Page 42 of Daman

I shifted my weight closer to the edge of the bed to put more distance between us. Gods knew what I’d do if I didn’t get a hold of myself.

“What’s your deal, Warrin?”

Hearing my name leave his lips caused my heart to skip a beat. “My deal?”

“Am I not hot enough for you or something?” Daman frowned. “It’s our wedding night, and you’re sitting as far as you can away from me.”

“I… That’s not—”

“Are you having second thoughts about choosing me?”

“No.”

“You’re probably used to fucking guys bigger than I am. More muscled. More attractive.” Daman gritted his teeth, and shadows swam in his eyes. “Guess you should’ve chosen Raiden to marry you instead. Or Bellamy.”

Envy had hold of him. This bitterness… the doubt… it was all because of the sin he carried.

“Daman.”

He looked at me.

“Stop,” I said, aching to touch him but refraining from doing so. “My hesitance has nothing to do with you. I…” I swallowed to wet my throat, as it suddenly felt like I’d been sucking on sandpaper. “I’ve never done this before.”

Little by little, the shadows left his eyes. But questions took their place. “Done what?”

Remembering what Bellamy told me earlier, I tried not to let my nerves get in the way of me telling him the truth. He would find out anyway when my inexperience became obvious.

“I’m a virgin.” The whispered words were so quiet I wasn’t sure he’d even heard them.

“Wait… huh?” Daman scooted closer and faced me as he sat crisscross. Something about it was endearing. “Are you shitting me right now?”

“I shit you not.”

That made him laugh. The bitterness lifted from him in an instant. I noted the crinkles at the edges of his eyes as he smiled. Was that the real Daman? The version of himself he’d be had he not been born with Envy.

“You’re really a virgin.”

“Yes.”

“Like no one’s ever fucked you? Penetrated you at all?” The more questions he asked, the more he smiled.

It made me smile too, but damn if I knew why. “No one’s fucked me. I haven’t fucked them either.”

“What about touching your dick? Sucking it? Jerking you off?”

I shook my head.

“Seriously?” The way he smiled right then nearly took my breath away. I’d never seen him look so unburdened—free from Envy’s twisted grip. “How is that even possible?”

“My chastity belt.”

He snorted. “Oh my fucking god, Warrin. Was that a joke? Is the world ending?”

“It was a joke, yes.” I linked my fingers in my lap, my thumb finding the pad of my palm and applying pressure. It shocked me probably as much as it’d shocked him. Jokes weren’t my thing. “I’ve never met anyone I wanted to be intimate with. Training my warriors and protecting my kingdom was all that mattered.”

Daman’s smile fell a little, but the warmth remained in his eyes. “You really have dedicated your entire life to the army. Body and everything.”

“Yes.”