out within fifteen minutes. I spent the rest of the time pulling myself together before I realized I hadn’t picked out the dress yet. The pinging of my phone delayed me further. I shook my head when I saw what time it was and that the text was from Damien.
Damien: You’re late. I know you’re familiar with the consequences.
The words made me quake with excitement and a bit of fear. I was keeping one of the most powerful men in New York City and potentially the world waiting. I went into the closet and found a couple of black dresses, but they all seemed too formal or looked like work clothes. It took me another minute until I found a tight leather black dress built like a leather jacket. Although it was skimpy for the weather outside, as soon as I slipped it on I felt sexy. On the bright side, a coat would keep me warm, and I would be in the car for most of the time I was outside. Some black heels finished the outfit and I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked damn good, and I knew the perfect thing to add to my look. I walked back into the bathroom and found a dark red lipstick that I hadn’t worn in a while and put it on. I tossed the tube in my purse and threw my coat over my shoulders.
The dress felt like a second skin on my body as my hands smoothed down the fabric. I had no idea what Damien had planned for tonight, and that excited me. I headed downstairs to the lobby where Kingston met me near the front desk.
The trip to Elevate took a little longer than I expected, causing the bubbles in my stomach to spill over. Rob opened my door and Kingston escorted me to the entrance to make sure that I made it inside and I gave him a small smile. A security guard greeted me at the front door and once I gave my name, another guard walked over and led me to Damien.
The music was thumping loudly in my ears. That plus my nerves being frayed made me jumpy as I was led up to the VIP area. I thanked the guard when he paused and directed me to another staircase. The added height the black heels gave me made it easier to find Damien once I was at the top of the stairs. He sat alone on a plush couch and looked like he was presiding over his kingdom from his throne. I wasn’t entirely expecting to see any of his brothers here but based on the stories that Ellie had mentioned in passing, they regularly hung out in the VIP area and would split off if any of them went down to the basement. I didn’t see them here tonight.
Damien didn’t look at me right away as I approached, heightening any tension I felt from his last text message and my feelings from earlier today. Even as I walked up to the couch he was sitting on, he didn’t look up, continuing to look straight ahead and sipping his drink.
I took my coat off, finally feeling his eyes watch me as the clothing slid off my shoulders. It was as if he just realized I was there. I sat down next to him and placed my coat over the arm of my chair. I stretched my legs out in front of me for a moment before crossing them, and when I looked up, Damien was staring at them, proving that his broody aloofness was an act. He appreciated the view. I glanced at my dress to straighten it and when I looked at him again, his gaze met mine.
“Drink?” he asked.
I nodded my head. A drink would help calm me down. Damien put in an order for a glass of Merlot when a server appeared at his side and I patiently waited for my drink.
“I’m surprised you wanted to come here after the incident at Hidden Tavern.” I kept my voice level and smiled at the server who approached me, my drink of choice in hand.
“I controlled the variables the best I could. You were in safe hands from the moment you left until those fuck-me heels landed in front of me.”
“Were?”
A sly smile appeared on Damien’s face, but he said nothing as he took another sip from his drink. I followed suit and felt
myself relax once the wine flowed down my throat. I wanted to believe that our experience at Elevate would be like the one we shared before, but something told me that Damien was about to switch it up. After all, this was his MO. For a few beats, we said nothing, and my mind darted between different ideas about what he might have up his sleeve for tonight. Before long, the silence was tiring, and I broke the ice.
“How was your day?”
Damien cut his eyes over to me briefly. “Have we become that couple?”
My eyes narrowed. “I was just trying to start a conversation, and I wouldn’t call us a couple in a million years.” I took a gulp of my wine.
“You still don’t get it, do you?”
I waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Silence passed over us again as I took in his question. Was he referring to his constant need to reiterate how I was his?
The evening we met again at the gala shoved its way into my mind and I recalled how things had slowly changed when it came to what I thought of Damien. Yes, I still thought he was overbearing, but the time we spent together had shifted my perception of him. I felt that the words he spoke during the engagement announcement taping were about as close as I was going to get to a compliment from him, and I accepted that might be the only time I heard such nice things from him, and it was an act for an audience.
I took the last sip of my wine and Damien stood up. He grabbed his coat that I hadn’t noticed he had thrown over his own chair. I grabbed my coat and purse as he held out his hand and I hesitantly put mine in his. I followed Damien’s lead when he led me from the seats we occupied to the bar where we placed our empty glasses. We walked away, hand in hand, and descended the steps to VIP. We didn’t stop until we passed the main level of Elevate and reached the basement.
Damien leaned over to tell me in my ear, “This vibrator is clean because I washed it personally, but I know you don’t trust me. I’m going to give you three minutes to go to the bathroom and put it inside of you while I check your coat and purse.”
Scarred Empire: An Enemies to Lovers Dark Billionaire Romance (Broken Cross Book 2) Page 11
