Page 8

talie

“Time to wake up, wife.”

The words drifted through my hazy mind as I rolled over, pulling the blanket over my head and curling in a ball.

I was still so tired, I nearly let myself fall back to sleep until I realized how comfortable I was.

Then the night flooded back into my mind.

My heart stuttered, and I forced my eyes open as I sat up.

Damian was standing next to me, already dressed in another tailored suit that fit him perfectly. Fuck him for being so goddamn hot. I tensed when I realized I was in his bed.

“I fell asleep on the couch,” I said slowly.

After the shower last night, I raided his drawers, finding a t-shirt and shorts to wear since I didn’t have any other clothes here.

He told me to sleep in his bed with him, a command I absolutely refused, choosing the couch instead.

It wasn’t the most comfortable, but it was better than sharing a bed with him.

“You wouldn’t stop moving around,” Damian stated as he moved to the dresser to grab his watch. “I couldn’t sleep.”

I frowned. “So, you carried me into your bed?”

“You still sleep like the dead.” He chuckled, fixing the watchband around his wrist. “The second I put you on the bed, you finally stayed still.”

“I don’t want to share a bed with you.”

“It’s a king. You weren’t even close to me.”

“If I’m stuck here, then we need to get a bigger place,” I muttered, running my hands down my face. “One where I have my own wing, and I never have to see you.”

“Go get ready,” he ordered, changing the subject. “We have to leave in an hour.”

Ice crawled through my veins at the thought of seeing my father again. Once that happened, there was no chance of leaving again. I glanced at Damian, ready to start arguing until I met his stare. He wasn’t going to back down from this. He was hellbent on making sure I stayed.

“I have nothing to wear,” I grated out.

“Charlotte is coming over soon to bring you an outfit.”

I perked up, swinging my legs over the side of the mattress. “How do you expect me to get ready when I have none of my stuff?”

“I guess you were so busy getting naked last night that you didn’t check the drawers.” He nodded toward the bathroom door. “I had it stocked before you came. Makeup and hair stuff.”

I stared at him in shock. “You went shopping for me?”

“I knew you’d need it.”

“How long did you know I was coming to the city?”

He lifted his head to look at me. “Long enough.”

“Damian,” I snapped. “How did you know?”

“I own Club Facade, Talie,” he answered, giving me a long look. “I vet every single person who tries to get a black card. I had no intention of letting your sister get a membership.”

“Apparently you changed your mind.”

“Only because I remembered how important her birthday was to both of you.” He paused. “You two would talk for hours, planning your birthdays. I had a feeling you wouldn’t miss her twenty-first. I was right.”

I blew out a breath, anger washing through my veins.

There was no point in even fighting with him because it wouldn’t change the outcome now.

He leaned against the dresser, watching me as if waiting for my outburst. I didn’t give it to him, storming to the bathroom instead.

After locking the door behind me, I opened the drawers, finding he had been telling the truth about stocking everything.

The makeup was all top-shelf and brand new.

There was also a curling iron and pretty much anything else I needed to do my hair.

I muttered a curse, slamming one of the drawers shut and resting my palms on the counter.

The weight on my chest was growing by the second.

I was in the exact spot I tried running away from five years ago.

I’d be expected to look perfect. Act perfect.

Especially when meeting with my father. He was going to be less than happy when he saw my dyed hair.

I would rather be anywhere else than going to this lunch, but I still grabbed the brush to fix my hair. Damian was going to drag me there one way or another, and I didn’t want to start off this little reunion by pissing off my family or his. Especially if I really was going to have to stay here.

An ache settled in my chest as I carefully applied my makeup. I’d found a life I enjoyed when I was overseas. It wasn’t upscale or paid by the millions, but I loved it. Now it was fucking over.

After curling my hair, I pinned it into a loose bun, staring at my reflection with a frown.

The light makeup and updo was nothing short of boring.

Usually, my eyeshadow was as bright and colorful as my hair.

It wouldn’t be accepted here. I felt like I was being swallowed up by my past, living like my family wanted instead of what I wanted.

“Talie?” My sister’s voice filtered through the door.

I pushed off the counter, quickly unlocking the door, and pulling it open. Char was standing near the kitchen island, her glare pointed at Damian’s back as he poured a cup of coffee. Draped on the barstool next to her was a garment bag, with a pair of heels on the floor.

“Char,” I said, crossing the room, pulling her into a hug.

“Your husband thinks I’m going to try to break you out,” she mumbled, loud enough for Damian to hear.

“I k now you were going to try that,” Damian responded, turning around to look at us. “Natalia is free to do what she wants—after this lunch.”

It didn’t matter. I couldn’t leave without my purse, which was still securely locked in his damn safe.

“You know she never wanted this,” Char snapped, her anger surprising me. She was usually the level-headed one of the two of us.

“Then she shouldn’t have married me five years ago,” he retorted. “I’m the one who had to put on a show for the families about being happily married. That’s done.”

“Not done,” I corrected him, pulling away from Char. “We still have to pretend even if I’m here. Because we’re not some happy couple. We never were, and we never will be.”

Damian’s eyes glittered dangerously as he rounded the counter, tugging me into his chest. I lifted my chin, glaring at him when his gaze met mine.

“Who were you pretending for when you joined me in the shower last night?” he murmured. “You seemed pretty happy to be touching yourself in front of me.”

I could feel Char’s stare on me, but Damian caught my chin in his grasp, forcing my eyes to stay on him.

“I’m still fucking furious that you stole my money from me,” he said in a low voice as his gaze dropped to my body. “But feel free to steal my clothes whenever you’d like. Pretending or not—I can’t deny how good you look as mine.”

Fuck. This man’s voice was so damn addicting. His confidence had only gotten hotter in the last five years. I was sure his work at the club helped. If he wasn’t Damian Valentin, the man who lied to me all those years ago, he would be the exact kind of guy I’d fall into bed with.

But as alluring as he could be, I knew it was all an act. He wore a mask better than I did in this world, and when he wanted something, he did whatever was needed to get it.

I refused to let him get into my head again. No matter what he said or did.

Char cleared her throat, breaking the tension. “I brought you a dress. And heels.”

“Good,” I answered, tugging my face from Damian’s hold. “Because wearing his clothes has my skin crawling. I need to go shopping for my own stuff later today.”

“We’re leaving in ten minutes,” Damian said, turning to grab his coffee. “The car is already downstairs. You’re welcome to come with us, Charlotte.”

I rolled my eyes as I grabbed the garment bag. He was perfectly polite to everyone except me. Though, from the scathing glare my sister was giving him, she wasn’t falling for his charm. She grew up with him too, but didn’t spend as much time with him and his two friends like I did.

“I need to make a call,” Char said, grabbing her purse off the counter. “I’ll meet you downstairs, Talie.”

I nodded, muttering a goodbye as she walked toward the front door. The second she was out of sight, I grabbed the hem of Damian’s t-shirt, tugging it over my head. His sharp intake of breath proved he was watching, and I quickly shimmied out of his shorts, which left me completely naked.

“Natalia.” My name rolled off his tongue as a warning, but I ignored it as I slowly unzipped the bag to pull out the black dress.

He stayed behind me, his stare was burning through me as I slipped into the cocktail dress.

It landed right above my knees, and the sleeves went down to my elbows.

There was padding in it, and I was relieved it didn’t need a bra since I didn’t have one.

The fabric covered me above the collarbone, making sure no cleavage was showing.

It was exactly the kind of dress my father approved of.

The kind I absolutely hated. I reached behind me to zip it up, but fingers wrapped around my wrist, preventing me from touching it.

He pushed my arm away before there was a small tug when he grabbed the zipper.

“Do you plan on getting naked in front of me often?” he asked, his voice rough. He began to zip up the dress painstakingly slowly.

“Is that a problem?” I asked sweetly.

He didn’t respond, but his free hand suddenly brushed my bare back where he hadn’t zipped it yet. I resisted the shiver jolting through me when his fingertips trailed up my spine.

I’d seen his reaction when I stepped into the shower last night.

He might despise me because of what I did, but sexually?

He wanted me. And I planned to play it up as much as I could.

I could tease him until I drove him absolutely crazy.

If he wanted to force me to stay, then I could make him regret it.

“I think you can only do this for so long until you work yourself up so much that you won’t be able to control yourself,” he murmured, his breath on the back of my neck, making goosebumps spread over my skin.

“When that happens, I’ll be the one you’ll be begging for.

You’re not the only one who can play this game, Talie. ”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m trying to get dressed. Though, I guess I’ll have to go without panties today.”

He finished zipping up the dress, and once his hands left me, I spun around. His gaze trailed down me, the heat in them impossible to miss.

He cleared his throat. “We don’t want to be late. Let’s go.”

His words reminded me of what we were doing, and I scowled as I stepped into the matching black three-inch heels Char brought me. I wanted to scream. To argue. But none of it would do any good. Damian had his mind made up, and this lunch was happening.