Ally…

I woke suddenly in an unfamiliar but luxurious bed, the sound of clattering dishes and the dishwasher door shutting wresting me from my nap.

More like blissed out coma, my inner voice corrected me and I smiled. I stretched, deliciously sore as I twisted from my stomach and sat up. I blinked in surprise as Damien, sexy as hell in just a pair of black cotton lounge pants came through the door bearing a tray.

“Welcome back,” he said with a devilish smile and I felt an echoing one curve my lips.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

He shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, you needed it and you weren’t out long. An hour, maybe two.” He lifted his chin to indicate I should get comfortable. I pushed my hands flat against the mattress and dragged myself up and back against the headboard. He set the tray across my lap and sat down by my hip. I felt my mouth drop open in surprise.

A petite cut of steak, roasted vegetables, and a small salad graced the plate. A glass of sparkling water and a single rose in a fluted vase finished the tray but then I froze when I spotted the simple white business envelope. Precisely like the one that had nearly torn us apart with its presence.

I opened my mouth but he stopped me with an, “Ah before you say anything, this one is different… it’s not like the rest. Just open it.”

The food momentarily forgotten, I picked up the envelope, and he was right. It was thicker somehow, fuller than any that had come before. With some trepidation, I tore off one end carefully and slid a sheaf of paperwork out of it, unfolding it so I could read.

I blinked and looked up at him in shock, dropping my eyes back down to the page and reading and rereading it in disbelief. It was paperwork from my grandmother’s care facility. The open balance had been paid, what’s more? The forwarding balance for the next year had been paid as well.

I felt tears brim my eyes and I looked up at him. He didn’t know my grandmother. Why would he do this?

He smiled a little sadly, and I realized I must have voiced the question. He reached out and cupped my cheek gently, stroking a thumb along my skin in a light, reverent touch.

“I didn’t do it for your grandmother, Bright Eyes. I did it for you.” He sighed and looked reluctant for a moment, slightly wistful when he went on to say, “I’m afraid there’s some bad news that comes along with it,” he said. “You might not want to thank me just yet.”

I felt my heart seize in my chest and asked, “What?”

“You’re fired, Ally. I can’t be caught dating one of my employees and if I’m going to take you out for real…” he watched me gravely, letting the thought trail off, his eyes guarded and his expression stone.

I covered my mouth with my hand in an attempt to catch my laughing sob, and careful of the tray in my lap, held my arms open, begging him to hold me. He laughed too, and put his arms around me, holding me tightly. He drew back and tucked my hair behind my ear and said, “It was the only thing I could think of to fix this, to make it right between us and clear the air.”

“I’ve never been so happy to be fired in my life,” I said and we shared excited happy grins.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t be too broken up about it,” he confessed.

“I can’t believe you would do this for me,” I said with wonder and I let my eyes rove the paperwork one more time.

“Eat your dinner, Bright Eyes. I told you, I take care of what’s mine.” He kissed my forehead, and drew back saying gravely, “You’re mine, aren’t you?”

I nodded, knowing precisely what he meant and it didn’t feel creepy or overbearing at all. If anything, it felt safe. Damien Parnell knew the meaning of consent, and we had had a long talk before I had drifted off to sleep, listening to his voice as he explained some of the world he had come from.

To be from his family, you would think it was a real life Cruel Intentions. I had said as much and he had chuckled without mirth, a bitter, angry sound and said, “They had to get the idea for the movie somewhere. East coast high society was certainly it.” I’d kissed him then, trying to dispel the dispassionate tone, abolish the mantle of discord that had settled over him so suddenly and completely.

I was beginning to understand precisely why he was so guarded and it broke my heart. There were entirely too many sets of circumstances in which to grow up and become hardened and callous in today’s world. It made my heart hurt. The fact that Damien had grown up under such circumstances, yet still remained able to be so tender with me… I do believe in miracles. I see small ones in this city, at the projects, every year.

“Try the steak, before it gets cold,” he urged. I smiled and cut into it.

“Medium rare, how did you guess?”

“I didn’t,” he said chuckling. “I just fixed it how I liked, figuring I could always cook it more thoroughly if I needed to.”

“Where is yours?” I asked and he chuckled.

“Was starving, I ate already, but you needed the sleep. Eat up, it’s a school night. I’ll drive you home. What were your plans for Friday?” he asked.

“Well, you see, I thought my boyfriend might take me on a date somewhere.”

“Smart man,” he said smiling. “I certainly wouldn’t waste a Friday night with you. Dress casually; we’re going to the 10-13 to hang with some of the guys.”

“Sounds nice,” I said softly, the fact he wanted to take me back there, introduce me as his, causing butterflies in my stomach. I didn’t think I would ever get tired of the sensation. Nor did I think he would ever not cause them. They took flight now, just by the way he was looking at me.

“I plan on taking this slow, Ally. Treating you right…” he said gently.

I nodded and chewed carefully, “I like the sound of that,” I confessed.

“Good girl,” he whispered and kissed my forehead reverently. I completely loved when he did that. It was just everything.

I finished my meal which was one of the best I think I had ever had and took my time getting dressed. Damien threw on a hoodie over his bare chest and shrugged his feet into some sneakers.

“I want you to keep the keys and the code,” he told me when he handed me my things that had been left behind. I nodded and he said, “Come whenever you want, whenever you need. Okay?” I nodded again.

“Let’s get you home, as much as it kills me to say that,” and he pulled me close for another one of those amazing forehead kisses that made my eyes drift shut and the whole world fall into perfect place.

He drove me home in his big Escalade and when he pulled up to the curb, he sighed, frowning at the Point Side.

“Text me when you’re in your apartment with the doors locked. I need to know you’re safe.”

I smiled gently and agreed, “Okay, but I’ve lived here my whole life. They know me, and I know them. I’ll be fine.”

“I know, but it’s the Point Side, Bright Eyes. I’ll never be comfortable with letting you go in there as long as you’re mine.”

“I know, but it's fine, really. It’s where I live,” I said firmly.

“Right.”

He leaned over the center console and kissed me and I was reluctant to have it end and to go. He drew back and I smiled, though it felt brittle.

“I’ll see you soon,” I promised, and he sighed.

“Just have to get through the work week hustle,” he agreed and didn’t sound at all happy about it.

I slid out of the SUV and looked back, murmuring, “In case you didn’t know, I love you too,” before I shut the door behind me and took the walkway quickly before I lost the nerve to leave his side completely.

I am a strong, confident, modern woman. I reminded myself. Now, forward march, Ally.

Still didn’t stop me from turning back to look before I had to round my grandmother’s fountain garden to go through the doors into the building. He was watching me, the dome light dimming and going out until I couldn’t see him anymore. I went inside and quickly to my apartment. As soon as the locks were in place, I texted obediently.

I’m inside, safe & sound.

He texted me back a heartbeat later with Good girl. Sleep well.

I smiled and sighed happily answering, I will, you too.

Sleep came surprisingly quickly that night and I was on a high for the rest of the week, even though it seemed to drag abominably slow. On Friday, Damien came into the café and when I handed him his coffee said, “Come over to my office after work, I drove today. I’ll take us where we need to go. I don’t like the idea of you taking the bus.”

“Okay,” I murmured and blushed faintly when Millie fixed me with an impressed gaze and smile. I hadn’t planned on that. Didn’t realize that he wanted me around where he worked. Also, I had planned on going home and changing, but that wasn’t nearly as big of a deal. I had some money set aside for a thrift store run and might be able to come up with something cute there that I could quickly wash and dry at his place before we went out.

I blushed harder the more Millie wouldn’t stop looking at me, and as soon as the café was mostly clear, she came over to me, wiping her hands on her apron with an eyebrow raised. I blushed again even harder and wouldn’t meet her eyes when I mumbled, “He fired me first, okay?”

She laughed derisively and said, “Seriously? He fired you so you could see him?”

I looked at her and said, “I want to see him too, so it’s not even like that.”

“Oh, honey, I didn’t mean to upset you,” she reached out and put a hand on my arm and I swallowed nervously.

“I really like him, and I know he likes me, too. I guess I just didn’t think that the suspicion and that would start so soon…”

“I’m sorry,” she said dismayed and sighed. “He’s just a very powerful man in this city and –“

“I’m just a poor girl from the Point Side. Yeah, I know.” I put my hands to my face and pressed my fingertips into my eyes, stress washing over me and through me. We’d both been afraid of how it would look since the beginning, had managed to fool one another into believing that it wouldn’t be so bad, but apparently, our initial assessment of people’s reactions was on point. Frustrating. Especially that it was coming from Millie.

“I didn’t mean it like that, Ally.” She had the grace to look embarrassed, but we both knew that wasn’t exactly true. Still, it was Millie, and I knew her heart was in the right place. Her judgment came from a place of concern, not malice.

“I’m going to make us some coffee and then you are going to tell me all of the good things, like how this came to be. I believe some perspective, specifically yours is in order,” she said with a smile.

“Basic white girl special?” I asked.

“One pumpkin spice white mocha coming your way,” she agreed and I smiled.

I took one of the two person tables by the front window within easy reach of the register and espresso machine while Millie whipped up our drinks. She brought them over and took a seat across from me while I carefully edited some things in my mind. I wasn’t about to give away any of Damien and mine’s secrets. Some things were best left private, and privacy was something that, despite our extreme differences in demographic backgrounds, we could both appreciate.

I told my other boss, and honestly, Millie was like a second best friend next to Dawnie, who was already caught up by this point. Except where Millie got the edited version, Dawnie not so much. Of course, I didn’t tell either of them anything that Damien wasn’t okay with me sharing. I’d discussed things with him and he had been reluctant on a few points but ultimately he had sighed on the other end of the line and asked me if I trusted Dawnie and when I’d told him absolutely, he’d acquiesced.

I understood. Again, despite the differences in our backgrounds, much remained the same. Whether it be high society or the slums of the Point Side there was one universal truth to both of them. Be careful who you told what. It could and would be used against you to another person’s gain. Also, it didn’t necessarily have to be true, either. We were determined to keep it short and simple. As far as the world at large needed to know, Mr. Parnell had been charmed with and fallen for the girl who made his coffee in the morning. The other details weren’t relevant, but if they came to light, it could be potentially damaging to him professionally.

People loved gossip, especially if that juicy bit of gossip involved a sex scandal surrounding a prominent public figure such as the city’s star ADA.

Millie looked at me across the small table where we’d spoken in hushed tones after I laid all of this out and her shoulders dropped. She shook her head in wonder and said, “Ally Cat, I love you, my dear girl, and sometimes you break my heart with how wise beyond your years you’ve needed to be.”

“Thanks, I think,” I murmured and took a sip of my drink.

She chuckled and patted the back of my hand. “Most definitely that was meant as a compliment. You’ve been handed a very poor hand in so many ways, yet you’ve borne it all with such grace. You wear the weight of the world on your shoulders like a set of wings, dear girl.”

I stared at her for a moment, a little wide-eyed. Her final compliment catching me off guard, my eyes misting from it. It was quite possibly one of the nicest, most beautiful things anyone had ever said to me.

“Oh no! Don’t cry!” she came around the table and hugged me and I told her how I felt. She smiled and pulled back and said, “And that’s what ultimately matters, that you’re happy.”

I was happy. Happier than I could remember being not just in a long time, but ever.