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damian

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the screen.

I was supposed to be working on next month’s schedule but hadn’t gotten shit done.

It was past three in the morning, and I’d been sitting here for hours, obsessing over where my wife was.

I shouldn’t be. She made it clear she had every intention of keeping her life separate. It was driving me crazy.

My phone rang, and I picked it up from my desk, seeing Ashton’s name. I frowned, wondering why he was calling so late. He was supposed to be at his cousin’s bachelor party, tonight which was why he wasn’t working at the club.

“Everything okay?” I asked when I answered.

“Depends on how you take the information I’m about to give you,” he said, nerves in his voice.

I stood up, rounding the desk to pace the floor. “What’s wrong, Ash?”

“For the record, I feel shitty for doing this for more than one reason,” he muttered. “I don’t like snitching. But you deserve to know.”

My stomach knotted. “Know what?”

“We were at a club, celebrating, and I spotted your sister-in-law,” he said slowly. “She was with some friends. I kept an eye on her through the night just to make sure she was good.”

Anger brewed in my gut before he even finished talking. If he saw Charlotte, then he saw Talie, and if he was anxious to tell me, then it meant my wife was doing something she wasn’t supposed to.

“Talie is with her tonight. What was she doing?”

“That’s the thing.” He sighed. “Talie wasn’t anywhere the entire night. Not with Char or her friends. But then we were outside, waiting for the car, and I saw Talie appear before getting into a limo with Charlotte.”

I froze. “You didn’t see Talie in the club?”

“Not once. She wasn’t in there with her sister. But they met up after. So whatever your wife is doing, she wasn’t hanging out with Charlotte.”

Rage lined my veins, my grip on the phone going painfully tight. “Thanks for telling me.”

“Don’t flip out on her,” Ash warned. “You’ll only make it worse. You told me how you’re trying to make things work with her. If you demand answers, you’ll push her away more.”

“I know how to stay calm,” I gritted out through clenched teeth. “I have to go. When did they leave the club?”

“A few minutes ago.”

Depending on traffic, it would take them a half hour to get back to Charlotte’s apartment. My club was slightly closer.

“I have to go,” I said as I grabbed my jacket from the back of my chair.

“Damian—”

“I’m only going to ask her where she was,” I cut him off. “Don’t worry.”

He still cared for Talie since we all grew up together, and even though she left five years ago, he still considered her a friend. But he had loyalty to me, which was why he called.

I hung up and stormed out of my office. By the time I got to my SUV, my nerves were shot.

Where the hell did Talie go tonight? She lied to me.

I really should have seen it coming. But the thought of her possibly being with another man had me seeing fucking red.

I didn’t care if our relationship was nonexistent—my jealousy was raging.

Something I never felt for another woman.

Only Talie. As much as that annoyed me. She stole from me and ran, yet my feelings never fully disappeared.

Since she’d come back, they were slamming back into me.

I tore out of the parking garage, glad the traffic wasn’t too bad at this hour. My fingers were tight around the steering wheel, my imagination running wild about what Talie did tonight.

The minutes ticked by as I drove through the city, every red light further agitating me.

I wanted to make it to Charlotte’s place before they got there.

I turned onto her street, scanning the line of cars parked outside her building.

There was one open spot on a red curb, but I parked there anyway, not giving a shit if I got a ticket.

I pulled out my phone, almost calling her.

But then I spotted a town car pulling up, stopping near the entrance.

Charlotte appeared first, and then I watched as Talie got out.

Her skintight dress had my dick twitching even as rage slid through my veins.

She looked absolutely stunning. The fabric reached her mid thighs, and when she turned around, I got an eyeful of her cleavage.

I had no issue with how she was dressed—it was the fact that I didn’t know if she was dressed for another man that had my anger spiking.

Pushing open the door, I crossed the street. Both Char and Talie turned around, hearing my footsteps. By the time I was in front of them, they were staring at me in shock.

“What are you doing here?” Talie hissed in a low voice. “It’s four in the morning.”

I opened my mouth, but not a word came out. I didn’t want to explode, making this worse, but it was taking all of my self-control not to demand she tell me where she was.

“Damian,” Talie snapped, pulling me out of my head. “What are you doing here?”

I cleared my throat. “We have breakfast plans I forgot about. Family obligation.”

“What?” Her frown grew. “With who?”

“My parents.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie. I did have breakfast plans with my parents, even though I wasn’t going to make Talie go. But the words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. She crossed her arms, staring at me defiantly.

“I’m spending the day with Char tomorrow,” she ground out.

I blew out a breath. “I need to talk to you—alone. Can you excuse us for a second, Charlotte?”

“Uhh—yeah,” she muttered, giving Talie a look. “I’ll see you upstairs?”

“Yes,” Talie responded firmly. “I’m still spending the night like we planned.”

After Charlotte entered her building, I stepped closer, watching her tense. She was openly glaring at me, anger brewing in her eyes.

“Where did you go tonight?” I blurted out, unable to hold back anymore.

“Out with Char.”

“Where?” I growled, my patience waning.

“Why?” she shot back, lifting her chin. “You’re not my keeper, Damian. I can go where I please.”

“You can,” I agreed slowly. “As long as you’re not doing anything that falls back on me. I don’t need my father or yours on my ass because of things you’re doing.”

Her face paled slightly, which instantly set me more on edge. She was hiding something. I sucked in a long breath, steadying my nerves.

“You weren’t with your sister all night,” I murmured, barely keeping my voice steady. “Where were you before leaving the club?”

Her eyes popped open wide. “What are you doing? Spying on me?”

“You really thought you could go out at night near the Upper East Side, and no one would recognize you?”

“I did nothing wrong,” she snapped.

“Ash was in the club, Natalia.”

Silence dragged on between us as she searched my face. I frowned, confused by her reaction. She wasn’t displaying guilt like I expected. If anything, she looked almost sad.

“He saw me in the club?” she muttered bitterly.

I cocked my head, unsure about what to say. I didn’t care if she went out with Charlotte. If she danced or had a good time. The image of her with another man was the reason I was standing on this sidewalk at four in the damn morning.

“He saw you leaving with Charlotte,” I admitted quietly.

I nearly regretted saying those words immediately because her entire demeanor changed. The worry covering her face faded, and a confident smile took its place. Whatever she was hiding, she realized I didn’t know what it was.

“Ash saw me get in a car and he went running to you?” She scoffed. “What a surprise.”

“He saw your sister all night in the club, but not you,” I accused. “Where were you?”

“None of your business.”

I scowled. “We don’t need rumors circulating that you’re having an affair. Were you with a man?”

She laughed lightly. “You might be my legal husband, but I told you before—my personal life is mine . I don’t need to tell you anything.”

Why was my wife so damn infuriating? And why the hell did some part of me enjoy when she riled me up? There was no doubt I was furious about her lying to me, yet seeing her standing up for herself made me proud of her after seeing how her father raised her.

“Clearly, there are no rumors since it was only Ash who saw me,” she continued when I didn’t answer. “I must be doing a good job at keeping my actions quiet since you have no idea what I was doing. Don’t worry, whatever I do, I’ll make sure it stays secret.”

“That’s not what I meant?—”

“If anything,” she interrupted me, “you’re the one who’s going to cause rumors. Showing up at four in the morning to argue with me on the sidewalk? A little stalkerish, don’t you think? Live your own life, Damian. I know I will. By doing whatever—or whoever I want.”

Her words made me snap. She’d been home long enough to know that sleeping with anyone other than me was not fucking happening.

“I told you the other night—I want you to be happy,” I said, my voice hushed to keep my words between us.

“Spend time with your sister? Go have fun anytime you want with her. Don’t want to plan business dinners?

Fine, we’ll eat out. But one thing I won’t do?

” I leaned closer, my eyes narrowing. “I won’t sit back while you sneak out at night to be with another man. ”

She jolted in shock when I grasped her chin to keep her close. Her eyes gleamed with fury, and I knew without a doubt I would come to regret these words at some point. But right now, my mind was too far gone to care.

“I told you to walk away if this isn’t the life you want,” I continued gruffly.

“You’re still here. I will do whatever I can to see you enjoying life.

Except watch you go find pleasure in another man.

I don’t care that you’ve been gone for five years.

Or how you pretend to hate me. That is one thing I won’t fucking do. You’re mine .”

Her body was rigid, but after a moment, she relaxed in my hold, a sinful smile spreading across her face.

She let out a humorless chuckle. “Oh Damian. I haven’t slept with anyone since I’ve come home. But if I did? You wouldn’t know. No matter how much you try to keep tabs on me.”

My jaw clenched. “Natalia?—”

“I’ve told you I’ll live whatever life I want whether I stay or leave,” she cut me off sharply. “You dictating what I do will blow up in your face. So stop trying.”

Tearing herself from my grasp, she spun on her heel, storming away before disappearing into Charlotte’s apartment building. I stayed completely still, forcing myself not to go after her. Not that I could—I didn’t have the door code to get into the damn lobby.

“Fuck,” I muttered as I headed back to my SUV. Usually, I took control of all conversations, but when it came to my wife, she knew exactly how to push my buttons.

I didn’t care if she saw our marriage as nothing but a contract. I wanted to know what the hell she was up to.