Page 24

damian

I really fucking hated Percy Collins.

I detested him before now, but he only made it worse by bursting in on me and Talie.

She dropped her guard when I had her on the table, and I’d been hoping to open up a conversation where we could make this marriage tolerable for both of us.

More than tolerable—I wanted to make our relationship work.

Something I planned to talk to her about during dinner.

But the second we got interrupted, I witnessed her walls shooting back up.

Any talk I wanted to have wasn’t going to happen now.

“What do you want?” I clipped out, crossing my arms as I stayed near the door.

“Wasn’t she away at school?” Percy asked, ignoring my question. “I wasn’t aware she was home.”

“Why would you be aware of that?” I asked, letting my eyes grow cold as I stared at him. “She has nothing to do with our business. Stay the hell away from my wife, Percy. Or we’re going to have problems.”

His face flushed, his lips pressing together. He wanted to act like he was some kind of head boss, when in reality, he was a seedy motherfucker who would be nothing if he wasn’t leeching off me. I couldn’t wait for the day I could cut him the hell off from everything.

“You should take that as a compliment,” he snapped. “Having a woman like her on your arm is gold in this world.”

I flexed my fingers, sucking in a deep breath to stay calm. He’d love it if I swung at him. The amount of money he could drain from me to cover up an assault charge would put me back in fucking debt.

“She should work in the club,” he continued, his eyes darting to the door where Talie had exited. “She’d turn heads in all the right ways.”

“This is the last time I’m going to say it,” I forced out through clenched teeth. “My wife has nothing to do with business. She won’t be working at the club. You won’t be talking to her. So fucking drop it. Tell me what you want or get the hell out of my home.”

His eyes glittered, a smirk tipping up his lips. I’d just revealed that Talie was a way he could get under my skin. Let him try. He wouldn’t get close to her—I’d make sure he never even spoke to her. I didn’t trust him with business, and I sure as hell didn’t trust him around Talie.

“I want to expand,” he drawled, swiping a hand through his hair. “We should open another club.”

“No.” My answer was sharp as I glared at him. “You and I will not be expanding on anything.”

He scowled. “It would be a great opportunity to double what we’re making now. Don’t let your personal thoughts cloud your judgment, Damian. You’re a businessman first.”

A cold laugh escaped me. “I am. Which is why I’m declining. Let me make something perfectly clear—I will never sign a contract with you again.”

“Maybe I’ll open one myself.”

I arched an eyebrow. “You want to be my competition? While still taking money from my business?”

“ Our business,” he hissed, anger seeping into his voice.

I strode forward, enjoying how he shrunk away as I got in his personal space. My pulse was hammering, absolutely despising how much hatred I had for this man.

“Club Facade would be nothing without me,” I said, my voice cold. “I built that damn place?—”

“With my money,” he cut in, lifting his chin.

“I paid you back over a year ago,” I growled. “What the hell are you contributing to the club now?”

“I bring smart business decisions.” He stumbled over his words. “You need me?—”

“No, you need me .” Reaching into my back pocket, I grabbed my wallet.

“You want to start your own club, Percy? Let me be your first investor.” I plucked a hundred-dollar bill out, slapping it against his chest. “Good luck. You’ll never have the success Club Facade has.

I made it what it was. Without me, you’ll have another failed business that men will talk about behind your back. ”

“I’m very successful,” he snapped, his face turning red. “Watch yourself, Damian.”

I laughed. “Watch for what? You have nothing on me. You need me to keep Club Facade as successful as it is. You can’t fire me.

Unfortunately, we’re partners. Never come to me asking about a second club again.

My answer won’t change.” I turned and strode toward the door, swinging it open.

“Don’t come to my house again, Percy. You’re not welcome here. Talk to me at the club.”

He grumbled something under his breath, dropping his eyes to the floor as he rushed past me.

Sliding my hands in my slacks pockets, I followed him down the hall, making sure he left my house.

Once the front door slammed shut after him, I spun around and stared down the hall toward the kitchen.

I’d told Talie to go upstairs, but highly doubted she listened since ignoring me seemed to be her favorite pastime.

I tried to force the entire conversation with Percy out of my head as I wandered toward the kitchen. I hoped he abandoned the idea of wanting to open a second club. He’d never be able to do it without me, and there was no way in hell I would ever entertain that idea. I wanted him out of my life.

“Damian.” Harry closed the refrigerator, looking at me once I entered the kitchen. “Did I not bring enough food into the dining room? Your wife was just in here grabbing another plate.”

“You did,” I said, giving him a small smile. “It was delicious. We had an unexpected visitor. You wouldn’t happen to know where Talie went?”

He nodded toward the back door. “Outside.”

“Thanks. Have a good night, Harry.”

I spotted her the second I stepped onto the large patio.

Instead of sitting at the table where we had the seafood dinner the other night, she was on one of the lounge chairs with a plate of food on her lap.

There was no way she didn’t hear me walking toward her, but she continued to eat as she watched the sun lowering in the sky.

I dropped onto the lounge chair beside her. “You can go back into the dining room to eat.”

“Why?” she asked, still not looking at me. “You want to finish what you started? Sorry, Damian. I’ll stick to your books and my toy if I need to get off again.”

I inhaled a slow breath, watching her take the last couple bites of her food.

My conversation with Percy didn’t even last long, but it had given her enough time to close back up.

Once she finished eating, I leaned forward to snatch the plate before setting it next to me.

Talie’s eyes cut to me, a frown on her face as I stood up.

“What are you doing?—”

“I did finish what I started.” I swung my leg over the chair she was on, watching her tense. She bent her legs, crossing them as I lowered myself down on the cushion, facing her. “Watching your eyes roll from the pleasure I gave you will play on repeat until I do it again.”

She straightened up. “It’s not happening again. I told you this marriage started as a business transaction, and that’s how it’ll stay. Sex isn’t part of our contract. Feel free to wrap your hand around another woman’s throat.”

My pulse thudded as I worked to control my facial features. Instead of rising to her bait, I changed the subject.

“Did you explore any other part of the house besides my library?”

She searched my face, questions in her gaze. “Yes.”

“Did you see the empty room next to my office?”

“I did,” she answered slowly.

“It’s yours.” I let my hands fall on her thighs when she moved to stand. “No games, Talie. I wanted you to have a room like I have my office. Use it for whatever you want. Or claim any other room in this house. You want your own space, you have it.”

Distrust lined her face. “What are you doing?”

I sighed. “We’re both here, Talie. For good. I don’t want to spend the rest of our lives fighting.”

Her eyebrows scrunched as her stare burned through me.

Silence dragged on, the crickets chirping away as I let her process my words.

My hands stayed resting on her legs when she didn’t push me away.

I’d been wanting to have this conversation all week, and she wasn’t leaving until it happened.

Things needed to change, and neither of us were leaving the patio until we made peace.

I decided to do this the nice way first.

“Sylvia told me something interesting,” she finally murmured.

“Told you what?”

“How you bought this house three years ago. You told me you bought it before we got married. Why?”

I masked my surprise, choosing my next words carefully. “Would you have believed me if I told you when I bought it?”

“I don’t know. But I want to know why you did.”

“I bought it because you loved this house. It was your dream to live here.” I squeezed her thighs, watching shock flit across her face.

“I might be furious with how you left and stole from me, but I knew you’d be back.

We’re married . We’re with each other through the good and the bad.

It’s been bad. I want some good. So, I bought the house because I knew you wanted it.

I waited to decorate so you could make it the home you want. ”

Her lips parted, but not a sound came out as she listened to me.

We’d been going back and forth ever since she came home.

While I was enjoying the games we were playing, her anger was simmering beneath the surface.

If we didn’t talk about it, things would escalate, and then none of it would end well for either of us.

“Where is this coming from?” she asked with a roll of her eyes. “Did eating seafood scare you that badly?”

I chuckled. “By all means, Talie, please keep up your little pranks. But be prepared for payback. I don’t want you to change. I only want to wipe out the past. Let us start fresh.”

“No.”

Her answer was firm and instant.

I frowned. “Talie?—”

“There is no starting fresh when we’re still living a life I ran from five years ago.

” There was no resentment in her voice, but a hint of hopelessness.

“What’s changed, Damian? You work for the family business.

My father and yours are already trying to make sure I obey their rules.

Nothing has changed—and nothing will if we stay here. ”

Before I could respond, she shoved my hands off her thighs, jumping to her feet. Without sparing another glance at me, she strode inside the house, closing the door behind her. I sighed, scrubbing a hand down my face.

I’d hoped this conversation would have gone how I wanted it, but Talie wasn’t bending. Our next talk would go differently.