Damien Doukas’s POV
“You know, you could let me off here. I wouldn’t mind,” Adrianna muttered.
My eyes glanced at Adrianna through my sunglasses. “So you can go back to the English?”
Her gaze snapped towards mine, eyes flashing, “What is your problem with him? Have you met him before?”
My brows furrowed and shifted my jaw. “He is not right for you.” The thought of the English with his filthy hands all over her made my blood boil.
“Who do you think you are to decide who I can be with?” Adrianna glared at me.
I snapped back. “Just because.”
She scoffed and turned away. My eyes slid against her attire appreciatively. Damn her for not listening to me about her attire. It was revealing! Her blouse showed off her sinful curves, and her jeans were like a second skin. Damn the English for seeing her wearing this!
When Adrianna left with my mother to see the English, I had hurriedly changed and went to follow them in the car. However, I was too late. They were gone. So I resorted to asking Kaitlyn who was playing with Trevor and discussing birthday planning items with Olivia. Drake, the stupid bastard, was in the kitchen dealing with who knows what.
Kaitlyn had answered me with a glint in her eyes; a glint which I recognized as glee.
“Where are we going?” Adrianna asked warily as she noticed we were driving away from the neighborhood Drake lived in.
“My apartment,” I answered as Adrianna glared at me. “No! I want to go back to Olivia’s.”
I rolled my eyes at her and got out of the car. “Damien, I’m serious. Bring me back to Olivia’s.”
“Come willingly with me, Adrianna dearest, unless you want me to carry you around again.”
She balked at me before getting out of the car reluctantly. She glared at me before slamming my car door shut.
We entered my penthouse apartment, and Adrianna looked around curiously. “If you have a place to stay, why are you staying with us?”
“Because you are there,” I smirked at her, and to my satisfaction, her cheeks flushed. “Are you hungry?”
“No,” Adrianna said quickly which was followed by her stomach rumbling. I snorted and went to the kitchen to prepare her a meal.
“You can cook?” Adrianna asked me clearly surprised as she observed me. “Yeah. Why? Doubting my skills in the kitchen, my love?”
Adrianna bit her lip doubtfully as she watched me. “No. Maybe. Yes.” I shot her a smirk. “Well, you are going to like this,” I said, pecked her nose, flashed her a grin and continued cooking.
Adrianna stiffened, clearly surprised. “Oh, okay.” She walked to the island counter, sat and watched me. “When did you get this house?”
“About five years ago,” I answered as I added the ingredients into the pan.
Adrianna looked around. “Oh.”
“Don’t worry, darling. You’re the only woman who has been here,” I said and smirked.
“I wasn’t worried about that!” She snapped. I sneaked a glance at Adrianna to see she looked pleased.
“Here.” I placed a plate of grilled salmon with spices in front of her.
Adrianna eyed it before glancing up at me in curiosity. “What is this?”
“A Greek dish taught by my grandmother. My mother and father both could not cook,” I said with a grin.
Adrianna placed a small mouthful of the fish in her mouth delicately and moaned. My cock hardened, and I tried not to let my urge to bed her take over.
“It’s amazing.” She moaned again and ate another mouthful. By now, I was counting backward from one hundred.
Adrianna took another mouthful and asked, “Would you want some? You didn’t cook for yourself.” I shook my head dumbly. She took another bite and moaned again softly.
Ninety-seven… Ninety-six… Ninety-five…
She licked her lower lip, savoring the taste before polishing it off quickly.
Sixty-three… Sixty-one… Fifty-four… Seventy-eight…
Shit, I was getting the numbers mixed up. Think of something else!
“So what was Jake like?” I stupidly asked, and immediately, Adrianna’s face became a blank wall.
You shithead.
“Why do you want to know?” she asked quietly.
I shrugged. “I am curious.”
She watched me for a few minutes before continuing. “He was my best friend. We knew each other since we were very young. He was only six months older than me. When we were thirteen, he asked me out, and I agreed because I had a crush on him back then. I didn’t know he felt the same way. Ever since we were together and when we were seventeen, we promised to marry each other after we graduated from high school. But he died one week later due to a drunk driver who actually survived and walked away without any serious injuries and who didn’t remember killing Jake.”
By now, tears fell from her eyes, and I felt like a fucking idiot for making her remember everything.
“I’m very sorry, my love,” I said softly, wanting to take her in my arms to comfort her, but I resisted.
“I know. Everyone is. It’s been seven years. Mama and Papa want me to move on. I want to, as well, but I don’t know how. No one ever measures up to him. Help me, Damien,” she started sobbing, and I gave in to my urge to comfort her.
“Don’t cry anymore, Adrianna dear. Tears look pretty on you, but you look more gorgeous when you are happy.” I carried her and placed her in my bed. How lovely she looked there against my black silk sheets. I shrugged off my dirty thoughts and tucked her in as she clung onto me.
After a while, her sobs subsided, and she quieted down. I made a move to leave even though I wanted to stay. However, I knew she was not herself and would not appreciate it when she was better.
To my surprise, her hand tugged on mine. “Please stay,” she said softly, almost pleading.
“Okay,” I said softly, but I was secretly pleased. I slid in beside her and wrapped an arm around her as she shifted closer to me. Soon, she fell asleep, and her rhythmic breathing lulled me to sleep as well.
Before I headed into oblivion, my last thoughts were that I had never slept with a woman in bed without sleeping with her. Adrianna was an exception that I didn’t mind.