Page 24

Chapter twenty-four

~ DAMIEN~

Lexi stands there, topless, her expression halfway between a smirk and excitement. It’s the kind of look that might’ve amused me once, back when I didn’t give a shit about consequences. Now, it just pisses me off.

I look down at her tank top in my hand and toss it at her chest.

“Put that fucking thing on.” My voice is sharp, every word clipped, the edge in my tone hard enough to cut through stone.

Her smile falters, and she catches the tank top mid-air. “Wow, you wanna play rough tonight, big boy? I like that.”

“I’m not in the fucking mood for this.” I straighten, looming over her, my fists clenched. “I’m going to ask you again. How did you find my house? Who let you through the gates?”

Lexi’s grin slides back into place, sly and teasing like she thinks this is a joke. “Oh, I love it when we roleplay—”

“Lexi,” I cut her off, stepping back like I need the space to keep from completely losing it. “How. Did. You. Find. My. Fucking. House?”

Her smile wavers again, the confusion starting to creep in. “What do you mean? You guys told me to come here.”

My entire body tenses, the words settling like ice in my chest. I narrow my eyes. “Who’s you guys ?”

Lexi tosses the tank top over her shoulder instead of putting it on, cocking her head like she can’t believe I’m asking.

“You and Rowan, dummy. He said both of you would be here for a little fun with me. You know, like the old days.”

The old days. Fuck the old days. My jaw tightens, anger simmering just beneath the surface.

“ Rowan told you to come here?”

“Damn right, he did.” She grins again, this time with a hint of triumph. “Apparently, he kept my number. He texted me and said it was going to be a night to remember..”

Her words hit me like a sledgehammer. I can feel my pulse pounding in my ears. Rowan texted her .

“And you didn’t think for one goddamn second that maybe this wasn’t a good idea?” My voice rises, the disbelief and fury blending together.

Lexi shrugs, completely unfazed. “To be honest? I thought you’d be pissed about the whole picture thing—”

“The picture thing ?” I ask, cutting her off again.

“Yeah,” she says, rolling her eyes like it’s no big deal. “The one I sold. The one of you and that girl on the ice. What’s her name again? Abby? Anna?”

“Avery,” I grit out through clenched teeth.

“Right. Her.” Lexi shrugs again, a smug smile playing on her lips. “Honestly, I thought you’d be mad, but when Rowan texted, I figured he wasn’t holding a grudge or anything. You guys must have a pretty open thing going on with her.”

I freeze, my fists tightening at my sides. “What the fuck did you just say?” She thinks Rowan is with Avery. Jesus Christ.

Lexi tilts her head, giving me an innocent look that’s anything but. “Well, I mean, she’s hot and all. No wonder y’all mess around with her, but if you’re into girl-on-girl action, I’m sure she could join us—”

The sound of my fist slamming into the wall cuts her off. She jumps, her eyes wide as she stares at the crack in the plaster.

“Shut the fuck up,” I growl, my voice low and lethal. My chest heaves with the effort of holding myself back. “Put your goddamn shirt on, Lexi. Now.”

My attention is already moving past her to the window.

And that’s when I see him.

Rowan. Standing by his living room window. Arms crossed, smirking like the asshole he can be when he’s in the mood to make someone’s life a living hell.

My teeth grind together, the knot in my chest tightening. The pieces fall into place so fast it makes my head spin. He set this up. He wanted Avery to see this. My pulse pounds in my ears as I glance up at Avery’s window, my stomach twisting when I spot her through the crack in the curtains. She’s sitting on her bed, her knees pulled to her chest, her shoulders trembling.

She looks absolutely broken.

Oh, baby, no. No, no, no.

It feels like someone just drove a knife through my ribs and twisted.

I whip back around to Lexi, my fury reaching a boiling point. “Get your shit and get off my property.”

Finally, she obeys, slipping the tank top over her head, her lips pursed in a sulk. “Jesus, Damien, no need to yell. You’re no fun anymore.”

“Fun?” I laugh, bitter and sharp. “That little stunt with that picture is gonna cost you. Look at me.” She does, her eyes cautious. “I’ll make sure you never set foot inside the Panthers’ headquarters again. So, spare yourself the embarrassment and don’t even try.”

“All this just because Rowan forgot to tell you about our arrangement?” She places her hand on her hip, her phone already in hand, calling an Uber.

“Oh, he didn’t forget,” I mutter, waiting by the front door. Lexi’s as safe out there as she is inside. This whole place is a fortress, with guards everywhere. The most dangerous thing that could happen is a mosquito bite. She’ll be fine. Yet, I still wait for the Uber’s headlights to come before turning toward my house.

Lexi’s stiletto heels echo off the pavement, and she disappears into the car. I slam the door shut so hard the whole frame shakes. My pulse is hammering, my fists clenching and unclenching at my sides. I don’t bother taking a breath to calm down. I don’t want calm.

I want Rowan’s head in a vice, and I’m standing in his living room in under a minute, the door slamming behind me with enough force to rattle the windows. He’s there, leaning against the back of the couch like he’s been waiting for me, one arm slung over the top, a smirk plastered on his face.

“That was a quick fuck. Well?” he drawls like he’s already won. “Did you two have fun?”

His tone. His fucking tone . It’s gasoline, and my chest is already an inferno.

My blood boils at his smug face.

“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that?” I growl, stepping toward him.

“What’s the matter, Damien? Didn’t like your little surprise?” His smirk doesn’t waver.

“Surprise?” I laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “You’re unbelievable,” I snap, my voice sharp. “You think this is funny?”

His shit-eating grin widens, infuriatingly casual. “What’s the big deal, man? She looked like she was enjoying herself. Lexi’s always been good at—”

I lunge forward, and he stands, his smirk vanishing as I shove him back into the couch. “You don’t get to fucking joke about this, Rowan,” I say, my voice low and venomous. “You don’t get to send people to my house and pretend like this is some kind of game you want to win. You’ve lost your bloody mind.”

Rowan straightens, brushing off his shirt as if my shove was nothing, but his eyes are sharper now, colder.

“I don’t know what you’re so mad about. It’s not like you haven’t fucked her before,” he counters. “Just like my sister—”

“Don’t you fucking dare play the victim,” I snap, cutting him off. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” I can feel the last thread of my control snapping. “You just shattered your sister’s trust for no reason but to get back at me. How the fuck do you justify that?”

That makes him flinch—just barely.

His jaw tightens, his fists clenching at his sides.

“I did what I had to do. I won’t let you fill her head with bullshit, Damien. She doesn’t need someone like you screwing her up.”

“You’re the one who screwed her up.” I point a finger at him. His jaw tightens, but he stays quiet, watching me. “I saw her, Rowan,” I grind out. “Through her window. Curled up on her bed, sobbing her fucking heart out because of you . Do you have any idea what you just did to her?”

“Don’t,” he warns.

“Don’t what?” I snap, stepping closer, refusing to back down. “Don’t tell you the truth? Don’t make you face the fact that you broke your own sister’s heart to prove some shit point that couldn’t be further from the truth? That you hurt her just to take a swing at me? What kind of sick shit is that, Rowan?”

His fists clench at his sides, his breathing heavy, but I don’t stop.

“You think you’re protecting her? Is that what you’re telling yourself? That this is for her own good? Because what you’re doing isn’t protection. It’s sabotage. It’s fucking cruel. And it’s not about me; it’s about you . About your goddamn pride and your need to control everything around you.”

“Shut up,” he snaps, his voice cracking like a whip.

“No.” My voice rises, raw and unfiltered. “I won’t shut up. Because you’re my best friend, and you need to hear the truth. I’m in love with her, Rowan, and I don’t give a fuck if that makes you hate me. You can throw your punches, you can send Lexi, you can send a whole damn brothel, do whatever you want to me, but you crossed a line the second you dragged Avery into this.”

“You are the one who dragged her into it.” Rowan takes a step toward me, his eyes flashing. “You’re not a saint, Damien,” he shoots back, his voice sharp. “You’re the opposite.”

“Not with her,” I snap, my chest heaving. “Never with her. She’s not a conquest, Rowan. She’s it for me. And if you weren’t so blinded by your own immaturity, you’d see that.”

“Immaturity?” He steps closer, his voice rising.

“Yeah,” I fire back, not missing a beat. “Because what kind of man uses his sister’s heart as a weapon? What kind of brother manipulates her, makes her doubt herself, just to get back at someone else? You’re not protecting her. You’re punishing her. For what? For falling in love with me?”

Rowan freezes, his fists still clenched, his chest rising and falling like he’s holding himself back.

“She’s not in love with you,” he growls.

“You want to hate me for it?” I step closer, my voice quieter now but no less fierce. “Fine. Hate me. Blame me. Fight me. But don’t you dare take it out on her. She deserves better than this.”

The words hang in the air, heavy and unrelenting. For a moment, Rowan doesn’t move, doesn’t speak. Then he takes a step back, running a hand through his hair, his jaw clenched so tight I’m surprised it doesn’t crack.

“You’re wrong,” he mutters, but the fire in his voice is gone, replaced by something quieter. Something that almost sounds like doubt.

“No,” I say, my voice steady. “I’m not. And deep down, you know it.”

He doesn’t respond, and for the first time since I walked in, the silence feels like a victory.

“Fix this, Rowan. For her. Because if you don’t, you’ll lose her. She’ll retreat even further away. And that’s on you.”

“So, you think you’re the guy for her?” he asks mockingly. “You’re no good for her, Damien.” He laughs. “You know it. I know it. Hell, she probably knows it. You’re not the kind of man who sticks around. You go through women like they’re disposable, and now suddenly, you think you’re boyfriend-material? For my sister?” He shakes his head, laughing bitterly. “I did what was inevitable. I ripped the fucking Band-Aid off before you could break her heart and leave her for dead like you do with everyone else.”

His words hit me like a sucker punch, and for a second, I just stand there, stunned at how far off the mark he is. Then, the disbelief burns away, replaced by pure, unfiltered rage.

“You’re out of your fucking mind,” I snap, stepping closer. “Is that what you’re going to tell yourself to sleep at night? That you’re saving her from me? From the big bad wolf?”’

“Call it what you want,” he bites out. “But someone has to protect her.”

“There it is again.” I bark out a laugh, sharp and bitter. “You’re not protecting her, asshole. You’re treating her like she’s some fragile doll that’ll break if the world so much as breathes on her wrong. She’s stronger than you give her credit for. Stronger than you, that’s for damn sure. And she deserves more than this bullshit you’re pulling.”

“You don’t get to talk about what she deserves.” Rowan takes a step forward, his voice rising. “You’re not even capable of giving it to her! You think I’m going to stand by and let you drag her into your world? A world of scandals, arrests, and women who are nothing but a one-night stand?”

“What does the man for Avery look like in your eyes? Huh?” I snap, my voice rising to match his. “What’s your fucking checklist? Prince Charming? Some perfect little saint who’s never gotten his hands dirty, never made mistakes? Who doesn’t have his face splashed across the tabloids every other week because he’s boring as shit and has nothing to hide?”

Rowan doesn’t answer, but his silence is louder than anything he could say.

“Guess what?” I continue, my voice lowering but no less fierce. “That guy doesn’t exist. And even if he did, it wouldn’t matter, because she didn’t. Choose. Him. She chose me . Me, my past, and all the messy, fucked-up shit that comes with it. And you know why? Because Avery’s not some delicate little flower you need to keep locked in a cage. She’s brilliant, Rowan. Strong. Independent. And you’re so blinded by your own issues that you can’t even see it.”

Rowan’s face twists, and he looks like he’s about to respond, but I cut him off, stepping closer, my voice dropping to a lethal edge.

“You think you’re the good guy here? The hero? You’re not. You’re just a man who’s so terrified of losing control that you’re willing to destroy the one person you’re supposed to protect. You didn’t save her tonight, Rowan. You shattered her. You want to talk about who’s no good for her? Take a good, long fucking look in the mirror.”

Rowan’s fists are shaking now, his knuckles white. “You don’t know what it’s like to have to look out for her,” he snaps, his voice cracking with the weight of his emotions.

“You’re right. I don’t know what it’s like to be her brother. But I know what it’s like to love her, just like you do. And as of tonight, I know what it’s like to see her broken because the one person she thought would always be in her corner decided to fuck her up instead. So yeah, I’m not perfect. I’ve fucked up more times than I can count. But the difference between us? I’d never hurt anyone like that on purpose. I’d never destroy her just to make myself feel better. Can you say the same?”

Rowan stares at me, his chest heaving, his face a storm of anger and something else, something that looks a hell of a lot like guilt.

For a long moment, the room is silent except for the sound of our heavy breathing. Then I step back, shaking my head.

“I’m in love with her, Rowan. And whether you like it or not, I’m not going anywhere.”

My pulse is still hammering, and my blood is still boiling, but I’ve said all I need to say. Anything more, and I might actually throw a punch, and I don’t want that. Not for Avery’s sake, and not because Rowan doesn’t deserve it, but because she’s already been through enough tonight.

A soft sound gets my attention.

A quiet intake of breath.

My head snaps up, and I freeze.

There she is. My beautiful girl.

Avery stands at the top of the stairs, her silhouette framed by the dim hallway light. Her hands grip the banister, her knuckles pale, and her lips are parted as though she’s trying to catch her breath. Tears stream down her face, catching the faint light and making them shimmer like drops of glass.

Fuck.