Damien Doukas’s POV
“Caring? Thoughtful? Good-looking? Faithful? I am all of those things!” I scoffed.
“No, you’re not.” Sofia looked at me skeptically.
I glared at her. “Of course, I am!”
“Sorry to burst your bubble, brother. You are not,” Leila replied as she strutted around my apartment.
I narrowed my eyes. “What are you two talking about? I don’t have a bubble that you can burst!”
Leila held back a giggle while Sofia sighed. “It was a figure of speech, Damien. What Leila meant is that you aren’t what you think you are.”
“I am caring and thoughtful! And I can be faithful! Lastly, I am obviously good-looking!” I snapped.
Leila rolled her eyes. “Do you think about others before yourself?”
I frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Sofia sighed heavily. “For example, you want to expand your business, but you’ll be making a bunch of people homeless. Would you still expand your business?”
“Of course, I will expand my business! They can always find other homes. And when my business expands, more job opportunities will occur, and these people can work there and earn money to buy another home!”
Sofia groaned while Leila burst out laughing. “No, Damien, that’s not being caring or thoughtful.”
“What? How is that not being caring?” I growled impatiently.
“Okay, let’s say, mom and dad are going out for dinner. Mom is wearing a dress that makes her look awful, and she asks you how she looks. What are you gonna say?”
“She looks awful, of course. Lying is bad.”
Sofia looked up to the ceiling as if it could grant her patience while Leila responded, “Let’s try another. Let’s say you and Adrianna are dating, and she wants to leave you. Would you let her if it means she’ll be happy?”
I narrowed my eyes and glared at them. “What kind of analogy is that? Of course not! What the hell is wrong with you two brats?”
Leila shook her head and groaned. “He’s hopeless.”
I clenched my jaw. “Then what kind of person am I?”
“Rude, domineering, possessive, childish, arrogant—”
“Okay, that’s enough!” I interjected.
“—overbearing and conceited,” Leila finished. Sofia snickered.
“Women seem to like those qualities I have!” I retorted.
Sofia rolled her eyes. “Does Adrianna seem to like those qualities you have?”
My expression grew sulky.
“By your expression, she doesn’t. I’m not saying to totally change your personality because that personality of yours made her sleep with you. But tone it down a little and add in all the other personality traits she likes,” Sofia said calmly.
I muttered an angry curse while Leila gave me a satisfied grin. “How the hell am I supposed to do that? It is like she does not want anything to do with me.”
Sofia’s expression softened, and she said, “Just look out for her, care about what she thinks and mostly, prove to her that you can be faithful. How can she trust you when all you did with women is play with them?”
“Think about it,” Leila said as she and Sofia each gave me a hug and left.
I pressed my lips together and continued sipping from a glass of wine thoughtfully.
Adrianna Valdez’s POV
“Ah… ah… hmmm!”
A grin slid onto my face as Trevor started speaking. “Here baby,” Olivia cooed as she attempted to feed Trevor a spoonful of mashed baby food.
Trevor frowned and clamped his mouth shut. His chubby cheeks protruded out as he was pouting. “Come on, darling.” Olivia coaxed as she placed the spoon near his mouth.
“Nuh-uh!”
“Come, let me try,” Drake said as he entered the kitchen.
Olivia sighed as she passed the bowl and spoon to Drake. “Here. He refuses to eat anything except chocolate. I blame you for this.”
Drake smirked. “He’s my son for a reason, sweetheart.” He took the spoon and made it move around in the air as he made airplane noises.
“Wheeee.” Trevor started clapping, and Drake grinned. “See it tastes amazing,” and he placed the spoon in his own mouth.
I watched amused as Drake grimaced before spitting the food out. “What the fuck is this shit?” He stuck his tongue out and made a face.
“Drake! Language!” Olivia warned and fed Trevor a spoonful of the mashed peas. Trevor scrunched up his face and spat the food out.
Olivia sighed and glared at Drake. “This is all your fault! You shouldn’t have spat it out in front of him!”
Drake shrugged and made a silly face at Trevor. “Who cares? Just don’t feed him that particular shit.”
Olivia rolled her eyes and took away the baby food. “So how're the preparations going along?”
“Oh, Kaitlyn said that everything was fine; however, Laura still has an issue with the tablecloths.”
“Okay, that’s good. So what is Damien doing today?”
I bit my lip. Two days have passed since the day I gave my virginity to Damien, and he hasn’t stopped calling me.
“Um, I do not really know,” I answered.
Olivia eyed me thoughtfully before turning to Drake. “Well, do you know what’s Damien doing today?”
“Oh, he has some business to do back at his office, but he’ll be back soon.”
A little insecure and jealous part of myself was glad that Damien had not run off with his mistresses.
“Okay. Since you’re feeding Trevor, I need to talk to Adri. Girl stuff.” She gave Drake a smile before pulling me out of the kitchen and to the bedroom.
When we entered her bedroom, Olivia quickly locked the door. I froze. She could not know about what Damien and I had done. Could she?
“Adri, I need you to be my support.” I inwardly let out a relieved sigh before my expression turned to one of confusion.
“A support for?”
Olivia bit her lip before blurting out. “I think I might be pregnant again.”
I raised my eyebrows, not knowing what the problem was. “So?” Being pregnant was one of the most amazing things women could experience. Thus, why was Olivia so worried?
“I don’t think I’m ready for another baby yet. Trevor is eleven months old. It’s not that I don’t want any more children. I want more. It’s just that I don’t think I can do it right now,” Olivia said worriedly.
I pursed my lips. “You are ready. You and Drake are really good at parenting. Both of you are good parents. Trevor is blessed to have both of you.”
Olivia looked relieved. “Really? Do you mean that?” She bit her lip, and I nodded. “All right, okay, enough about me. We have to start finalizing everything, and I think the files are in the lounge. I’ll see you there in a minute or two.”
I nodded, and Olivia beamed though her smile was a little wan, no doubt concerned. Shrugging off those thoughts, I walked into the lounge to see Damien, and I observed him quietly.
Damien Doukas was everything that Jacob Henry Bertinelli was not. Damien was Greek; Jake was Italian. Damien was well built, had dark hair while Jake was blonde and lean. Jacob was kind and considerate whereas Damien was rude and arrogant. However, when Jake kissed me or touched me, there weren't any sparks like when Damien did.
And that night? There weren’t any sparks but fireworks.
I sighed silently. Could I really move on?
The question was left unanswered as soon as I realized that Damien was pulling out a chair before pushing it back in and pulling it and pushing it again and again.
I frowned in confusion. What was Damien doing?
“What are you doing?” I asked and almost hit myself for asking. I was avoiding Damien, wasn’t I?
Damien turned around before ignoring my question and stalked towards me before kissing me thoroughly. He was pressed close to me, and I could feel his erection against my stomach. I flushed at that sudden realization, and he pulled away. “Where were you for those two days?”
“Mostly at the Ford Mansion and Olivia’s house,” I answer quietly, expecting him to start an argument for leaving him again after we slept together.
Damien frowned and opened his mouth before closing it. “Would you like some help today?”
My eyes widened in surprise. I didn’t know that Damien knew the definition of asking politely. “O-okay.” I passed him two files. “Here, you can sort the invitations out.”
Damien took the two files and placed them onto a table. “Would you like to sit down and have some lemonade? Olivia’s housekeeper has prepared some.”
I blinked and rubbed my eyes to make sure I was not in some alternate reality because Damien was not his usual annoying charming self.
“Oh, all right,” I said warily and headed towards the table. Damien quickly went there first before pulling out a chair for me to sit on.
I glanced at him and cautiously sat down. Damien carefully pushed the chair in, and he sat opposite me before giving me a hesitant grin.
I smiled back at him, and he seemed to brighten up. “Here is your glass of lemonade. Would you want more sugar or ice in it?”
I sipped from my drink and shook my head warily. “No, thank you.”
I fished out my pen from my purse and started making a list for the invitations when Damien suddenly spoke up, “What do you think about the weather today?”
I frowned confused. “What? Um, it is really nice and sunny.”
“Oh, so how is your family? Do you have any siblings?” he asked
I stared at him and answered slowly, “I have an older brother. His name is Andre.”
What was going on with Damien? He was acting so strange today. His usual arrogant, domineering self was surprisingly absent. I was really surprised to hear nothing inappropriate like sexual innuendos or comments. And a strange part of me missed it.
I studied him before blurting out. “What is wrong with you today?”
Damien raised an eyebrow and asked confused, “What? What do you mean?”
“You are acting unusually… odd,” I said eyeing Damien who flushed.
Damien frowned and looked away before saying indignantly, “I don’t know what you are talking about. Let’s just continue on the planning.”
I raised an eyebrow before looking back to my paper. I smirked as a thought came to my mind. “Damien, could I ask you something?” I asked quietly while trying to hold back my laughter.
Damien looked surprised and pleased. “Of course. What is it?”
I looked down and said thoughtfully, “Should I have gone to England with Kaden?”
“WHAT?” Damien exploded as he stood up, narrowing his eyes at me.
“He asked me to go with him yesterday, but I turned him down because I have to plan Trevor’s party. Should I have gone with him?” I asked and almost burst out laughing at Damien’s expression.
Damien looked close to erupting. “What?! No! How many times have I told you to stay away from that bloody English? You’re mine! You are not allowed to go with him anywhere. If you want to go to England, you can go with me,” he shouted, and I stifled a grin.
That was the Damien I knew and come to care about, not the strange, awkward polite one.
Suddenly, Damien froze before he groaned and slumped back onto his seat. “That was not being caring or thoughtful, was it?”
“What?” I said confused.
Damien sighed defeated. “You said earlier that the type of person you date had to be caring and thoughtful. But I am not caring or thoughtful.”
My breath caught in my throat, and a smile graced my lips. No one ever tried to do something like this to gain my favor. And with sudden clarity, my question was answered.
I could move on with Damien. Damien was willing to change his personality because he cared what I thought about him and because he wanted to be with me.
No one made such an effort to just be with me. I was flattered and touched. I gave a bright smile to Damien who seemed surprised by my reaction. “So?”
“Damien, I—to be honest, I like you for who you are. You do not have to change your personality just because of me. I, um, kinda like your personality the way it is,” I admitted, and I blushed, feeling Damien’s heated stare on me.
“I was lying. Kaden did not ask me anything about going to England with him. In fact, I do not have any contact with him anymore,” I confessed, and Damien raised an eyebrow before standing.
“So you intentionally brought him up to make me jealous?”
I blushed and confirmed, “Yes.”
“Hmmm.” Damien purred as he stalked towards me. “So you are saying you want to be with me?”
I flushed and mumbled a “Yes.”
Upon hearing my answer, Damien grinned and picked me up with a cocky smirk. “So you are saying you want to be my girlfriend?”
“I-I-I… yes. But you have not brought me out for a date yet.” I flushed even more as my arms were wrapped around Damien’s neck as he carried me bridal style.
“Oh, that will not be a problem. We can go for one later.” Damien grinned at me wickedly, and I started to blush even more.
“Why not now?” I asked as Damien carried me to my room in Olivia’s home and placed me on the bed.
Damien smirked at me before slowly removing his jacket. “Because we have other pleasurable things to do right now.” His mouth landed on mine and kissed me passionately. With that, Damien showed me what those other things were.