At least his father is dead…I guess.
My chest hurts thinking about what Damon must have went through. His own father tried to kill him, then their father died by the hands of his brother—right in front of him. It sounds horrendous and makes my life problems seem mediocre.
“I’m sorry.” I give him a somber look and squeeze his hand tightly, as if that will take his pain away.
“I am, really. I’m sorry we had to come here. I can’t imagine what being here in this house has done to your head.”
Damon shrugs. “It’s okay, Keira. I don’t want your pity. I wanted to come here, and it was worth it. You make every hard thing worthwhile. If you didn’t bring me back here, it would’ve been my brother with his asshole ways, so don’t feel bad, baby.”
Damon pulls me into his arms and drags me to the bed. We cuddle up in the heavy comforter, and I bask in the feeling of him holding me like this. It feels so good, I almost don’t want to go to sleep.
The last thing I think about before sleep finally claims me is how Damon’s story gives me a newfound appreciation for Xander. Discovering all I did about him tonight shows me there’s more than one side to him—sides he’s trying to hide from the world. The question is: will he ever find someone to pull him out of the darkness he tries to hide himself in?
Chapter 20
Damon
The girl on the stage—whatever her name is—dances around the poll aimlessly. She’s uncoordinated and looks like she might barf. She also can’t hold my attention for longer than two seconds, so why the fuck would I hire her?
I take a calming breath through my nose and exhale out my mouth.
I look back over my shoulder at Keira sitting at the bar with my laptop in front of her. She finally re-enrolled in classes, and we agreed until I can get a man I trust to guard her, she will take only online courses.
I can’t believe how attached I am to her. Normally, I couldn’t care less for a woman, but Keira isn’t just any fucking woman.
She is the woman.
My soon-to-be wife.
My world.
I turn back around in my chair and hold a fist to my head. This is the first time I’ve been back at the club in almost two weeks, and it’s only because I had to hire some new girls.
No one here knows about our engagement—mostly because I don’t share my personal life with the staff—and because it’s no one’s fucking business. I’m not hiding, but I’m not going to put an X on her fucking back for being hitched to me.
The door opens next to the stage, and three of my best dancers walk in. They smile brightly at me as if I’m going to cut them a bigger paycheck for doing so.
“All right. You, you, and you.” I point to the top three girls who auditioned. “These are three of my best dancers. They’re going to show you the night routine. If you can keep up, you’re hired. I’ll let them be the judge.”
My eyes drift to the remaining girls. “The rest of you are welcome to audition again later in the year.”
Two of the girls frown, and the other flips her hair over her shoulder like I inconvenienced her. If this place didn’t make me so much fucking money, I’d burn it to the ground and start over.
I scrub a hand down my face. I want a drink. It’s not late enough in the day, though.
Seconds after the rejected chicks walk out, a long-legged blonde in a pencil skirt walks in, carrying a bunch of folders.
“Hello, I’m Maria, the wedding planner,” she announces, setting off a chain of giggles from the girls who know me. The woman looks shocked as she notes the half-naked girls near us. I’m sure this doesn’t happen every day in her line of work.
“Sorry, lady, you’re at the wrong place if you think someone is getting married here. This is a strip club, not a church.” Georgia snickers, her eyes dazzling with amusement.
I shake my head. She has no fucking clue how wrong she is.
I get up from my chair and hold out my hand. “Don’t mind them. You’re in the right place. We’ve talked a couple times on the phone. I’m Damon.”
“Nice to finally meet in person, Mrs. Rossi?” She seems confused for a moment as she addresses Georgia, clearly thinking she’s Keria. “I brought everything you asked for, and I just need you to choose from the selections.”
“Keira,” I call out, my voice gentle. I turn around and find her standing right beside me. “Why don’t you take Maria to my office where you can have some more privacy? If you need anything, let me know.”