Adrianna Valdez’s POV
“Oh dear.” I glanced at Laura who was glaring at the delivery men. “Didn’t I say it’s cream gold, not beige gold?”
One of delivery men scowled. “Hey, lady, the shopkeeper sent this. Our job is to deliver.”
Laura glared at the man. “My name is Madame Doukas, you shall refer to me as such, not a mere ‘lady’!”
The man shrunk back and grumbled to himself as the rest of the delivery men dragged back the beige gold tablecloths into the van and drove off.
“Do remind me never to anger you, Laura.”
Laura turned to me and beamed, “With you never, you’re family.”
I smiled back at her, confused. “Why do you keep referring to me as family?”
“So what are we going to do about the tablecloths? I can call the shop and demand compensation.” She changed the subject.
“I guess that will be great,” I said.
It’s been three days since my talk with Olivia, and her advice has been running through my head ever since.
Still, I avoided Damien like the plague. He was annoyed and frustrated about it, though. However, I needed to analyze these foreign feelings I had for him without him being around me to influence them.
“Adrianna darling, have you been fighting with Damien? It seems he has been sulking for a week now.” Laura asked nonchalantly as she flipped through a magazine.
I knew this was going to happen. “No, we have not. He is just displeased that I am not playing his games,” I said nonchalantly. Hoping Laura would not notice the way my cheeks flushed.
“Games? What games?” Laura asked, curiosity and interest burning in her eyes.
“Oh, nothing really. He is just really childish. That is all,” I said quickly, not wanting to discuss Damien with his mother for crying out loud.
“Ah, well, I have to say I have never seen him act this way around anyone before. You’re the first in fact,” Laura declared and continued. “You’re the only girl so far he’s really been interested in, and he hasn’t been with anyone since he met you.”
“Oh.” That was all I could say. I mean, what else do I even say? From what Laura said, I could probably guess that Damien could be faithful.
Could being the keyword
“Mother.” Damien entered the room, and I bit my lip.
Oh, great, I remained silent, my eyes completely avoiding Damien. However, I could feel his gaze burning into me.
“What is it?” Laura asked.
“I have to take Adrianna away today.” With that and before I could even process what he said, familiar arms wrapped themselves around my waist, and he carried me over his shoulder and walked out of the house. From my view upside down, all I could see was the triumph in Laura’s eyes.
“Please let me go,” I begged as Damien placed me into his car. “Where are we even going?”
“My house,” Damien said as he grinned at me and placed a kiss on my cheek. I stared at him, shocked but that small kiss made my blood heat up.
I flushed and turned away.
Once we were in his house, I hurriedly put some distance between us. Damien frowned noticing my actions before stalking closer to me. “Why did you bring me here?”
“We needed to talk. And you have been avoiding me… again,” Damien stated.
“I know it’s because of what I said. I am serious. You’re mine. You can’t be with anyone else. I do not allow it,” he continued.
“Why me?” I asked, trying to ignore the fluttering from my heart.
Damien looked into my eyes, his beautiful green eyes staring into mine intensely. “Because it’s you. You’re different.”
“I-I—”
Immediately, he crashed his mouth against mine. I tried to resist him. I really did, but I could not. I kissed him back eagerly, feeling his silky black hair at the nape of his neck. His hands were clutched tightly around my waist, refusing to let me go as his body caged me against the wall.
Suddenly, his home phone rang. “Damien, the phone,” I murmured as his lips trailed hot wet kisses down my neck.
“Don’t care,” he replied, his lips meeting the thin strap of my dress. His hands reached out to pull the strap down my shoulders when a voice called out.
“Baby, I missed you! Why haven’t you called me back? I’m dying without you!”
It was a voicemail.
Immediately, Damien froze while I stiffened.
I tried to ignore the stab-like pain in my heart and remained calm and nonchalant.
“Well, I would be going now.” With that, I walked out of his house, trying to ignore the pain.
“Wait! Adri—” I hurriedly rushed out, leaving Damien calling my name.
What was wrong with me? I should not even be feeling this way. Damien and I had not been even dating. Tears welled up in my eyes. Then why was I feeling this way… betrayed?
I sniffled and rubbed the tears away vehemently. Thank goodness, one of his whores called in time for she had made me see his true colors. After all, a leopard does not change its spots.
I pressed my lips into a thin line and sighed, what could I have expected?
“Hey, Adrianna!” I turned around to see Kaden running towards me.
Oh, god, I did not want to deal with this now. I forced a smile onto my face. “Hi.”
“Fancy meeting you here. Are you free right now? We could catch some lunch.” Kaden grinned hopefully.
“I—uh, okay.” I didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but if I had to, I will. Especially if Kaden wanted something more from me, I would have to turn him down.
“So, are you feeling better?”
I frowned in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”
Kaden grinned at me. “You left the restaurant the other day as you were unwell. Laura filled me in.”
Oh, that was the excuse Laura gave. “Um, yes. I feel better now. It must be those stomach bugs everyone is getting,” I hastily said as I quickly took a sip of my water.
“So how do you find New York? It must be pretty different from Spain,” Kaden asked.
“Yes, it's been really different. The cultures are very different,” I said casually. “Is England almost the same as New York? I have never been to England.”
I had always wanted to tour overseas, but due to my job, I was unable to tour around.
“Maybe I could be your tour guide when I bring you there!” Kaden smiled at me, his face an excited expression.
I grinned eagerly. I didn’t mind. “Really? That would really be nice—”
Before I could finish my statement, the door to the restaurant burst open, and everyone turned to see who was the crazy mad man.
As I turned around, my eyes widened to see a furious Damien stalking his way to me.
As soon as he reached me, he grabbed me by the waist and, again, slung me over his shoulder as if I was as light as a feather.
“Damien, put me down right now! I insist it, you stupid man!” I hissed in embarrassment as he started to walk out with everyone watching us.
“Let her go!” Damien turned around while I couldn’t see anything as my face was facing his back, but I knew that Kaden had spoken up.
“Stay away from Adrianna!” Damien barked angrily before throwing a fist into his cheek. I gasped when I heard Kaden’s cry of pain before Damien swung around and carried me out of the restaurant.
“Damien, I insist you put me down… right now! You have embarrassed us in public,” I said angrily as Damien stalked towards his car.
“Put… me… down.” I said each word as I hit his back angrily. Without a word, Damien put me down onto the ground. “Thank you!” I said sarcastically before Damien carried me bridal style and put me in his car. “I said let me go!”
“You only said to put you down,” Damien said with a straight face. “Stop exasperating me! Where’s your girlfriend?”
Damien clenched his jaw as he started driving. “Irina is not my girlfriend. She was a mistress I had gotten rid of two months ago but could not take a hint.”
I remained silent, not wanting to talk to him. I was still angry that he had hurt Kaden when he was sticking up for me and disgracing all of us in public.
“Adrianna dearest?”
I glared at him before turning away. “I do not want to talk to you.” I gritted out, and Damien shifted his jaw. “So you would rather talk to the English?!”
“Yes! Yes, I would.” I snapped as I faced him before turning away again. Damien growled and drove even faster. Again, he brought me to his house. I really did not want to deal with him right now, and I did not know if I could believe him about his ex-mistress.
“What am I doing here again?” I questioned, and Damien cornered me against the wall.
“I thought you didn’t want to talk to me, my darling.”
My traitorous heart fluttered at his endearment, and I scowled at him. “Don’t call me that! And you’re right. I do not want to talk to you!”
Damien shrugged casually, but I could see his emotions — lust, anger, and mischief — in his eyes.
“Fine by me. We can do other things that do not require talking.”
“Like what?” I demanded.
A devilish glint entered Damien’s eyes as he purred. “I am going to make love to you.”
My eyes widened. “Wha—?” Before I could continue, Damien kissed me hard.
His kiss was punishing, almost bruising my lips. It was as if he was trying to punish me for having lunch with Kaden.
His hands glided all over my back while mine played with his hair at the nape of his neck. His lips found the hollow area at my collarbones, and he began to nibble and suck at that area.
His hands found the zipper on my dress, and I gasped. “Damien, w-we can’t.”
Damien silenced me with his lips, and he continued to pull the zipper down. “Of course, we can,” he murmured against my lips, and he began to unbutton his shirt.
His skilled hands suddenly pulled my dress off, and I gasped at his hands touching my barely clad body.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, his eyes glancing at my body before meeting mine. His eyes were now a dark blue from lust. I couldn’t seem to say anything. I felt so feverishly hot as if only Damien’s touch could cool my body down.
He carried me to his bedroom, and I finally remembered what I had to tell him. “Damien, we can’t—”
“Shh.” He laid me gently on the bed and removed my undergarments and the rest of his clothes.
Immediately, all struggles ceased as I stared at the man above me. Gingerly, I reached up to touch his cheek and pulled his lips down to mine.
Later, when I was sated with his arms around my waist he questioned, “You’ll be my girlfriend, won’t you?”
Too tired and with my eyes drifting off to sleep, I mumbled, “Yes.”