Second (Betrothed 6)

I didn’t know what to say. It was a sweet thing to say, a selfless thing to say. When Damien said he would try to be my friend, he clearly meant it. He wanted me to be happy…even if it wasn’t with him. I didn’t understand why he suggested death fighting to Liam in the first place if he meant that, but I let it go. The silence was too loud for me to ignore, but I let it linger.

He continued to stare at me, hold my gaze like he was unafraid of the intimacy between our eyes. He eventually sat forward, his elbows moving to the surface of the table. He watched me with his green eyes.

“So…you’re dating a supermodel?”

He didn’t hesitate at my question even though it was probably awkward to be put on the spot like that. “I wouldn’t call it that…but yeah.” Our conversation about Liam was over, so he could walk out at any time, but he continued to stay.

I’d felt a jolt of jealousy when Liam told me. “Liam said she was all over you at the bar.”

He didn’t respond.

“We’re friends, right?” I whispered, surprised he didn’t give me a single detail.

“I don’t divulge details about the women I’m seeing.”

Liam made it sound like she was obsessed with Damien, like she couldn’t keep her hands off him for a second. She worshiped him, marked his body with her lips so everyone would know she was his. I’d be doing the same thing if he were still mine…so how could I blame her? “Really? Not even to Hades?”

He shook his head.

“You’re best friends.”

“If it’s at a whorehouse or something, we’ll talk about it. But if it’s a woman one of us is actually seeing, we don’t swap details. Plus, she’s kinda famous, and I’m not gonna share intimate details that she probably wants to remain private.”

I hadn’t expected him to say that, and that made me like him so much more. “So, you’ve never told Hades anything about me?”

He shook his head. “I mean, I said the sex was good, but that was it.”

“And he doesn’t tell you anything about Sofia?”

He gave a quiet laugh. “No. He doesn’t want another guy thinking about his wife naked.”

“That’s sweet.”

“We’re assholes on the streets, but not in the bedroom.” His hands came together, and he rubbed one of his knuckles, like it was sore from punching something earlier in the day.

I stared at his hands, remembering the way they felt on my body. “You don’t have to stay here with me. I’m not going home until after work tomorrow, so it’s not like I’m doing anything stupid.”

“I don’t mind sticking around. It’s not like I have plans.”

“Not even with the model?”

His eyes hesitated for a moment. “I call her Charlotte. And no…” He rose from his seat and walked to the minibar. He opened up a bottle of scotch and poured it into a coffee mug before he returned to the chair. “I’ll tell Hades the bill is on him.”

I chuckled. “I’m sure he’ll love that.”

He drank from his glass then pushed it toward me.

I grabbed it and brought it to my lips for a drink before I pushed it back to him.

“So, other than the situation with Liam, how’s life?”

I shrugged. “Fine. My life isn’t too interesting.”

“So, then it’s not fine. It should always be interesting.”

“Well, I’m not a billionaire banker by day and a drug lord by night.”

He chuckled. “Good point. I’m always living on the edge.”

“How’s your father?”

“Good.” He turned serious at the question. “He moved in with me a few weeks ago.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised he would have a roommate. “How’s that?”

“It was such a pain in the ass to get him in there. He fought Catalina and me every step of the way.”

“Catalina?”

“My sister.”

“Ooh…pretty name.”

“It’s a pretty name for an unpretty girl.”

I rolled my eyes because I knew he was teasing. “Why was he so resistant?”

“Because he doesn’t want to be a burden. He refuses to accept his old age and lives in the past…like he’s still ripe in his youth. He just has a lot of pride. When I was young, my father used to be strong and authoritative. He took care of everything for the family, worked hard, and stayed in shape. It’s just hard for him to accept his brittle bones, his atrophied muscles, and his aged brain cells.”

“That’s sweet of you to offer.”

“It was the only solution to keep him safe. He hardly ever leaves the house, so he’ll be untouchable in there. As long as he’s alive, he’ll always be a liability for me.”

Because Damien continued to live a life of crime. “What about your sister? Isn’t she a liability?”

“Yes. But she would never let me protect her. She’s far too independent. I couldn’t talk sense to her if I had a gun pointed to her head. She and I don’t spend a lot of time together, so I think most people don’t know I even have a sister, which is good.”