Enthralled

By Alannah Carbonneau

OceanofPDF.com
 Copyright 2013 Alannah Carbonneau
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may
not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this
book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each
recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was
purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own
copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

OceanofPDF.com
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
Author Note

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 1
Daman
"I have something to tell both of you." My heart was racing and my
voice was gruff.
"You've joined a convent?" Dace joked and Ella waved a batter-
covered spatula at him in warning. He grinned proudly at her as she rolled
her eyes, trying and failing to act angry. I never believed in women being
game changers—but that was exactly what Ella had been for my younger
brother. Dace had been an unapologetic manwhore without a conscious.
Ella had waltzed into his life as though she had always belonged there and
within days he'd been wrapped around her little finger. I would blame it on
the girls cooking—because damn—the girl could put one hell of a meal
together. But I knew her cooking wasn't the winning factor. It was just her.
Dace fell for her before he ever brought her home to live with us. At first,
I'd been suspicious of the beautiful brunette Dace brought home—but over
time she'd grown on me. Now I loved her. I thought of her like a little sister,
and it was a good thing—because my baby brother was making the woman
who was currently flipping a pancake my sister in law. I couldn't wait for
the day. Not only would it be one hell of a party—but it was proof that
throughout all the shit happiness was still possible.
"I'm not joining a convent, Dace." I shook my head incredulously at
him. Since meeting Ella, he'd developed a sense of humor. I still didn't
know what to take of it. "I'm moving out."
Ella spun around and her deep brown eyes were wide. "Pardon me?"
She blinked. "You're moving out?"
"Yeah," I nodded, feeling almost sheepish. I decided to try my cards at
a joke—I should have known better. "Call it a pre-wedding present."
"We don't mind you being here." She looked to Dace who was leaning
back against the counter beside the stove. His colored arms were crossed
over his bare chest and he was watching me intensely. Ella continued. "We
don't mind him being here do we, Dace?"
Dace shook his head, his eyes narrowed on me. "Not at all."
I set my hands on the counter. "I appreciate it—really I do." I
shrugged. "But I've already bought a place."
 Dace raised a brow. "You have?"
"I'm not a total schmuck," I frowned. "What do you think I've been
doing in your basement?"
"I didn't think you were saving money." Dace replied honestly. It was
obvious I had shocked him. I didn't know whether I saw it as a compliment
or offense.
"Well, I have been." I linked my fingers, creating a giant fist with both
hands. Damn, I was nervous. I hadn't even been this nervous when I told my
father I was moving out at nineteen.
Ella barged back into the conversation full force, breaking my train of
thought. "Does this have to do with a girl?" Her eyes were twinkling.
Recently, she had been encouraging me to date. I think she thought I needed
saving—but I was just fine the way I was.
"No."
A small pout claimed her lips and Dace cocked his head. "This
wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Gracie is coming home,
would it?"
"Who's Gracie?" Ella asked eagerly.
My heart stopped. I swear to god, if it weren't attached to pulmonary
veins or whatever the hell they called that set-up in my chest—my heart
would have fallen into my foot. Gracie was coming home? Fuck.
"You didn't know, did you?" Dace asked. His tone was almost gentle. It
was weird to hear coming from my emotionally detached brother. He
chuckled and the Dace I knew was back. "You had no fucking clue?"
"Does it look like I knew?" I ran a hand through my hair, breathing out
measuredly. I felt as though I was moments away from losing my mind.
"When?"
Dace shrugged. "I'm not sure. Dad just told me last week."
"Why didn't you tell me?" I growled through tightly clenched teeth.
How the hell did something like that slip his fucking mind? Gracie had been
everything to me. When my mom passed, she'd been the only one to hold
me together. Admittedly, I focused everything on her—all my emotion and
pain. There was a strong possibility that it had been too much for her
because she'd decided to go to school thousands of miles away. Thousands
of miles away from me. She'd asked me to come with her—but she knew
before asking that I couldn't leave. I couldn't leave Dace and Jack, my
father, with the club. I explained that I wanted her to go. And I did. I
wanted her to have the career she had always dreamed of. I wanted her to
have the life. I thought I would get over her—but I never did. It wasn't for
lack of trying. I'd fucking tried to fall for other women—but I couldn't.
Gracie was it for me. She owned my heart and although I had shared my
body—I never once shared my emotions. They were hers.
"I thought you knew, Daman." Dace peeled himself from the counter.
"It's been six years, man. Tell me you've gotten over her?"
Ella's eyes flashed between Dace and myself. I could see she was
piecing it together—but she wanted confirmation regardless. "Who is
Gracie?"
Dace looked over his shoulder at her. "She was a girl Daman dated."
Ella looked at me and her eyes were gentle as she spoke. "I think she
was a girl he loved."
Hearing those words spoken aloud was like being woken from a good
dream with a bucket of ice water. It was fucking alarming. Deplorable.
Twisted. How in the hell could I still be so hung up on her? She was just a
girl. Just a girl who broke my heart and shattered my trust.
I turned my back on them, walking quickly to the door. Ella called out
to me. "Where are you going? I made pancakes."
"Yeah Daman," Dace called. "It's Thursday—Angel always makes
pancakes on Thursday."
I paused at the base of the stairs. "I know," I looked at Ella. "I love
your pancakes, El. But I gotta get outta here and clear my head."
She nodded with that understanding smile on her face. That smile was
one of the reasons I loved her. Dace was a lucky guy. "I know, Daman."
With those words of understanding, I bolted for the door.
***
Gracie
These streets were familiar. I thought that after six years, coming home
wouldn't have been so difficult. But it was. And I should have known.
Daman Demi had been a constant in my life since I was just a little girl. His
father and mine were best friends. Every weekend I spoke to my father on
the phone and he updated me on the Demi brothers—although I heard so
much more about Daman. I felt as though I still knew Daman even though I
hadn't spoken to him or seen him in six years. I might not have spoken to
him—but damn if I didn't miss him. My throat felt tight as all hell as
memories floated unbidden through my mind. Memories where deep blue
eyes and black hair lived.
I cursed, tightening my hands around the wheel of my little peacock
blue Nissan Versa Note. It was one of the cheapest cars I could buy off the
lot. And I freaking loved it. It suited me.
I signaled onto the block Impact stood on—the club Daman owned—
and thoughts of him came rushing back to me like a freight train. My heart
felt tight in my chest and my breaths were shallow. Even the country radio
station couldn't capture my attention and that was a feat to be reckoned.
I shook my head as I thought of the way Daman used to hold me on
our rock by the river that streamed through the city—it had been our place.
We went there to just be. I'd been so deeply in love with him and he'd
crushed me. He'd grabbed hold of my heart before shredding it ruthlessly. I
should hate him for what he did to me—but I didn't. I was just hurt. Still.
Obviously, six years hadn't been enough time to heal me of my scars.
I pulled into the parking lot of Impact and felt my nerves sizzle inside
me. Why in the world had Gabe—my father—insisted on meeting me here?
I knew I'd acted unfazed whenever he'd spoken about Daman on the phone,
but I'd been a ruin on the inside. This was going to take all the restraint I
had inside of me to walk through those doors and I could only hope I didn't
see Daman. I couldn't freaking handle that.
I leaned my head back against the headrest and prayed for calm. It was
useless. I couldn't concentrate on calm when all I could see when I closed
my eyes were the deep blue pools I'd once loved. Damn, this whole ex thing
was hard as all hell. I wished now that I would have tried dating again. But
I'd been so focused on my degree that I couldn't seem to find the desire or
time. It wasn't that I hadn't been asked—I just never accepted. When most
of the girls in my class had been out partying and living the university life,
I'd been sitting cross-legged on my bed staring down at the glossy ink
printed onto the page of my text. My hard work and unbreakable focus paid
off because unlike most of my classmates, I'd graduated with a job offer.
Coincidentally—in the one city I didn't want to be. The City Zoo had
offered me a part time position I simply couldn't refuse.
My iPhone rang loudly against my passenger seat where I'd thrown it
facedown when I'd gotten into the car and I flipped it quickly, instantly
seeing my father's name on the screen. "Hello,"
"Where are you?" His voice was gruff.
 I answered on a sigh. "In the parking lot."
"You aren't just sittin' out there, are ya?" My dad was a smoker and
you knew it as soon as he opened his mouth. Surely, his lungs were blacker
than all hell and his voice was raspy. Still, he had no intention of quitting.
"No." I sighed. I totally was. "I just got here."
"Well, come on in. I haven't seen you in a long time." He sighed. "Miss
you, Kiddo."
I didn't bother explaining to my father that I wasn't a kid anymore. I'd
always be his kiddo. There was no point in arguing against the title.
However, he was right about one thing. We hadn't seen each other in a long
time. Dad didn't travel and I'd never seemed to grow the balls I needed to
come back here. Until now. It had been six years since I'd seen him. It was
going to be weird. "I'm coming."
"Good." With that one grumbled word, he hung up. That was just like
him. Dad was blunt as a brick to the head—but when he was on your side
you knew you were safe.
I flicked down my visor to look in my mirror. My dark auburn hair
looked like it always did. It was wavy and long, reaching down to the
middle of my back. My brown hazel eyes were wide and framed in long
dark lashes. My skin was paler than usual and I knew the lack of coloring
stemmed out of fear of seeing the man who broke a part of me I didn't seem
to have hope of repairing.
On a sigh, I slammed my visor into place and kicked open the door of
my car. The summer sky was a brilliant hue of orange and pink—a result of
the setting sun. I wondered if the club was even open. It was only 9:00pm.
That seemed just a little early for a club to open its doors, but I shrugged as
I walked closer to the entrance, pulling on the hem of my lightweight
knitted brown cardigan. My style had changed drastically since I'd been
eighteen and living in the Alberta city. I'd long since traded my leather for
cotton, my converse for flats, my belly shirts for conservative camisoles. I
wasn't the girl I used to be. I was a woman. A twenty-four year old woman
who had changed—morphed into someone else in pursuit of forgetting who
she'd once been. And I liked the me I now was.

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 2
I walked into the club and felt a long unsteady breath leave my lungs
as I scouted the dim space for Daman. Thankfully he was nowhere in sight.
Maybe, if I were really lucky he wouldn't be here at all. Maybe I could get
away with being in the city for a few weeks before I ran into him. It was a
good possibility—it wasn't like I was going to be hanging around the club
for long. I had a job I was due to start in a few days and I was certain my
time would be spent at the Zoo where I would start my lifelong desire of
monitoring the habitats of the animals the Zoo housed. I'd always longed to
be a zoologist—and at twenty-four—my dream was becoming a reality.
I shook the thought of work from my mind as I spotted my father and
his oldest friend, Jack, sitting at a table tucked into the wall. The two
recluses that they were made me smile. They were probably gossiping away
like old women.
Gabe spotted me and his eyes glazed over with fatherly joy. "Gracie!"
"Hey Dad," I smiled as he pulled me into his large arms, holding me in
a hug fit for a grizzly bear. "You're crushing me."
He chuckled, releasing me. "Sorry, Kid." His hazel eyes, so familiar to
mine, looked me up and down. When he spoke his voice was gruff. I
couldn't exactly tell if he was impressed or not. "You've changed."
I nodded. "Just the clothes, Dad."
He cocked his head. "I never thought I'd see you in," he gestured to my
cardigan before grinning unsurely. The man was almost sputtering.
"Where's your leather?"
"It's summer." I informed, trying to swallow my need to laugh. "It'll
stick."
"The heat's never stopped you before." Gabe argued before looking to
Jack for backup. "Have you ever seen my daughter in whatever the hell that
woolly stuff is?"
"Thinking back on it," Jack shook his head. "I don't believe I have."
I rolled my eyes. "You two are worse than a coven of sharks." I
accused, eyeing Jack with warning. "Are you going to hug me, or what?"
A wild grin split Jack's face and his deep blue eyes glittered with mirth
as he stood. They reminded me of Daman. My heart skipped a beat, feeling
almost swollen in my chest. Jack didn't notice, and if he did, he didn't
acknowledge my sudden stiffness as he pulled me into his arms. He kissed
the top of my head and settled large hands on my shoulders. "I'm so happy
you're home, Kid."
"I'm happy I'm home too." I replied. And the shock of it was that I
really truly was happy to be home. Being here felt—right. The thought
filled my throat with emotion and it was all I could do to swallow it whole.
Jack's eyes enlarged for a moment as he gazed over my shoulder. I felt
my stomach tighten as every hair follicle on my body stood alert. I knew
without looking who stood behind me. I'd always been able to feel him.
Ever since we were kids—I always knew when he was in the room. I felt
him on an almost ethereal level. And this time was no different. Six years
hadn't been long enough to sever the invisible tie that held us together and
as I turned slowly to face the man who'd shattered my heart—I wondered if
eternity would be long enough to dull the connection that seemed to thrive
between us.
I felt my eyes lift to his involuntarily and my heart jumped right up
into my throat. It blocked my airwaves—literally. Cobalt eyes were staring
down at me from where he stood leaning against the bar and I felt warm
under their intense gaze. It was penetrating. It always had been. Finally, I
found the ability to take in the rest of his appearance. Damn—the boy was
hot. Or, I supposed he wasn't a boy anymore. I eyed him up and down and
my breath hitched. Daman Demi was very much a man.
A shadow of scruff lined his hard jaw and his lips were set
determinedly. His ebony hair was tousled—as though he'd run his fingers
through it too many times. Thick arms were folded over a muscular chest
and his legs were crossed lazily at the ankle. His jeans were dark and his
shirt was black, but that wasn't what caught and held my attention. For
some reason, the large silver belt buckle at his waist had my mouth
watering and my palms sweating. His hips were narrow, but his legs were
strong. He had a build the Gods would be jealous of.
I sifted my brain for images of the Daman I'd known—and I came up
with a kid, that in comparison to the man before me now, looked scrawny
and lanky. The man before me was all lean muscle and tan skin. He oozed
sex appeal.
"Gracie," a deep voice sounded from full lips and I fought the shiver
travelling along my spine at the sound of my name on his lips. When I
didn't reply—because I couldn't—he peeled himself from the bar to saunter
confidently across the space standing between us. His eyes searched my
face and I felt my skin heat in response. "How have you been?"
My throat felt dry and it was a freaking miracle when I found the will
to speak. I had to keep to pleasantries—because the sex God I was standing
before was in no way what I'd been preparing myself to face. "I've been
good. And you?"
He cocked his head and my heart leapt. His eyes were fixated on my
lips. Oh, holy hell—there was no way in hell he was going to kiss me. Not
in front of our fathers! That would be absurd—but there was a significant
part of me that really couldn't give an iota if he did. At the thought, I almost
felt his lips on mine as memories of such actions flooded my mind.
I shifted uncomfortably, clearing my throat. Daman's eyes flickered up
to mine. "I'm alive," he shrugged. "Tell me, what made you decide to come
home?"
I glanced over my shoulder and found Gabe and Jack staring
shamelessly at us. They looked like two old hens watching their favorite
soap opera. I couldn't believe I was my father's entertainment. How sad.
"I got a job." I said as I released a breath I hadn't even noticed I'd been
holding. "I start soon."
"How soon?"
"Um, a few days."
He nodded, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the stubble on his chin
in thought. "You have a place to stay?"
"Yeah," I threw my thumb over my shoulder. "With dad."
Daman's blue eyes flickered to where the men sat and his jaw
clenched. Had he just noticed they were with us? Had he forgotten we were
in a club—his club—and it was filling with more and more people with
every minute that ticked by? He finally spoke. "You know his apartment is
only one bedroom?"
I didn't know that. Dad hadn't told me. I looked to Gabe and raised a
brow, "There's only one bedroom?"
He shrugged sheepishly. "I like the couch, Kid."
I shook my head with a sound that couldn't decide whether it wanted to
be a laugh or a sigh. "Wow," I nodded more to myself than anything as I
tossed the thought around in my head. "Well, I'm sure I'll be able to afford a
place of my own soon."
 Daman's lips twitched at the corners and I wondered if he was trying to
bite back a laugh. It really wouldn't surprise me if he thought my awkward
situation was funny—where I was without a doubt intruding on my father's
life. That would be just like the Daman I remembered.
I was about to forget the mature woman I'd grown into and tell him to
shove it, when he spoke. Shocking me speechless. "I've got a room you're
welcome to rent." He shrugged at the wide-eyed stare I couldn't seem to
discard. "If you want to."
Was he insane? Did he not know he'd broken every ounce of trust I'd
ever had in the male species? Daman Demi had been everything to me and
I'd shown him my feelings in a way that meant something to me. Sex was
not something easily discarded for me—and it certainly was not an act
committed without love. I didn't believe in one night stands. I had never
believed in one night stands—and Daman Demi knew how I felt in regard
to such actions. I believed him when he vowed to love me always—and I'd
loved him in the way I planned to love the man who would be my forever
and always. I'd given him my body and my heart. And he'd walked away
from me only a short week after—with a pitiful explanation. I'd asked him
to move away with me. I'd told him I would stay and go to school here if he
wanted to stay—but he didn't want any of it. After a night of passion I never
believed I would regret—Daman Demi showed me that love is heartless and
I was just a foolish believer of fairytales and the overdone happily ever
after. I was wiser now.
I cleared my throat and hardened my eyes. There was no way I was
falling into Daman Demi's trap again. His web was stickier and more
difficult to disentangle oneself from than any other I'd ever encountered.
Once you had a taste of Daman—you couldn't seem to forget it much less
accept something not quite as sweet. I'd come to the conclusion years ago
that Daman had ruined me. "I think I'll pass. But thank you for the offer."
***
Daman
I could see by the way she looked at me that I was in her black books.
When she first spotted me, I recognized her nervousness. I could literally
smell her desire as her eyes scanned my body and that was all the
confirmation I needed to fuel my determination to mend the relationship
we'd had that shattered. Her resolve toward me was strong and I would have
to work diligently to prove to her that I was not going anywhere and I
wasn't letting her leave. She was in my line of sight. She was only an arms
length away from where she belonged—against me. She would fight my
bulldozing ways, of that I had no doubt. But I refused to turn away from her
again. I'd spent the last six years regretting the moment I let her leave. I
should have manned up and gone with her—I hadn't seen that until now. Or
maybe I hadn't been able to admit it to myself. Maybe she'd hurt me just as
badly as I'd obviously hurt her, because I could see by the weary light of her
eyes, that she no longer held an ounce of trust in me. The woman had
trusted me with her life for years. She'd been my best friend before she'd
ever weaseled her way into my heart. And I swear to God, once the woman
got in she let her poison seep through every damn nook and cranny of my
heart—because the thing beat for her and her alone. I'd learned what living
without her entailed and I wasn't about to condemn myself to that life again
without one hell of a fight. So Gracie could kick and scream against my
being there at every corner she turned, but I had a feeling that persistence
would win me a spot beside her and I wasn't about to quit.
I could practically see her fear as she stared at me with her arms
crossed over her chest. The action stemmed out of a need to defend herself.
I'd never understood why she did that. She knew how to fight better than
most men—her father had trained her well. If she fisted those little hands,
most men who knew anything about running for their lives would sprint for
the hills. But Gracie had never been the violent type. She'd always watched
the underground fights with a book in her bag and when the crowd cheered
there was a fifty-fifty chance her hazel eyes would flicker up from the page.
The only time I'd ever known her to watch without disruption was when I
fought. I liked to tell myself she watched because I was a damned machine
—but I knew that wasn't the reason. Gracie watched my fights because she
feared for me.
When the words I think I'll pass fell from those sweet lips, my
determination spiked. "If you change you're mind," I gestured around the
club that was surprisingly full of people. "You know where to find me."
"I won't." She stated bluntly. "Change my mind, that is."
I nodded. "That's what you think now," I looked over her head to
where our fathers sat together. When my mother died and Gracie's mother
ran away with another man, Jack and Gabe stood together—their friendship
stronger than ever. I didn't have that kind of friendship with anyone but
Dace, my younger brother. But since finding Ella, I didn't see him nearly as
much. I missed him but I didn't mind. Ella was really good for him. She
brought him back into the land of the living rather than the pitiful existence
he'd entertained before her. I couldn't wait for them to get married.
Gracie interrupted my thought. "I know, Daman."
I felt my eyes move over her face and I knew this new image of her
would be seared into my mind. Gracie had changed. She wasn't the same
girl she used to be, but I didn't mind. It meant I would have to get to know
her all over again.
I wanted to reach out and run my hand along the side of her face.
Instead, I fisted my hands tight. "I'll see you around, Toots."
Her eyes widened and her jaw clenched. I'd gotten to her. "Don't call
me that, Daman."
I frowned, feigning confusion. "Why not? I've always called you
Toots."
"When I was ten." She rolled her eyes. "I'm twenty-four."
"I know how old you are, Gracie."
"Then drop the childish name, Daman." She pounded her hands onto
her hips and I felt my heart race again. Anger. She was angry—but I didn't
care. I just wanted her to feel. Anything. If I made her feel—she would
think about me later.
"You know I'll never drop it, Toots." I winked, waved brusquely at
Gabe and Jack before turning on my heel to walk away. I wanted to stay
with her forever, but I didn't want to overstay my welcome. I knew she
wasn't ready to let the conversation drop—and I wanted her to want more
when I left. Maybe then she'd be a little warmer the next time we met.

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 3
Gracie
I rummaged through the suitcase feeling annoyed that after a week of
being here, I was still living like a traveller. Gabe was still sleeping on the
couch even though I'd offered him his bedroom. I knew I should have been
scouring the net for a low rent apartment, but I just couldn't bring myself to
do it. I hadn't even powered on my laptop. Despite the fact that I really
wasn't ready to admit it—I knew the reason I wasn't looking for a place.
It was because I couldn't get Daman's offer out of my mind. The
stupid, hopelessly romantic woman that I was wanted to believe Daman and
I could go back to the couple we'd once been. And even though I knew
better—I was smarter than that—I just couldn't seem to discard the idea. I
wanted to live with him. It was silly and would probably do more harm than
good, but damn, I wanted it. Maybe, just maybe I could live with him and
build a friendship—completely platonic? Oh hell, who was I kidding? I
snorted a laugh as I tossed a shirt from the suitcase onto the bed. There was
no way I could live under the same roof as Daman and not jump his bones!
The man was the epitome of sex and when it came to him, I had the
restraint of a chocolate addict staring at a triple chocolate cake.
My cell phone buzzed against the bedside table and I stood from my
hunched position over the suitcase to swipe the phone from the surface. A
number I didn't recognize glowed on the screen and I swiped my finger over
the glass to read the text.
Considering a roommate yet? I glared at the words I knew were
Daman's. Fate's trickery was cruel. I'd just been thinking about the striking
beast of a man.
How did you get my number? I was lucky we were texting. Through
text I could feign indifference and there was no way for him to call me out
on it. The man affected me like no other, but he didn't need to know that.
Just the thought of his smoldering blue eyes—and there was no possibility
for me to be truly indifferent. He hadn't spoken to me in a week, but I'd
thought of him every day. As a matter of fact, I'd thought of Daman every
day for six years.
Settle Toots.
 I couldn't believe he was calling me toots. That was a nickname I
hadn't heard in six years and now he was bringing it back with a boom. He
used the pet name ever since I could remember—but now I didn't want him
to. It made me feel almost—special. And I wasn't special to him. To
Daman, I was just another girl. I was safer believing I was just another girl
to him. Allowing myself to think anything more was like sentencing myself
to death by burning. No thanks.
My thumbs beat against the screen and I wished my phone had
buttons. My violent taps would have been much more satisfying if I'd
actually had something to press. Don't. Call. Me. That.
I tossed the phone onto the bed before darting for the door. I burst into
the cramped living space and dropped my hands onto my hips. It really
didn't do any good to try and look menacing. I was tiny. I stood all of five
foot nothing and sometimes I felt as though I had the frame of a two-by-
four. I lacked the curves I envied Beyonce and J.Lo for.
"Did you give Daman my number?" I tried to growl but my voice
came out all funny and nervous sounding. I was still dosed with a wad of
'oh my god Daman texted me!'.
Gabe raised his brows, but lucky for us both he didn't comment on my
squeaky pitch. I blushed scarlet as I realized just how much I'd sounded like
a teenage boy going through puberty—or a girl in line for a Twilight movie.
The two were practically the same thing. "I might have."
"You might have?"
"I can't seem to recall the actual act of giving him your number," Gabe
grinned mischievously and I rolled my eyes.
"You're incredulous." I accused, shaking my head. "Why would you do
that?"
"Because,"
"Because why, Dad?"
"The kid misses you, Gracie. You used to be so close." He straightened
on the couch, a shadow passing over his face. When he spoke, his tone was
gruff. "Did he do something to you? Do I need to teach him a lesson?"
I laughed. The sound was near hysteric. "If you tried to teach Daman a
lesson, he'd kick your butt into the next province."
Gabe pointed a finger at me in warning and I felt eighteen all over
again. "You'd do best to remember who taught that boy to fight, Kid."
I smirked. "Your ego's going to get you into trouble, old man."
 Gabe frowned in abhorrence to the title. "Old man?" He roared in
mock anger. "I ain't old, Kid. I can still kick ass."
"Oh, please don't," I laughed. "You'll hurt yourself."
He grunted, his eyes glittering. "You've still got humor. I suppose
there's still hope for you yet."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I folded my arms over my chest and
popped a hip. The smart-ass attitude I'd repelled while away from home was
quickly finding residence in its old, familiar home within my body.
"Give the guy a call, Gracie." Gabe's voice turned serious—too serious
for my liking. "You don't want to live here with an old man. You're young
and Daman's a good guy. Take him up on his offer?"
I raised a brow. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"
"No Gracie," he shook his head. "You've been gone for too long. I just
don't want you wasting your years living in a one bedroom apartment
without a closet for all your clothes. You're young and beautiful and smart.
Get out of here and go make a life for yourself."
"What if I don't want to leave?" I asked.
"Then I'd happily have you stay. But you're my daughter—you're my
flesh and blood and I know you, Gracie. I know you want to go, so call him
and tell him to clean out a room for you."
"Dad,"
Gabe held his phone in a large fist. "You call him or I do," he grinned
smartly. "It's your call, Kid."
My lips tipped in a frown, but I was beaming on the inside and I knew
Gabe knew it. He was right. He was my dad—my flesh and blood. He knew
what I needed—what I wanted. I was twenty-four and I should be living my
life rather than hiding away in his one bedroom apartment. However much I
loved my father, it wasn't how a twenty-four year old woman should be
living.
"I'll do it." I spun on my heel and ran for the bedroom. I was almost
certain I heard him laughing.
I picked up my phone and texted the number I had branded into my
mind. Okay. When can I move in?
Now. His reply was instant.
I work today. Call you later.
I'll be waiting.
 I programmed Daman's number into my phone before dressing myself
for work. I wore my beige khaki pants. They had an over abundance of
pockets I kept treats and feed in. This would be my third day. I loved my
job already. It was ten thousand shades of perfect! The people were nice and
they shared my love of animals. The atmosphere was friendly and the
animals were great and surprisingly well behaved. Most people had strong
opinions about Zoo's. Those against were all about animals being left in the
wild, but what they didn't know was that many of the animals living within
the walls of the Zoo—their sanctuary—had been saved. They were babies
who would have been left for dead and were rescued from the wild where
an unfortunate event claimed their mother. There are many factors to
consider when looking at the life of an animal in a Zoo. If their habitat was
kept constant and provided the requirements the animal needed, then I saw
no reason to fight against their existence. If we were to release our
captivity-raised animals into the wild, they would undoubtedly perish.
On my drive to work, I tried to think about my job, but I kept finding
myself thinking of blue eyes and black hair and kissable lips—lips I would
be living under the same roof in only a short twenty-four hours.
I shook my head and groaned aloud as I pulled my little Nissan into a
parking stall. If I kept on thinking this way, I would surely be a ruin by the
end of the day. I had to push Daman from my mind and concentrate on
work. Leave the personal life at the door—that was the way to a successful
career. That's what my mom always said and I tried to take her motto and
make it my own. But since seeing Daman, I found that to be tougher than
eating nails.
I walked across the grounds, stopping to admire our tiger, Gloria. She
was a beauty. And from my study of her so far, she seemed quite content. I
passed a few other habitats before walking through the reptile room to the
back where my office was. I worked with two other zoologists. They were
full time and coincidentally, they were married. The two argued all the time.
They were funny as all hell.
"Hey Gracie," Simon called from his station. He was looking at a
sample of—something—through a microscope. He didn't bother to lift his
head.
"Hey," I gave Jana, Simon's wife a nod. "What's he working on?"
"Hell if I know," she rolled her eyes. "Nobody ever knows what Split's
working on."
 I laughed, placing my satchel onto the table. Jana called Simon Split as
a humorous comparison to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It was funny because
her description of him was right on the money. The man couldn't decide if
he was okay with testing mice in the lab—or if it was too cruel a thing to
do. He'd bring out the aquarium one day and demand it be locked back up
in the closet the next. Long story short—he was better working with fecal
matter. "What have you got for me today?"
"Well," Jana cocked her head to the side, obviously pondering a
placement for me. Her blond shoulder length bob bounced. "There's a load
of work needing to be done. You can spend the day ensuring the animals
have the water they need and monitoring their interaction within the habitat
or you can go through the fecal samples I've set aside on my desk." She
shrugged. "It's your decision."
That wasn't a difficult decision. Actually, it was rather easy. "I'll take
the first option."
"I thought you would." She chuckled. "Don't forget to take the chart
and make notes on anything out of the norm."
"Sure thing," I waved as I plucked the manila chart from its holder
beside the exit. I was excited to get to work. Charting about the animals
interaction with their habitat would have to be one of my favorite things to
do. Actually—it took the cake.
***
Daman
I stared around my new home and felt my heart lurch. I'd lived here for
less than a week and by the end of the night I would have the one woman
who got under my skin living under the same roof. I couldn't wait. I'd had
Ella and Dace help me pick out furniture and set up the house. Ella wasn't
too bad of a decorator. There were pops of red throughout the house. It was
the color I'd favored for years. Ever since I first ran my hands through the
vibrant strands of Gracie's hair. It used to be fiery. But over the years it had
gotten darker. There was a deep chestnut hue to the red now. It made her
look older and wiser and calmer. I missed the wild Gracie I once knew. She
was a hell of a companion. As reserved as the girl seemed now, I was
certain I could bring her back from the case she'd locked herself away in.
It was getting close to dinner and I still hadn't heard from her since this
morning. If she changed her mind about taking me up on my offer, I was
seriously going to need to step up my game. Because I didn't give a shit
about what I had to do—I wanted Gracie back. I wanted the girl I once
loved back in my arms—beneath me. And, I would stop at nothing to get
what I wanted. I'd touched her soul once and I was certain I was capable of
doing it again. Only this time, I had no desire to pet it as I had done in the
past. This time, I fully intended to capture it and cherish it for the rest of my
days.
With my will broken, I pulled my phone from my pants to text her. You
haven't decided to back out now have you?
The reply was instant and a smile split my face. Do I ever back out?
You've been known to cower a time or two.
Cower maybe. Back out—never.
I wanted to point out that I thought her running away to school was her
backing out—but I didn't. It was starting to clear to me that maybe she
hadn't been running from me. Maybe she'd just wanted to go to that school.
Maybe she really had hoped I would ditch the club and run away with her.
Hell if I knew. The past was the past and I wouldn't let it muddle our
present. I'd been enough once to claim her heart, I could only hope I was
enough now. I knew I wasn't nearly good enough—but I couldn't think of
anyone else who was good enough for her either. So, if there was no one
else, why not me?
When should I expect you?
Now. As I read the word I'd texted to her this morning, my heart
knocked in my chest. She was here?
I shoved the phone into my pocket and jogged to the front door.
Despite the fact that I expected her to be here, at the sight of her stepping
from the car I felt short of breath. She was here. At my house. Moving in
with me. Now that I'd gotten her here, I didn't know what the hell to do.
On a deep breath, I opened the door and walked down the walkway to
where she was parked in the driveway. "Hey,"
She smiled unsurely as she closed the driver door of her car. She wore
beige cargo pants and a black yoga sweater. It was zipped right up to her
chin. The red of her hair was stark against the black, glimmering in the hue
of the setting sun. She was beautiful and as she shifted under my scrutiny, I
realized she was uncomfortable. But I couldn't take my eyes off her. "I don't
have much with me. Just a few bags of clothes and some electronics."
"Electronics huh?" I grinned. The girl repelled technology.
 A small grin pulled at her lips. "I've made friends with technology. I've
kind of had to."
A chuckle sounded from deep in my chest and her eyes glittered. "I
can't wait to see this newfound ability of yours."
"Ha. Ha." She said dryly. "You wanna help me with my bags?"
Did I ever. "Sure."
She nodded. "The heavy ones are in the back of Pea."
I stopped in my tracks. "What?"
She gestured to the blue blob sitting on my garage pad. It was shielded
from all weather by the giant-ness that was my truck. "What is it?"
"It's a Nissan Versa Note!" She plopped her hands on her hips. "Her
name is Pea."
This time, I laughed. It was a full belly laugh at that. "Seriously? What
happened to the Jeep you always wanted?"
She shrugged. "I couldn't afford a Jeep. Pea was the next best thing."
Hazel eyes swept lovingly over the blue marble of a car. The thing was
seriously small. "She's a great friend."
"It's a car." I looked at the tires and felt my eyes grow wider. "Have
you driven it in the snow?"
"I went to school in Vancouver—I've driven Pea in the rain. She
handles well. I'll be fine." She moved quickly to the back of the car and I
followed.
"You realize we live in Alberta, Toots. It snows like hell here. Do you
even think the tires will see above the snow? I mean," I rubbed the back of
my neck, trying not to wince. "I seriously doubt you'll get out of the
driveway."
Her fisted hands found her hips and she growled her words. "I'll show
you! Me and Pea will be just fine." She nodded adamantly. "And stop
calling me Toots."
" You'll be just fine when I pull you out of the ditch."
"I won't call you to get me out of the ditch, Daman." She glowered.
"I'll call Gabe."
"You won't." I stated matter of fact. "You call him once for hitting the
ditch and he'll make you buy something else. You know it just as well as I
do."
She ground her teeth. "Shut up and help me with my stuff."
I winked. "I like a demanding woman who knows what she wants."
 "Ha," she opened the trunk. "I know I want you to carry the heavy
suitcases."
"What happened to the biting smart mouth I used to know?" I asked as
I pulled the two suitcases from the trunk.
"I've decided to closet my smart-ass mouth for your sake." She
slammed the trunk before rounding to the back seat where she pulled
another suitcase and an over the shoulder bag. I walked ahead of her to the
front door and she pressed the lock button on her car. The horn beeped and I
snickered. "What are you laughing at now?"
"The horn."
"What's wrong with it?"
"It sounded like a baby elephant, Toots."
"I'm a zoologist, Daman. I know what a baby elephant sounds like and
that's not it." I could practically hear a scolding coming and I quickly
opened the door. I set her suitcases down and frowned. "Is this all you
have?"
"No," she shook her head. "The rest is at mom's. She said she'd send it
down as soon as I found a place of my own."
"Well, you can call her and have it sent."
"It's really no rush." She shrugged. "I've got a blow up mattress, all my
clothes and my ereader. I don't need much else."
"You're not sleeping on a blow up mattress."
"Oh," she raised a brow. "Well, I'm not sleeping with you either."
I cringed at her tone, but I was lucky she didn't notice. "I've got a spare
bed. You'll use that."
She shrugged. "Sounds good." She shifted awkwardly and I wished I
could ease the tension from her. "I think I should set myself up—if you'll
show me my room?"
"Yeah," I nodded, pointing through the living room and kitchen. "It's
just down the hall there."
I'd bought a bungalow. I'd never really been one for stairs the way
Dace was and I didn't feel as though I needed all that much space. The
house had three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Two were upstairs and one
downstairs. The basement was finished and if I had anyone else moving in,
I probably would have given them the basement bedroom. But not Toots. I
wanted her as close to me as I could possibly get her. And the bedroom
right across the hall would have to do until I could build her trust—or desire
back up enough to bring her into my own bedroom.

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 4
Gracie
Daman set my suitcases down at the door, shoving his hands into his
pockets as he watched me take in the room. It was nice. Actually, I loved it.
The walls were painted a warm shade of beige that matched the rest of the
house and the floors were the same cherry hardwood I'd seen in the living
room and kitchen. The bed was a queen size and the bedding was a dark
brown. A gold painting of a flower with pops of red hung above the bed.
After admiring it, I looked to Daman.
"It's really quite feminine." My tone was teasing.
His eyes darkened. "Ella decorated it," he shifted to lean against the
wall. "She picked everything out."
Ella? I felt my heart drop. Nausea swept over me as I thought of
Daman with another woman. I'd assumed he was single when he offered me
a place to stay—I hadn't considered I would be living with my ex-boyfriend
—who I might still have feelings for—and his significant other. Oh, holy
crap-balls! This sucked!
I cleared my throat. It felt like sandpaper and I struggled with the
words I wanted to form. "Who's Ella?"
Daman's eyes glimmered as he watched me struggle for control. I
thought I saw a smirk tilt his lips, but I blinked the sight from my mind.
There was no way he found my sudden lack of words funny. This was not
funny. "Ella is Dace's fiancée."
I felt my eyes grow wide with shock at the same time I felt relief
bloom in my stomach. I didn't know what emotion to let fester. I never
thought Dace would ever find anyone who'd deal with his shit, much less
marry him. The guy was a notorious womanizing jack-ass. Yet, throughout
all my shock, I knew the relief I felt was oh-so-wrong. I shouldn't care
about Daman's relationship status—but I did. More than I wanted to admit.
"Dace is getting married?"
Daman nodded, watching me closely. Those penetrating blue eyes
knew me too well. Even after six years, I had no doubt the man could read
me just as well as he once could. "Yeah," he nodded. "Ella's great."
"Wow," I breathed. "I never thought I'd see the day."
 "Honestly, neither did I. But she's good for him and I think he's good
for her too. I'm happy for them."
"I'd love to meet her." I replied honestly. Any woman who could tame
Dace was surely remarkable.
Daman chuckled, peeling himself from the doorway. "She wants to
meet you too. So, I'm sure it won't be long."
"She wants to meet me?" I narrowed my eyes on him, trying to figure
out why a girl I hadn't even known existed would want to meet me. He gave
away nothing. Daman was one of the hardest people I had ever met to read.
His blue eyes were guarded and his jaw was always stern. His thoughts
were impenetrable.
"She does." He looked down to my suitcases. "I'll let you get settled."
I nodded. Obviously the man was through with our conversation.
"Sure."
***
Gracie
I'd practically locked myself away in the bedroom Daman had shown
me for the last four hours. My suitcases were now empty and my clothing
was organized in the large walk-in closet. I was so thankful for a walk-in
closet because I had more clothing than any one person should. And I loved
shoes. Mom always said I was her daughter at heart. I disagreed. I was my
father's daughter. A love of clothes was the only thing I had in common
with the woman. She was vain beyond belief. She'd had an amazing man in
my father who had done everything he could to provide her the life she'd
always desired—and yet she'd cheated on him. He'd been far too ready to
forgive her—people are so blind when it comes to love—my own father is
no exception. He would have jumped the moon for my mother, but she had
been certain she was in love with her new infatuation and she'd packed up
her belongings and ran away with him to Vancouver. I didn't see her again
until I applied for University in the rainy city. When I moved into her spare
bedroom, I realized she was no longer with the same man she'd taken to the
road with. She was with a new man whom I truly couldn't help but like.
Although he was not my father, he was just one of those kind-hearted
people, and although she didn't deserve it, he doted on her. And because I
loved her regardless of the selfish monster she housed inside—I was happy
she found someone who cared for her so deeply and is able to satisfy her
thirst to be a socialite.
A tap at my door pulled me from my thoughts and I stood up from the
bed as the door opened. Daman's eyes found mine instantly and I felt my
skin heat as though he'd touched me. He had the warmest gaze I'd ever
encountered. Actually, Daman was just an anomaly. In general, the man
affected me in a way no other could. It was perplexing. His voice was deep
when he spoke. "You hungry?"
I toyed with the cuff of my sweater. My flittering fingers had always
given away when I was nervous. "Yeah, I am."
"What do you want?"
"Um," I shrugged. I thought maybe he made something for us to eat.
"It really doesn't matter."
"Are you still addicted to pizza?"
I blushed. It wasn't because of my ridiculous obsession of the greasy
goodness. It was because he remembered. "I am."
He nodded. "Still pepperoni?"
"Yup."
Good,"
I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms over my chest. "Why is that a
good thing?"
"I've already placed an order." He cocked his head toward the hall.
"Come on out. We'll watch a movie or something."
I frowned as I followed him into the hall. If I was smart, I would stay
in my room where I was safe from the feelings I felt developing toward him
without reason or caution. But I couldn't do that. I'd decided to move in
with the man—it was my responsibility to keep things as platonic as
possible between us. Mixing emotions into the past we shared would only
result in doom. I wasn't really all that eager to repeat the pain I'd suffered
when I'd lost him the first time. No thanks.
Daman turned to me and the look he gave made me instantly weary.
"What?"
"You feel like watching a scary movie?"
I shook my head and scrunched my nose in obvious detest. "Nope.
That hasn't changed either. I still don't like them."
"Oh come on," his voice was deep and so tempting as he took a step
closer to me. I stepped quickly back. The counter pressed into the small of
my back where I was trapped. His blue eyes danced with mischief and I felt
my heart dive-bomb into my lower belly. "You can snuggle up to me."
I pressed my hand over his chest and beneath my palm I felt nothing
but hard hot muscle. My stomach clenched and I bit back a moan. I really
should not have touched him. "Daman," I warned.
"Toots,"
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not snuggling up to you," I pushed him away
and he laughed as the doorbell sounded, echoing throughout the space. The
pizza was here—thank God.
I watched as Daman turned his back to me, walking to the door. His
dark jeans formed over his sculpted hips, molding to him to utter perfection.
He was mesmerizing. His black hair was tousled just so—tempting me to
run my fingers through the mess—pulling the strands. I felt my cheeks
flame and cursed under my breath as he walked back into the kitchen with
the box of pizza.
He raised a perfect brow and his blue eyes were knowing. "What are
you blushing for, Toots?"
"Nothing." I swallowed, sounding meek. "I'm warm."
He laughed, sliding the box onto the counter. "I'll bet you're warm."
I ignored him. "Where are the plates?"
He pointed to the cupboard behind me and I turned. I hated him a little
for making me feel so—hot and needy. He had no freaking right to do this
to me! And why on earth was the man so delicious looking. I mean—I was
certain he could practically melt on my tongue. Like candy. And he would
probably taste just as sweet.
"What's the hold up, Love?" Daman's voice sounded huskily against
my left ear. His breath washed over my skin, burning me. He was standing
so close I could feel the decadent heat of his body against my backside. It
took everything I had in me not to lean into him.
"No hold up," I reached for the plates at the same time that Daman
reached for them. His hand hovered beside mine and I was quick to pull my
hand away. I wanted to stay where I was encased by his hard muscle and
consuming scent just as badly as I wanted to run screaming from his house.
This was definitely a conflict I would need to resolve ASAP!
As soon as Daman pulled away from me, I felt cool air replace him
and I shivered. I couldn't help it. I was chilled down to the very bone.
"Are you cold, Toots?"
 I was quick to put the island counter between us. "A little," I shrugged.
"I'll just go grab a sweater."
"No need." He set the plates on the counter and I paused mid-step.
"You can just use one of the blankets on the couch downstairs."
"Oh,"
He pointed to the pizza. "The sooner you dish up, the sooner you'll get
warm."
I nodded indifferently as I pulled two pieces of pizza from the circle of
food. I clutched my plate tight as I scurried to the door leading to the
basement. "It's down here, right?"
Daman nodded and I dashed into the basement. I was far too eager to
separate myself from the temptation he presented. This was not good! I was
far weaker than I thought—too weak to resist his dark charms.
I walked down the carpeted stairs into a spacious basement. There was
a full bathroom and a furnished bedroom. I wondered momentarily why he
hadn't given me the bedroom in the basement rather than the one upstairs
where I was certain he slept, but I didn't feel like questioning him. If I knew
Daman at all—he'd given me the bedroom closest to his because his
intentions were less than noble. I would just have to harden my resolve. It
shouldn't be all that hard. I was a strong, independent woman and Daman
was my past. He was my roommate. There was simply no reason why I
couldn't push my dirty thoughts to the back of my mind—at least until I was
in my bedroom and away from Daman.
I set my plate down on the coffee table before setting myself between
the table and black leather couch. I leaned my back into the couch and
stared down at my pizza in frustration.
"Here," Daman set a fork and knife down beside my plate before
handing me the peppercorn ranch dressing. "It's white."
I felt my mouth drop in astonishment as I stared at the dressing and
cutlery. "You remembered." I breathed the words barely above a whisper.
"How couldn't I?" He set his plate down on the table before sitting next
to me. He was almost too close for comfort. "No one eats pizza the way you
do."
He was right. I'd never met another soul who butchered their pizza like
I did. I ate the crust first, dipping it into white dressing. It had to be white—
and creamy. Then I cut the pizza into squares, where I proceeded to pull the
toppings from my pizza. I piled the toppings into a corner on the side of my
plate, dipped my naked dough into the dressing and savored every decadent
bite of my toppings. I took the expression 'saving the best for last' to a
whole new extreme.
"What movie are we watching?" I asked.
"Well, since you're so opposed to a horror movie, I'd say you should
pick."
"I need a good romance." I declared on a smile.
"I can give you romance, Toots." The huskiness of his tone was all the
persuasion my lady-parts needed to be kick started into gear. I shifted.
"I think I'll go with horror." I stated bluntly. "The bloody axe-murderer
kind."
Daman laughed, his eyes crinkling at the side. Damn, he's all kinds of
handsome. "Am I really that bad, Toots?"
I shook my head on a shrug, trying to sound bored. "I've been there,
Daman."
His eyes turned from laughing to serious so quickly, I was rendered
speechless. "I didn't know I hurt you." He looked right into me—and I
swore he could see every part of me, including the parts I wanted to keep
hidden from him. It was disconcerting—the way he looked at me. Like he
could see the heart of my soul. "I thought letting you go was the best thing
to do."
I wanted to ask him what planet he'd been living on. I wanted to
scream at him and maybe even kick him in the shins a few times! What
kind of an asshole says they thought it was better to walk away from love
rather than working for it? Instead, I smiled as sweetly as I could without
letting even a single tear show. "It's the past, Daman. I'm over it."
"I'm not."
My tongue was dry and I felt my throat tighten. Was he trying to break
me? Did he want to see me cry? "I don't want to talk about this."
"You're obviously mad at me, Gracie." Frustration bled into his tone.
I interrupted him. "I'm not mad at you, Daman. I let it go a long time
ago." That was a blatant lie and I was certain he could hear it because his
jaw twitched in response to the tight clenching of his teeth. "I just don't trust
you with things that are so precious to me anymore. You broke me once and
I'm not willing to walk the same broken road." His eyes were so hard and I
knew I should stop, but I'd started and I couldn't seem to get a hold of my
lashing tongue. "I gave you everything once and I believed in you
completely once. Trust might be easy to gain—but once you lose it—it can
take forever to regain."
Blue eyes searched my face as I breathed heavily after my rant. His
lips were set in a tight line and I could practically see his hurt. I'd wounded
the impenetrable Daman Demi—and I had no idea I was even capable of
such a devastating achievement. He didn't care about anything enough to be
hurt. Or, that was what I'd always thought about him. When he spoke, my
world tilted off its axis. "Then I'll spend forever trying to mend the broken
road, Gracie, because you deserve to walk on only the best. And, I'll be
damned if I let any other man be the one who breaks down your walls and
restores your walkway."
"Daman," I shook my head.
"I want you to give me everything again, Gracie." His words made me
feel so many different emotions—my head was spinning. "I want to be your
everything again. I want to be the one you trust—the one you come to in
need—the one you share your smiles and tears with." He shook his head
and his large hands fisted. The blue veins were stark against his skin,
bulging from the tense muscles. "I fucking hate myself for letting you go."
"I can't do this." I stood, feeling panicky as I looked at the stairs with
frantic eyes. Daman sensed my need to run and stood, blocking the door. "I
just got home, Daman. I'm not ready for this."
"You want me, Gracie." He stated bluntly and if I hadn't already been
so over stimulated—my nerves nearly fried—I might have blushed. But I
couldn't. There was just too many feelings rushing through my mind—too
many desires tugging at my heart. I couldn't think clearly. "I know you want
me like I want you. I can feel it, Gracie. Admit it."
I shook my head. "I don't trust you, Daman." With those words, I
bolted for the stairs and to my relief—Daman let me go.

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 5
Daman
Watching Gracie run from me was like a kick to the balls. But
watching her run from me with tears in her eyes after I told her I wanted to
be her everything—well, that was worse than anything I could imagine. My
heart felt as though it was being torn from my chest. I itched to chase her
and to hold her as she cried—because I knew she was crying. I had seen her
shoulders shake and there were unmistakable tears shimmering in her eyes.
Ever since I could remember, Gracie had been a sensitive girl who hid
behind a fighters reputation with leather and rash smart-mouth comments.
The girl I remembered had been much better at hiding her feelings behind
biting words. I used to wish she would be real and just let herself feel—but
now I knew what the saying 'be careful what you wish for' meant.
I rubbed the back of my neck and restrained myself from punching a
hole through the drywall. There was nothing I could do from here but
bulldoze my way into the icy walls she had built to ward me off as though I
were nothing more than a demon. I hated the thought of never having her
trust. She was so close and so fucking far away. It was going to kill me to
not have her the way I wanted her—needed her.
On a long sigh, I picked up the plates and made my way up the stairs. I
heard a door close and a moment later, the shower turned on. She was
seeking comfort. I was certain she would curl up on the floor and let the
warm water pound against her back. I was certain her tears would fall and
her cheek would be pressed against her knees. Knowing she was in pain
because of my doing made me ache to make it all better. Feeling helpless in
a way I never thought I would or even could feel—I loaded the dishwasher
and placed the remaining pizza into the fridge. I paused at the bathroom
door despite my honorable intent to retire to my room for the night and
leaned my head against the door. My hand rested against the handle and my
palm shook with the need to see if she'd locked the door. I would have
checked—there is no doubt in my mind I would have turned the knob if the
water hadn't have been turned off.
I pulled my hand away from the knob and walked quickly to my
bedroom. I didn't want to freak her out the way I knew I would if she
opened the door and found me in my shamed stalker-state. I slipped into my
bedroom, closing the door silently behind me. But I didn't move from the
door. I listened until I heard her finish in the bathroom, tiptoe through the
hall, and close herself inside her bedroom.
I readied myself for bed and lay there looking up at the roof for what I
knew was hours. I worked tomorrow morning at the club—someone had to
be there when the liquor order came in and that someone was me. I was
fully aware I would be dog-tired—but I couldn't sleep. Gracie was in the
room across the hall from me and I ached to go to her. I wanted to hold her
—to burry my nose in the nook of her shoulder where the soft line of her
skin met with her throat and breathe her in. But I couldn't. I was fucking
helpless against my feelings for her. She made it clear that she didn't trust
me. And I knew now that I was wrong in letting her leave without me.
There were a whole lot of 'should have's' that I couldn't do a damn thing
about now. I'd made my bed and now I had to lay in it. I would have to
work with what I had and maybe one day she would trust me enough to take
a chance on me again. I knew I had the upper hand—and for that I was
lucky. Gracie would have to see me at least once a day. There was no way
she could avoid me at all corners. And even if she tried, well I'd be there to
intercept her attempts.
Because I'd never wanted anything as badly as I wanted her—again.
***
Gracie
My alarm beeped determinedly against the side table and I quickly
rose to turn it off. The last thing I wanted to do was wake Daman. I hoped
to dress and flee the house well before he woke for the day. After last night
and the way I'd acted, I was all kinds of humiliated. He must think me to be
a basket-case. I mean—what kind of girl actually runs from a godly
beautiful man who was speaking heart throbbing, wooing words to her?
I knew the answer to that question. And, I hated it.
I ran because I was still in love with Daman Demi. I was madly,
deeply, truly and irrevocably in love with the man.
"Shit," I breathed as I dropped my head into my hands. "Shit, shit,
shit."
On a defeated sigh, I crawled from the warm comfort of the bed and
scurried across the floor to the closet. I dressed quickly in a pair of khakis
and a capped sleeved button down black shirt. I pulled my mess of red hair
into a ponytail that hung down to the middle of my back and opened the
door a crack. Light shone from the kitchen into the hall and my heart
thrashed. Either Daman was awake or he'd forgotten to turn off the light the
night before. But as I thought back to the hazy state of mind I'd been in the
night before, I was certain all the lights were off by the time I had gone to
bed. That meant he was awake.
I looked down to my watch and frowned. It was 5:30am. What in the
world was the man doing awake? He worked at a club for god's sakes!
Didn't that mean he worked nights?
The desire to hide in my room until I had to leave for work was
tempting, but I was famished and the thought of skipping breakfast was
enough to send me into a catatonic state. On a deep breath, I rounded the
corner and stopped just as abruptly as if I had walked into a glass door.
Daman was most definitely awake. He wore a pair of black running
shorts that hung down just past his knees and no shirt. His chest glistened
with sweat and his ebony hair was a mess. His head was tilted back to
expose a long thick throat. His eyes were closed and he was devouring a
bottle of water. Void of all control, my eyes lowered. I knew I was
committing—or branding his every sculpted curve to mind. His shoulders
were broad and his arms were thick. Veins stood alert beneath taut skin,
accentuating each bulge of muscle. Firm pecks stood proud and as my eyes
took in a matt black ring against his right nipple, my mouth watered. That
was new, I thought to myself as I let my eyes travel lower. The tanned skin
of his stomach was ribbed—the man had washboard abs I longed to run my
fingertips over. And maybe my tongue. A small sound escaped my parted
lips as I looked even lower to the chiseled V that dipped like a treasure trail
into the band of his shorts. Damn! I wanted to see more. He was exquisite.
Truly—he was a piece of art.
And I was a panting mess.
I looked up and felt my face flame as I spotted azure eyes gazing hotly
at me. "Like what you see, Toots?"
I gulped. Literally. "You went running?"
He smirked. "Yeah,"
"Oh," I tried to tear my eyes away from his oh-so-perfect body but
found I was incapable of such insignificant action. I was rendered
speechless. I was robbed of control—all bodily function seemed to evade
me.
Daman pulled himself from where he leaned against the counter to
cross the distance between us. I watched his chest as he moved and felt my
heart protest in my chest as he slipped his finger beneath my chin, tilting
my face up, forcing me to meet his eyes. They were dancing with mischief
or mirth—I wasn't certain. "My eyes are up here, Toots."
"Sorry," I squeaked. Oh, I hated myself for showing that little
weakness right there. And, Daman knew it.
"No problem," he grinned. "Just feeling a little exposed."
I scowled. "Then put a shirt on."
"Or you could just stop licking your lips like you're going to take a
bite." He shrugged and my face ignited. I swear to all things holy—my face
was on fire. Daman grinned a shit-grin to rival all shit grins. "Careful there,
Toots. Soon every part of you will match your hair. Not that I'd mind. I love
your hair."
I regain my speech as I glared up at his crooked grin. "I'll have you
know I've no interest in taking a bite of," I let my eyes travel over his body,
"anything you have."
"Oh really?"
"Really!" I nodded. "And, I'll also have you know that I have pale,
sensitive skin. That is the only reason I always look like I'm blushing."
He shrugged and turned away from me—obviously indifferent to my
words. I wanted to swat him on the back of the head. My hand itched and it
was all I had in me to keep my violent ways restrained. "You want a
coffee?"
Seriously? After all that, he was asking if I wanted a coffee? I let my
eyes travel down from the dartboard I was seeing on the back of his head
and my heart leapt. Oh shit, I just had to look down. The man's back was
just as defined as his front. And his ass! Well, I'd love to hold onto that as
he—
I shook my head, slapping my hand over my eyes. What in the world!
Why were my thoughts so determined to stray to sexy, steamy fantasies
starring no other than Daman Demi? I mean—really? Was this necessary? I
was already drooling over what was in front of me—I wasn't nearly so
strong as to keep my mind from entertaining thoughts of his ginormous
form over mine—in me—claiming me the way I knew a man like him
would. Oh, holy shit! I was ruined.
"Gracie?" Daman's voice tore into my thoughts and I lifted my hand
from my eyes. He was frowning deeply. The lines between his brows were
deep and his perfect oh-so-kissable lips were tipped.
"Hmm?" I asked.
He cocked his head. "Do you want coffee?"
"Uh sure," I forced a smile. "Definitely."
He nodded, threading thick fingers through disheveled hair. "All right,"
I watched him press the start button on the coffee pot. "I'm going to take a
shower. Help yourself to whatever you want."
"Sure." I breathed as I watched him walk from the kitchen. It was all I
could do not to join him in the shower. I knew the best and smartest thing to
do would be to ditch the coffee and head to work early—but I wanted to see
him. So, rather than doing what I knew was smart and probably healthy to
my sanity, I retrieved my ereader from my room and settled on the couch to
wait for the coffee to brew. Or rather, I waited for Daman to appear in all
his hotness once again.
I became so engrossed in the love story I was reading and I didn't hear
him come back into the kitchen. Which was a feat considering the fact I'd
been waiting for him.
"What are you reading?"
I looked over my shoulder from where I was curled on the couch. "You
know what this is?" I waved my ereader surprised he knew what the little
contraption was.
He rolled blue eyes. "I'm not from the ice age, Toots. I know what an
ereader is."
"I didn't think you read."
"I don't." He shrugged. "But Ella had one. She was always up at the
crack of dawn with the damn thing."
I really had to meet this 'Ella'. "I see."
He pulled two mugs from the cupboard. "You still want coffee?"
"I do." I stood to walk to the counter. "Do you eat breakfast?"
"Oatmeal good with you?" He asked by way of reply.
"Sounds good to me." I watched him place a pot on the stove with
water before retrieving a pack of organic oatmeal from the pantry. I never
would have pegged the man as an organic eater. Hmm, looks like I didn't
know everything I thought I knew about him. Maybe he had changed just a
little.
"So, what's your work schedule?" He asked, pouring the coffee into the
mugs before sliding one to me. He handed me the milk and sugar and I
added it to my coffee, stirring it in with the spoon he'd used in his coffee.
"I work Monday, Tuesday and Thursday." I sipped the coffee. "Every
now and again, I'll get a Saturday, but that's almost fluke-ish."
He raised a brow. "So, you're part time?"
"Until I prove myself, yes."
"So, you're like an intern?"
I pursed my lips. That wasn't how I saw myself, but it wasn't entirely
wrong. And, I was getting paid. "I suppose. But I think I'll be offered a full
time position soon."
"I see." He lifted his mug to his lips. "If you get strapped for cash you
can always join me at the club on the mornings you're not working."
I shook my head. "I'm not strapped for cash. And why would you be at
the club in the mornings?"
"Dace and Ella have sort of claimed the club at night. The schedule
works for her to make money while in school and Dace refuses to allow her
to work without being there himself, so I've been on mornings lately."
"Huh," another mention of Ella. She sounded like a sweet girl, but I
still wanted to meet her. "I'm surprised Dace lets her work there."
Daman's laugh was deep. "You should be. He definitely didn't want her
to, but she refuses to let him pay for everything. She's head-strong like
that."
"She sounds interesting."
"She is. I'm sure you'll meet her soon enough."
I smiled and nodded as I brought my coffee to my lips. Daman took to
stirring the oatmeal into the boiling water and silence fell over us. It wasn't
the uncomfortable kind of silence that made you itch for an excuse to leave
—it was almost peaceful. I chewed my lip as I thought of the Daman I'd
known and the Daman I was getting to know. They were poles apart and yet
they were the same. I wanted him now just as much as I'd wanted him
before—maybe more. I didn't know. He confused me to no extent, but I
couldn't help but ache for him in a way I knew I shouldn't. He had the
potential to damage me beyond repair and yet I couldn't imagine walking
away from him now that I was so close to him. However, I remembered the
pain my heart had suffered all too well when he'd told me to leave—that he
wanted me to leave. We'd made love—or I thought it was love we'd made,
but in reality it was only sex. None-the-less, I'd given him every part of me
only a few nights before he broke it off between us. I hadn't been with
another soul since. I hadn't had the desire. So, what was it about this man
that had me aching to let him in? What was it about him that had me
throbbing with need, shaking with desire and second-guessing my icy walls
of resolve?
"Brown sugar?" Daman asked, pulling me from my cryptic thoughts.
I stood and rounded the island. "And milk."
"Gross." He scrunched his nose. "I'll never understand the things you
eat."
"Whatever," I nudged him in the side with my elbow and froze. I don't
know what possessed me to make contact, but I regretted it instantly. My
entire body was hot and pulsing.
I knew without looking that Daman was gazing down at me in study. I
could feel the heat of his gaze on my face and I focused my eyes on fixing
my oatmeal. When I was finished, I picked up my bowl and walked around
the island to claim the seat I'd been perched on a moment before. I spooned
oatmeal into my mouth, still intent on avoiding his eyes. I knew if I looked
up, the blue depths I saw would be my undoing. I was already rattled—
there was no point in unhinging myself.
He cleared his throat. "When will you be home?"
I shrugged. "Probably around four or five."
"Do you have plans tonight?"
Without permission from my brain, my eyes looked up. "Um, what did
you have in mind?"
"I was thinking we could try a movie again?"
"Oh," I nodded. That was not a good idea. "I think I'm probably going
to head to bed early tonight."
Daman nodded. His voice was gruff as he spoke. "Well, if you change
your mind you know where to find me." I watched as he rinsed his bowl
before placing it in the dishwasher. He pulled a key ring from the pocket of
dark jeans, plucking a key from the bunch. He slid the key across the
granite countertop, his eyes on me. "The key to the front door. Lock up
when you leave."
I nodded. "I will."
 Daman disappeared into the hallway only to return with a leather
jacket over his black T-shirt. With the five o'clock shadow he had going on
and his raised collar- the man was decadent looking. I was lucky I was
sitting because my knees were weak and my panties wanted to drop to the
cherry hardwood floor.
"I'm heading out," he glanced at me through thick black lashes and my
heart skipped a beat. "I'll see you later."
"Yeah sure," I nodded. Was he upset with something? I shook the
thought from my mind and called out as he opened the door. "Have a nice
day."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 6
Daman
My plan was right on track. She was definitely lusting after me. The
hot desire in her eyes had me hard as a rock and needing release. I had
wanted to lift her up onto the counter and quench the thirst I had seen in her
eyes for me. I wanted to burry myself deep within her and lose myself for
the rest of the day. If I didn't care about her so damned much, I would have
made a move. I knew she wouldn't have resisted me. If I pushed—she
would have been helpless against my advances. This was blatant knowledge
of mine. It was a fact. When women looked at me with burning desire in
their eyes—they held little to no ability to deny me. They didn't want to
refuse me. But, I wanted to take my time with Gracie. She was my fucking
world and when I took her, I'd be damn certain I could spend the entire day
—and night—embedded within her. Caressing her. Loving her.
I shook my head at the thought as I hoisted myself into my truck. The
way she nibbled her lip in thought had me aching in all the wrong—or right
places. I had taken to the shower for relief, and despite my efforts, she'd
made me hard all over again once I was out. Just being near her—watching
her move and breathe—I wanted her. And I would have her if it was the last
thing I ever did. I would find a way to get under her skin. I had faith that
she would want me just as badly as I wanted her before the month was over.
I was determined. And once I was determined—there wasn't a thing
anybody could do to stop me.
***
Gracie
I had spent a week dancing around Daman and I swear to all things
holy, he was doing things on purpose to ruin me. He was trying to shatter
my resolve—I just knew it. The man was determined to break me. Every
time I saw the man in the house, he wore no shirt. His jeans were always
teasingly low on his 'holy-shit' hips and I found myself licking my lips
every time I spotted the matt black nipple ring. The man was the epitome of
temptation and I had no self-restraint. I was becoming increasingly agitated.
Some might even say I was sexually frustrated.
 I had half a mind to proposition Daman to be my sex-buddy—but I
was almost certain that would do more damage than good. Plus, I doubted
he would accept. The man claimed he wanted everything. I didn't know
what the hell that meant.
I drove into the parking lot of the Zoo and glanced down at my gas
guage. Crap! It was on the red line. It had been for a few days. If I wasn't
almost late—distracted by Daman's bared chest glistening with sweat after
his morning run—then I might have had the time to turn around and fill up
real quick. But I didn't. I had to get my butt in gear or I would most
definitely be tardy. And this was only my third week at this job. I was so
not willing to be late!
When I woke, I thought about Daman's naked pecks. Caffeine didn't
even cross my mind as anything more than an excuse to drag my butt out of
bed. Seeing Daman in all his muscly goodness was enough to get my blood
pumping. Who needed coffee when they lived with Daman Demi? Certainly
not me!
I groaned aloud, pulling my satchel from the passenger seat before
kicking my door closed. I tried—oh, I tried to get the image of his perfectly
crafted chest from my mind but it was seared there. I was hopeless.
By the time I made it through the door to the office I shared with Jana
and Simon—aka Split—I looked as though I'd ran through a hurricane
rather than a zoo. Jana's eyes widened and she pulled her glasses down to
balance on the tip of her nose as she looked up from a slide she'd been
working on. I swear these two lived here.
"Morning," I waved, half running and half tripping to my desk.
Simon coughed. "And what's gotten you all twisted this morning?"
"Me?" I felt my eyes grow wide as confusion muddled my mind.
"Twisted?"
Jana rolled her eyes at Split. "He's the nice one today."
I blinked. Damn, I really didn't know anything about the personalities
Jana referred to when speaking of Simon. "Pardon me?"
She laughed. "He's Jekyll today, Gracie."
"Oh," I drew out the word much longer then necessary.
"Apparently I'm in a good mood." Simon chuckled.
I nodded. "That's a relief." As soon as the words were out of my
mouth, I slapped my hand over my lips and stared with 'a deer in the
headlight' kind of look.
 Simon burst out laughing. "All right, Gracie." He sat back in his chair,
folding his hands in his lap. "Do tell us what's gotten you all riled up."
I blanched. "Nothing's gotten me riled up."
"Oh come on," Jana butted in. "Don't leave us to our own theories."
I raised a suspicious brow. "You have theories?"
Simon nodded. "Of course we do. We're scientists."
"Oh," I nodded, taking it all in. "Well, let's hear some of them."
"How about you save us the pain of being wrong and tell us?" Jana
asked.
"What is the fun in that?" I countered smartly, trying discretely to
smooth my hair. I'd forgotten to put it up this morning. I'd been—distracted.
"All right then," Jana sighed. "So long as there is no offence."
"There won't be." I assured. "It's a science experiment."
Simon rubbed his hands together excitedly. He was beginning to look
like Split. "I hypothesize that your problems are the result of a man. Your
hair has been left down—a sure sign you want your mate to have something
to hold onto. You're incessantly bitchy," Simon shook his head at the usage
of the word 'bitchy' as he tapped his chin in thought before continuing. "Or
rather, moody. And you're body appears to be in a state of discomfort. My
educated guess is that you're ready to mate—but the object of your desire is
not."
Jana, however unorthodox, laughed. Like a hyena. I knew the sudden
hilarity was a result of my pale face. I'd put money on the fact that the only
color in my skin was from the ever-unchanging scatter of freckles. "He's
right isn't he?"
I pulled myself from the horrifying situation I somehow found myself
in. And I wondered what on earth I did to piss off fate. "No." I stammered
as disbelieving eyes probed me. "Well, he's half right."
"Define half." Simon commanded. He didn't take well to being any
degree of wrong.
"Well," I plopped down into my chair, defeated. "I'm living with my
ex," I held up my finger to hold their attention despite the fact that I'd never
lost it. "And let me say right now, he's much more of a—man—than he was
when we dated six years ago."
Jana's eyes widened. "Six years ago?
I nodded. "Anyway, I told him I wasn't interested in sex."
 Simon interrupted. "But you obviously are. I mean, I can practically
smell your hormones—I'm sure this male can too."
"His name is Daman."
"Oh, he sounds enticing." Jana's eyes twinkled and Simon's brow
raised at his wife.
I continued. "He is. Anyway, since I told him our relationship would
never be what it was—I swear he's been doing things to destroy me." My
voice raised an octave. "The man never wears a shirt. And I mean never!
He's got the abs of—Hercules for Gods sakes. He prances around the house
in this sweaty godly splendor every morning after going out for a run and I
swear—he's killing me."
Both Simon and Jana's eyes were wide. Jana licked her lips. "I don't
see a problem."
I rolled my eyes. "You wouldn't."
"Why don't you just mate?" Simon asked.
I frowned. "Stop saying that word. We're not animals."
"Humans mate just the same as animals." Simon defended.
"Humans have more control."
Simon chuckled. "Obviously not."
I glared and Jana spoke. "All right you two, enough." She laughed.
"Sweetie, if you really don't want him, then it shouldn't be a such a
problem. Listen to your body—it is connected to your heart."
"That is not a scientific response, Jana." Simon rolled his eyes, clearly
perturbed.
She glared at him and I placed my elbows on my desk. "I'm sorry for
bringing it up at work, guys."
"You didn't." Jana threw her thumb into Simon's direction. "He did.
And regardless, you're supposed to talk to us. The people you work with
shouldn't just be work. You're spending a lot of time with us. We will
become a family just like any other. We'll have our disputes and we'll have
our laughs—but together we will learn. That is what being a family is all
about. You don't have to apologize for having a life. We'd prefer to know
you have something outside of the zoo other than a lab in your bedroom."
She shook her head. "That would just be creepy."
I laughed. I already loved these two. Although they weren't quite old
enough to be my parents, they weren't my age either. If I had to guess, I
would say they were in their mid thirties. But they were abundantly funny
and a true joy to be around. "Thanks."
***
Gracie
I pulled into the driveway and glared down at my dash. I freaking
forgot to get gas—again. I glared at the clock on the screen. It was already
5:30pm. Dace and Ella were supposed to be here at 6:30pm for a barbecue.
I hadn't met Ella yet and I didn't want to be late on our first meeting. I still
had to shower and make myself presentable. If I went for gas, I would have
to cut out my shower. I simply didn't have time for both, and being at the
Zoo all day, I really needed to clean up. I smelled like an animal.
On a moan, I killed the engine and dragged myself from my car. My
steps were heavy as I walked to the front door, letting myself in. It was no
surprise when I saw Daman in the kitchen—with no shirt on.
"Hey there, Toots." He crooked a smug grin. "How was your day?"
"Are you seriously going to walk around all night without a shirt on?"
Oh, I was snappy. But it had been a long day and I'd skipped lunch. I should
know better, but I had been working. And somehow the only time I didn't
think about golden skin and hard muscle was when I was lost in work.
He shrugged. "Why not? We only have two seasons here—summer
and winter. Why would I waste my precious months of summer by wearing
clothes? I need the vitamin D the sun gives." He pointed at me as I started
walking away and I froze.
"What?" I asked wearily. All play was gone from his face.
"You're looking a little pale, Toots." He sounded almost worried and I
frowned. "I think you should take off your clothes and get a little vitamin D
yourself."
I made a disgruntled sound that verged on disgust. "You're pitiful."
"Just watching out for your health." He called as I stomped into the
bathroom, slamming the door behind me. The man was seriously pig-
headed. And the laughter that rang in his tone was enough to set me off on a
mini rampage.
I shampooed my hair with violence before moving to lavish my body
with the same rough care. Daman irritated me—because I knew that he
knew what he was doing. The man was an ogre! He was completely
ridiculous. Throughout the past week, he had done nothing but tempt me. I
tried to focus my attention on my ereader—but even the hottest romance
novel in my library couldn't hold my attention when Daman was home. The
man was temptation in its finest expression.
I finished up in the shower before stepping out to wrap myself in a
large red towel. That was another thing I didn't understand about the man.
He seemed to adore red. Everything in the house was red. I mean—I loved
the color so I could understand its seduction—and it looked sharp in his
house. But when I'd known Daman—his favorite color had been black. I
found his new obsession almost peculiar.
I shook the thought from my head as I brushed my teeth and applied
lotion to my skin. With all my bathroom duties finished, I slipped into the
hall and darted for my bedroom. When I'd made it there without a comment
from Daman I breathed a sigh of relief. Nervously, I sifted through my
clothes and settled on a white sundress. It was cute and modest. I couldn't
help but wonder what kind of girl Ella was. The only type I knew Dace to
like was slutty—but I highly doubted the woman he decided to spend the
rest of his life with was anything of the sort.
I ran a brush through my hair, before adding a light sweep of makeup
to my face. I preferred the natural look to the caked on makeup I saw a lot
of girls wear. When I was all finished dressing myself, I padded into the
kitchen where I found Daman. He had a plate of marinated steaks in one
hand and a barbecue utensil in the other. No surprise, he was still shirtless.
"You're really not going to put a shirt on?"
He scoffed, pointing to his chest with the utensil. "And deny you this?"
I laughed—I couldn't help it. Sometimes his ego was just too funny.
"Right, because I won't survive without seeing you shirtless." I reached out
on a whim to his chest, flicking the nipple ring. "And maybe I wouldn't
have such an urge to tug on this either."
His voice was husky when he spoke and I found my eyes instantly
drawn to his. "You feel the urge to tug on my piercing?"
I shrugged, feeling ten times hotter than I should. "Maybe."
"What other urges do you have, Gracie?"
"Um," I swallowed. To play with him or not to play with him? That
was the golden question floating around in my mind. Playing would be fun,
but I had an inkling that in this game, no one would win. "I don't have any
other urges."
"You're lying." His brow was furrowed, but his eyes were determined.
 "I'm not." I defended.
Daman leaned into me and I thanked the heavens grace that both his
hands were engaged. The feel of his breath on my skin and the rumble of
his voice travelling through my body was enough of an effect on me. I
couldn't imagine the feel of his hands on my body. Surely that would have
sent me over the edge. "You forget that I know you, Gracie. I know when
you're lying."
"You don't know me anymore, Daman."
"You're still the same girl I knew, Toots." He pulled back to look into
my eyes. "Don't kid yourself. The leather might be gone—but I'm sure
you've replaced it with lace." He winked and I fought the urge to lash out at
him with my fist. His only saving grace was the chime of the doorbell.
"You'll pay for that later." I hissed through gritted teeth as the front
door opened. Dace was obviously letting himself in.
Daman winked, his full lips curled up in a smile. "I'm counting on it,
Toots."
I cursed under my breath as I spun away from Daman to find Dace and
Ella walking into the kitchen. Dace's smile was cocked just so—sparking
my suspicion. It was quickly squashed as Ella pulled me into her arms,
squeezing tightly. I didn't know the girl had so much strength behind her
tiny form.
"I'm Ella," she said into my hair before pulling away. Excitement
glittered in the warmest brown eyes I'd ever seen. "I've been itching to meet
you."
There was just something about her that made me smile. Maybe it was
her smile. Maybe it was the excitement billowing off her in the masses. All
I knew was that her happiness was definitely contagious. I found myself
instantly at ease. "I've been wanting to meet you too. And congratulations
on the engagement!"
"Oh," she grinned, instantly showing me the large diamond sitting on
her ring finger. "I love it."
"Wow," I looked at Dace who was watching Ella through loving eyes.
The man was completely captivated by her. "You did good, Dace."
At his name on my lips, Dace looked at me. "Gracie," he opened his
arms wide and I took to them easily. Dace had always been like a big
brother to me despite the fact that we were the same age. Daman was older
than the two of us youngsters. Dace wrapped his arms around me and I
found myself instantly wishing I could have accepted such a warm greeting
from Daman—but it wasn't like that between us. With Daman things were
—complicated. "It's good to have you home."
I breathed in deep as I pulled away. "It's good to be home."
Dace's eyes flickered up over my shoulder and I found myself
following his eyes direction. Daman was watching me with intense eyes
and as soon as I spotted him, he looked away, setting the lid down over the
barbecue on the deck. I looked back at Dace and found that he was
watching me. His lips curved in a smile. "I see you and Daman are right
back to where you left things."
I shook my head adamantly. "Not even close, Dace."
"The poor guy's wrapped around your finger, Gracie. You gotta see it."
"I don't see it, Dace." I shot a smile at Ella. "You want a glass of
wine?"
"Oh, I do."
Dace wandered onto the deck with Daman and I found myself listening
in on their conversation. "You didn't ride your bike?"
Dace chuckled. "Ella was determined to wear a dress. There's no way
I'm willing to take a chance at ruining those legs."
Daman's eyes lifted then, meeting mine and I felt my heart leap.
Instantly, I looked away only to find Ella watching me with knowing eyes.
"So," she leaned against the counter. "You and Daman, huh?"
"No," I shook my head. "There is no Daman and I."
"Really?" She looked out onto the patio and I reached into the fridge
for the bottle of wine. I kind of wished I could crawl into the cool darkness
inside to escape the conversation I smelt brewing.
"Really." I replied dryly. "Once upon a time there was something
between us—but it's gone now."
"From what I'm seeing—it's still very much there." She stated. She was
completely oblivious to the fact that my heart was a rampant mess of beats
in my chest.
I set hard eyes on her. I was willing her to not only hear my words, but
see them. "Daman hurt me. There is nothing left for us. I don't trust him and
you can't build a relationship without trust. If there is no trust, there is no
foundation." I shrugged. "I just can't go there with him."
"I know what you mean." Her eyes found Dace and she sighed. "Dace
hurt me so deeply before we ever made things official."
 I frowned. I didn't like the idea of Dace hurting Ella. She was sweet.
There was something about her that made you feel the desire to protect her.
It was weird. "What did he do?"
She laughed. "I caught him with another woman."
I winced on a gasp. "What an asshole!" I didn't feel an ounce of
betrayal for the man I loved as a brother. I knew he was based on asshole
qualities. Then, as the realization settled inside me that she had somehow
gotten over it—I blurted. "And you forgave him?"
"I haven't forgotten," her eyes found interest in the speckles embedded
within the granite. "But I've forgiven him."
"How?" Something like that was simply unfathomable to me. I simply
could not wrap my mind around it. "I mean, how can you be with him
physically now—after what he did?"
Her eyes met mine. "I love him. I'm in love with him." She shrugged.
"I couldn't live without him and find happiness—so I had all of two choices.
I could find it within myself to let go of my anger and resentment and
forgive him, or I could wallow in an unhappy life without him."
"And you chose to forgive him."
"I did." She nodded. "Just like you should forgive Daman his
indiscretion—whatever it was. I can see by the way you look at him that
you love him. Whether you're ready to admit it to yourself or not, there's
something between the two of you. Something real." She met my eyes with
her own and they were sincere. "It would be a shame to see something from
the past come between what is here between you now. True love is rare and
if you've got it—even a glimpse of it—well, it would be devastating to
know you let it go."
Ella's words went into my ears and travelled straight to my heart. I
couldn't help but glance up at Daman where he was standing on the deck
with a bottle of beer in his hand. His shirt was off and the evening sun was
standing in the sky behind him, giving his dark beauty a golden backdrop.
He looked safe. With the warm glow of the sun surrounding him, he looked
like a seraph. He looked safe.
As though sensing my eyes on him, the blue pools shifted to meet
mine and I knew with certainty that Ella was right. I was in love with
Daman. And it would be heartbreaking if I were to hold the door closed on
something so preciously rare. My only issue was the fear I felt climbing
through my body, rising in my throat as I thought of letting him in once
again. Giving him leeway into my heart meant he could shatter it at any
moment.
The thought was nearly debilitating and yet I found it within myself to
whisper. "I think you might be right."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 7
Gracie
"Are you going to pour the wine or not?" Ella cupped her chin in the
palm of her hand, leaning her elbow on the counter.
I pulled myself from my thoughts, shattering the connection I made
with Daman's eyes. I could see the confusion residing within his azure
depths and I could only pray he wouldn't question me. I wasn't ready to
accept the fact that I loved him quite yet. I needed some time to chew over
the thought.
"Yeah," I opened the bottle, pouring a generous amount into both
glasses before handing one to Ella.
"Well, I never would have pegged you for a lush, but I'm not about to
complain." She winked and I blushed.
"I have a feeling I'm going to need it to get through this night."
She frowned. "It was that much of a shock, huh?"
I nodded. I'd put money on the fact that I was pale as a ghost. And by
the way Daman was looking at me, I would be lucky if he didn't shove a
thermometer down my throat. "I don't know if I'd classify it as a shock.
Maybe more of a bludgeon to the heart."
Ella laughed, taking a sip of her wine. "Yup. That's love, chick."
"If you say so."
"It took me a while to realize it was love I felt for Dace." She shook
her head, her thoughts in the past. "I wish I'd realized it sooner, but it is
what it is. We're in a great place right now." She sighed. "I'm such a lucky
girl."
I couldn't help but smile. "I'm really happy for you guys."
Her eyes widened. "Daman's on his way over."
My heart plummeted into the pit of my stomach at the thought of
facing him. "Oh,"
"Gracie," Daman's breath washed over me. "Are you feeling all right?"
I turned to face him and felt my mouth open without sound. Ella
chuckled. "I'm going to go join Dace."
I wanted to glare at her for ditching me with Daman, but I couldn't
seem to tear my eyes from his. He spoke again, dipping his head so his face
was only inches from mine. "Gracie, please say something."
The desire to lean into him was strong but thankfully, I was stronger.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired."
He frowned. It was clear he didn't believe me, but he didn't push either.
"You want to help me get the salad ready?"
"Sure." I nodded. I needed something to do with my hands. It would
keep me from reaching out to run my fingertips along the contours of his
chest. "What kind of salad?"
"Garden?"
"Sounds delicious." I moved to the fridge, but Daman's arm was
quickly wrapped around my waist. I yelped. "What are you doing?"
He pulled me into his back and I felt his warmth through the thin
material of my dress. He dipped his head into he crevice of my neck and
when he spoke, I felt each word rumbling in his chest. "You would tell me
if there was something wrong, wouldn't you?"
"Of course." I agreed much to quick. "Why wouldn't I?"
He grunted. "You're keeping something from me, Toots."
"You're paranoid." I accused, trying relentlessly to wriggle from his
hold. It was useless. The only thing my wiggling did was bring me closer to
him.
"You know I have no qualms in torturing the truth out of you?" He
threatened.
"In front of our guests?" I laughed. "Be my guest. Then they'll know
what an ogre you are!"
He chuckled. "No, not in front of them. I'll bide my time until we're
alone. Then I'll attack."
"I'm sure you will." I said indignantly. I hoped he did. "Now let me
down."
"If that's the way you want to play it," he released me and I frowned as
I caught glittering blue eyes in my peripheral vision. The man was a brute!
Threatening to attack me—as if!
I didn't reply to his threat as we assembled the salad. I brought plates
and cutlery out to the patio table before bringing the salad out. By the time I
had the table set, Daman was pulling the steak and potatoes from the grill.
At the sight of the food, my stomach growled unbecomingly and I blushed.
"I didn't eat lunch." I murmured by way of an explanation. "I'm
starving."
 "Me too." Ella reached over to pluck a piece of steak from the plate in
Daman's hands.
He narrowed his eyes on her. "You're impatient."
She scoffed, glaring pointedly. "And you're not when it comes to
pancakes?"
Daman shrugged. "Fair enough."
Dace's eyes were filled with pride for the little brunette. "I think Ella
just put you in your place, Daman."
He waved him off. "I don't mind taking the heat for you every now and
again, Dace. Ella's been putting you in your place since the day you met."
I laughed and Dace glared. I tried to get myself under control but the
idea of a woman putting Dace in his place—well, that was just
unfathomable. "I'm sorry!" I held up a hand. "I'd kill to see her put you in
your place, Dace."
"Oh," Ella grinned. "It's easy."
Dace raised his brow at her. His voice was threatening. "I'll put you in
your place tonight."
"We'll see about that."
"Don't test me, Angel." Dace growled low under his breath. "You
know I'll carry you out of here over my shoulder."
I blushed at their conversation and to my horror, Ella countered.
"Maybe that's what I'm counting on."
Dace grunted, standing from the table. My face was on fire and when I
looked up, I found Daman was watching me with interest. His attention was
focused entirely on me. I shifted. "Dace!" I found myself barking at him in
warning. "Sit down. This food was cooked for you and you're eating it." I
huffed and he laughed, settling back down in his chair. I winked at him.
"You can punish Ella later."
Dace laughed loudly and Ella's mouth dropped—but Daman's hot blue
eyes were the only thing my mind could register. Ella pulled my attention
from Daman. "You're supposed to be on my side."
"Don't even pretend you don't want to be punished."
She grinned mischievously before setting her eyes on Daman. "I hope
you teach your woman a lesson or two later, Daman."
My mouth dropped. "I'm not his,"
Daman interrupted me. "I have every intention of showing her where
she belongs, Ella." My heart leapt at his words. The entire time he spoke,
his eyes were on me. "You can count on it."
If I got any hotter—I would combust. There was no doubt in my mind.
I was in danger of bursting into flames. I tore my eyes from Daman's to
glare at Ella who was smiling rather smugly at me. I rolled my eyes and
reached for the one burnt piece of steak. It was just the way I liked it. I
placed it on my plate before adding a potato and salad to the dish.
Thankfully, over the course of the dinner we fell into normal-people
conversation. The kind of conversation where work, school and wedding
plans dominated the topic board rather than punishments and sexual
innuendos.
When dinner was finished, I piled the dishes into the dishwasher and
Daman straightened out the barbecue. Ella finished her second glass of
wine before setting her glass into the sink. Dace wrapped his arms around
her waist, pulling her into his back. The two of them were great together. I
could literally feel their love—it crackled between them like a live wire. It
was inspiring.
"I think we're going to head out." Dace said. "It's about time I get
Angel home."
I nodded. "It was nice having you over." I smiled at Ella. "It was really
nice meeting you."
"You too." She grinned. "Oh, I'm having a girls day with two friends of
mine. Dee and Gia. We're going for pedicures—you want to come?"
"Absolutely!" I looked down at my unpainted toes. "My toes have
been neglected."
"Great!" She bounced in Dace's arms. Her excitement was palpable.
"Saturday morning at nine. I'll pick you up."
"Sounds perfect."
Daman spoke. "See you guys later."
Dace waved, half carrying Ella from the kitchen. I called out as I heard
the front door open. "Have a nice night!"
"You too!" Ella called back before a loud giggle sounded and the door
closed. Silence filled the space and I sighed.
I watched Daman walk across the space to the front door. I heard the
lock click into place and I couldn't help but let my body unwind in the
peace of the silence. Daman walked into the room again and I felt his eyes
on me. As soon as I met his gaze with my own, my eyes narrowed. He was
watching me with an intensity that made my stomach feel fluttery. His steps
toward me were slow and steady—I felt as though I were being preyed
upon.
"Daman," I spoke his name wearily. "What are you doing?"
"Only what I promised I'd do." The corner of his lip lifted in a half
grin.
My eyes widened. "You're teaching me a lesson?"
He shook his head and I felt relief billow from my body in waves. "I'm
going to torture the truth out of you, Toots. I want to know what it was that
you were hiding from me."
The weariness I felt snapped back into me like a rubber band. I took a
step back from him, holding up my hands. "Stop it, Daman!" I tried to
sound menacing. I really did. But the man wasn't swayed.
"I don't think so." He shook his head, taking another menacing step
toward me.
I looked toward my bedroom. If only I could get there, I could lock
myself inside my room. Maybe if I ran hard and fast I would make it.
Maybe his muscle would weigh down on him and slow his pace.
He grinned. "Don't even think about it, Toots."
On a loud scream, I darted for the hall. I only made it a few steps
before I felt large, strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me hard
against him. I wriggled determinedly, but he didn't relent. His breath was
hot on my shoulder as he dipped his head, speaking low in my ear. "Are you
going to tell me what was wrong earlier?"
"No." I said on a defeated pout. As soon as I felt his arms go lax, I
tried to pry myself from his grasp. Instead of releasing me, he spun me
around, pressing my back tight against the wall, pressing his hard body
against mine. My heart raced. It was pounding so hard in my chest, I was
certain he could feel it.
His eyes fixated on mine and he bowed his head. I could practically
taste his breath. He was so close to me. "Tell me,"
"Never," I shook my head. "I can't."
"Why can't you?" He skimmed my jaw with his lips and my every
nerve ending came alive—needing more. I throbbed in all the right places
for him. And I could feel his want for me just the same. His large hands
gripped my hips as he held me to the wall and I trembled beneath his touch.
I wanted him. I ached for him. Never before had I ever wanted another
being—not even him. This was new to me—this fire inside of my body. It
was burning through me, claiming everything in its path.
His lips moved over the line of my jaw and I hissed in a breath as they
went lower, running over my neck where he pressed a burning kiss to the
tender skin behind my ear. A breathy moan fell from my lips and in
response, he ground his hips into mine. "Tell me, Gracie."
"Tell you what?" I gasped.
"Tell me what you need." He lifted his head, his eyes burning into
mine. "I'll give you anything."
I didn't know how to tell him what I wanted. I just wanted him—but I
wasn't ready. Not yet. Instead of fumbling over words, I dropped my mouth
against his. It had been my move, but Daman took over immediately. His
lips moved against mine, commanding in their determination. A hand
moved up from my hip, over my ribs, over my breast to hook the back of
my neck. His tongue darted from between his lips, tempting mine to grant
access I couldn't refuse. He traced the line of my lips with the tip of his
tongue, gently caressing me before claiming my mouth—and breath with
his. He swallowed my every sound and I dug my nails in his bare shoulder,
pulling him closer to me. A need unlike any other swelled within me and I
moaned into his mouth. His hand against my hip moved lower, hooking
around the back of my thigh, lifting my leg around his waist. I felt the swell
of his arousal against me then and my mind suddenly registered how far we
were going—and how quick.
Fear swept through my body, replacing warmth with icy chills. I pulled
away, pressing against his chest. "Stop,"
"Gracie—what's wrong?" He frowned. "Talk to me."
I shook my head. "Please stop, Daman." I pushed at his chest again and
cursed his strength—the man was unmovable.
"Talk to me." He pleaded on a breath. "Don't run."
"Daman," I set hard eyes on him. My voice shook and I hated myself
for its weakness. "Let me go right now."
He stared into my eyes for what felt like eons before he placed me
gently on the floor. His usually steady hands shook as he peeled them from
my waist. When he stepped away from me, my heart shattered in my chest
—like a glass ornament that had been dropped. Agony pinched his
handsome face and I loathed myself in that moment. In an attempt to escape
him before I felt tears flood my eyes, I pushed myself into my room. I shut
the door against the confusion I saw light his eyes, pressing my back
against the door. The darkness flooding the room lapped the tears that
burned my cheeks as they fell in rivulets down my face. The last time I'd
felt a pain like this was when Daman told me to leave him. When he told
me he wanted me to go away to school without him. I never thought there
would be a pain to rival that one—but this did.
I didn't know why I couldn't seem to let him in—but my inability to
accept him was ruining me. I couldn't help but repeat Ella's words in my
mind. They played over and over again. How it would be a shame to push a
real love away. And it would be.
I was certain that this was just that. This was love. Plain old love.
Nothing else would hurt this much. Only love held the power to both create
and destroy. I wished I could concentrate on more than just the devastation
of what Daman had once destroyed. I wished I could concentrate on a new
beginning—but I didn't know how. I was damaged. He had damaged me
and now I didn't know if I could be glued back together. What was worse
was that I simply couldn't understand what Daman would want with a
broken toy. The fact that I saw myself as a broken doll was a wretched
realization. With slumped shoulders, a tear streaked face and a heavy heart
—I made my way to the bed. Weakly, I stripped myself of my clothing and
climbed beneath the covers. I buried my face into my pillow, letting it soak
up my tears as I fell into sleep.
***
Daman
I had no fucking clue what had happened to make Gracie look at me as
though I were the devil himself—but it was killing me. I could still taste her
in my mouth and as I listened to her cry in the darkness bleeding into the
hall from beneath the crack of her door and I debated on going to her. I
wanted to hold her and wipe away the tears that fell from her eyes. The fact
that I was somehow the reason they were falling was killing me. I knew
there was no way I could sleep tonight. Not when I could still feel the
warmth of her body beneath my hands. Her scent lingered on my skin and
her moans echoed in my mind. She lived inside of me just as she always
had—but now I knew she was attainable. She'd wanted me—but something
had sparked a fear in her I simply could not understand.
 I fisted my hands as I slid down the wall to sit on the floor. I brought
my knees up and leaned my head back against the wall. Small sniffles
sounded inside her room and my heart broke a thousand times in my chest.
There wasn't a thing in this world I wouldn't trade for her smile. Damn it! I
ran a hand through my hair in frustration as I thought about her sudden
desire to separate herself from me. I hated that. I hated seeing fear in those
hazel eyes looking up at me.
I closed my eyes and listened to her cry until she fell into sleep. It felt
like I listened to her tears for eternity. It was enough to destroy me—but
instead, it only hardened my determination to be the one who gave her
everything. I would find a way to climb her walls if it was the last damned
thing I did. Because I loved her.
The realization was like a swift kick in the balls. I loved Gracie. The
little fireball I had grown up picking on was the gracious woman I was in
love with. I would walk through heaven and hell for her. I knew that
without a doubt. I had let her walk away from me once and now that I had
another shot—I was taking it for homerun. There was no turning back from
here. There was no coming back from a love like this.

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 8
Gracie
My eyes were puffy when I woke. The orange glimmer of the morning
sun streaming in through the window mocked my pounding head and I
pulled the covers up over my face, reaching up to smack the alarm blaring
from the speakers of my phone. I woke in a foul mood, but I supposed that
was fitting considering the mood I went to bed with.
As the reality of the night before settled into my mind, I groaned
aloud. I pushed the blankets from my body and sat up. Rubbing my
temples, I ambled across the bedroom to the door. I peaked out into the hall
and sighed in relief at the silence in the kitchen. Hopefully Daman chose to
sleep in today rather than harassing me like usual. I could handle seeing
him shirtless and handsome. But I couldn't handle seeing pain in the
brilliant blue depths of his eyes. Last night, his hurt had almost killed me.
But he had been so close to taking me again—and I only had so much to
give before I became an empty vessel. There was only so much a girl could
take, and I was fairly certain I reached my capacity.
I shook the thought from my head as I turned on the shower and
stepped into the warm, soothing water. Droplets pounded against my back,
tugging at the residing stress. I sighed as I washed my body and hair.
Thoughts of Daman floated unbidden in my mind. If I could banish anyone
from my thoughts—it would be him. Today was not a day I needed to be
thinking about Daman Demi. I just had to get through the workday with my
headache so I could come home and sleep it all off.
I finished up in the bathroom and tiptoed back to the safety of my
bedroom where I dressed in my usual work attire. I ran a brush through my
hair before blow-drying the red strands. I thought about pulling it back, but
with the pulsing of my head, I knew wearing it up was only asking for
trouble. The weight of a ponytail would add strain to my already throbbing
scalp. I did my makeup without much care, pulled my satchel over my
shoulder and walked from my bedroom. My heart thundered in my chest as
I spotted Daman standing by the patio window with a bottle of water in his
hand. He was in his running shorts and no shirt. His shoulders were slightly
slumped and he looked tired.
 "Good morning." I cleared my throat and he turned to look at me. His
blue eyes were stern. The familiar play in his eyes had vacated.
"Good morning, Gracie." He sighed. "How did you sleep?"
"Fine." I murmured. "And you?"
"I didn't." He looked to the window again before settling his eyes on
me. "Sleep that is."
"You didn't sleep?" I whispered. "Why not?"
"I was thinking about you." He stated bluntly.
"Oh," I shifted. Suddenly my feet looked a whole lot more interesting
than usual.
"What happened last night, Gracie?"
I rubbed my forehead, feeling my headache intensify. "I don't know,
Daman."
"You do know." His words sounded on a low growl. "I'm trying,
Gracie."
"I know." I shrugged. "I can't talk about this right now. I have to get to
work."
Daman looked at the clock on the stove before nodding in defeat. I
really was pressed for time and he knew it. "We're talking about this later."
I nodded as I fled for the door. My heart was racing and I was both
eager to get away from him and yearning for later when I would be near
him once again. I unlocked my car, throwing my satchel into the passenger
seat. I shoved the key into the ignition and my car gurgled as though it was
sick. I frowned. "Come on, Pea." I whispered under my breath, silently
encouraging her to start. I pulled the key from the ignition before replacing
it and starting again. The lugging sound continued before I realized the light
on my dash was for my lack of gas. I'd totally forgotten about gas and now I
was paying for starving Pea.
"Shit!" I moaned, leaning my forehead against the steering wheel.
What the hell was I going to do? Oh right, I was going to do exactly what I
had to do.
On a grumbled moan, I pulled my satchel from the seat and slammed
my door. I stomped back into the house, suddenly feeling like an imbecile. I
mean—what kind of moron let their car run out of gas?
Daman frowned at the sight of me. "Are you okay?"
"No." I shook my head, tugging nervously on my hair. "Will you do
me a favor?"
 "That depends," he cocked his head. "What do you want?"
I sighed. "Will you drive me to work?"
He worked his jaw in thought. "What happened to your car?" He held
up his finger in pause. "Oh wait, let me guess." I waited as he made obvious
fun of me. "The thing disappeared in a pot hole."
I rolled my eyes. "Seriously Daman? My car is not that small."
"Technicalities," he shrugged. "What's really wrong with your car?"
I looked to the roof when I spoke. I couldn't handle watching the
humor in his eyes when I told him of my foolishness. "I may have forgotten
to get gas."
There was only silence and I had to look down from the roof. As soon
as I caught sight of Daman, I felt my face flush red. He was grinning like a
banshee—all annoying and kind of creepy. If I didn't know better, I would
think he found my disgruntled morning amusing.
"You forgot to fill up your gas tank?" He raised his brows. "You know
there's a light that tells you when it needs to be filled?"
"Yes, I know that." I sighed.
"Well, why didn't you fill it up then?"
"It slipped my mind." I snapped. "Will you drive me or not?"
He shrugged. "Maybe."
My mouth dropped. "Maybe? Are you kidding me? I can't lose my job,
Daman."
He shrugged again. "I'll drive you,"
I tilted my head back. "Oh, thank you!"
"Under one condition." His voice was hard and determined. My eyes
narrowed wearily as I glared at him.
"Are you being serious?"
"Do I look like I'm joking, Toots?"
As a matter of fact, I don't think I'd ever seen Daman so serious. There
wasn't an ounce of play in his eyes. His jaw was hard and his arms were
folded over his chest, his muscles bulging. His feet were shoulder width
apart and he looked almost ready to fight for his 'one condition'. I sighed,
defeated. "Fine. What's your condition?"
"I want twenty-four hours."
I nodded. "What does twenty-four hours mean, exactly?"
"I want your time. And I want to do whatever I want with it."
 I clenched my teeth. "You want me helpless for twenty-four hours—
completely at your disposal." I shook my head. "I don't think so."
"Then find another ride." He said simply, returning his attention to the
window.
I felt my stomach tighten as I glared at the back of his head. "So, these
twenty-four hours—I don't get any say in what we do?"
He turned back to me, eager to resume our conversation. I however felt
as though I was bargaining with the devil. "No. You're just going to have to
trust that I won't hurt you, Gracie. And when you're uncomfortable, you're
going to have to talk to me rather than running. I want twenty-four hours of
you with me—constantly."
I chewed my bottom lip in thought. It was only twenty-four hours.
How hard could it be? "Deal."
He claimed the distance between us, cocking his head to the side. My
breath caught in my throat. "Kiss on it?"
My caged breath hitched. "Or we could just shake on it like normal
people."
"We're not normal, Toots." He shook his head. "We'll never be
normal."
"I can't kiss,"
"Seal the deal, Toots." He growled. His voice rumbled through me,
shaking me down to my very core. Slowly, I leaned into him. I pressed my
lips to his and instantly felt rattled. Contact—intimate contact with Daman
was earth shattering. It was consuming.
His lips moved against mine gently. He didn't push against me and
there was no other contact between us apart from our lips. But I wanted
more. I wanted so much more and my body pulsed, begging for his. On a
shaky breath, I pulled away. I avoided his eyes, but he was having none of
it. His finger slipped beneath my chin, forcing my eyes up to his. "Don't
hide from me, Gracie. You know I'll always find you."
I didn't reply to his words. They were festering within my body,
fueling my already potent desire for him. "We need to get going."
He nodded, "Give me a minute to change."
I nodded and Daman jogged away from me, disappearing into the hall.
I heard his bedroom door open, but I didn't hear it close. I had half a mind
to follow him and help him out of his shorts, but thankfully better judgment
hadn't completely evaded me and I remained standing in place. I hadn't
moved an inch by the time Daman emerged from his room. He wore a pair
of dark jeans that hugged him in all the right places and a black T-shirt. He
was mouth-watering, lip-licking delicious.
"You ready?" He asked.
"I am."
"Well, let's go."
I followed Daman out to his large white truck, pulling open the
passenger door as soon as I heard it unlock. For reasons unknown to me,
Daman was standing behind me. "What are you doing?" I asked over my
shoulder.
"Helping you get into my truck like a gentleman." He replied.
"I'm good."
His hands were around my waist despite my assurances and a small
yelp escaped my mouth. "Jeez," I sputtered as I found my butt planted in the
seat. "That was anything but gentlemanly."
His eyes glittered. "I beg to differ. You're probably just used to dating
jerks. Hang with me more, Toots, and you'll know a true gentleman."
I felt my eyes settle on his face as I replied. "I've only ever dated one
person, Daman." My tone was clipped. "And you're right. He was a jerk."
***
Daman
Holy shit. Gracie had only dated one person—and since I knew she
considered what we had as a relationship—I knew without doubt that I was
the jerk she spoke of. The thought was both awe-inspiring and debilitating.
I was conflicted between wanting to pound my chest with my fists in
animalistic pride and just plain pounding myself into the ground. I was
proud because her new revelation let me know that I was the only one she
had ever been with. But despite the joy I found in that—I hated myself a
little because that meant that she had spent the last six years too damaged
by my actions to move on from me. I wanted her for myself more than I
could explain—but I wanted her happy more. If she found happiness
without me, I would step out of the picture. But she wasn't happy without
me and when she was with me, despite the biting tone she used, her eyes
glittered with life.
"Are you going to close the door, Daman?" Gracie brought me back to
the here and now. My hand was still holding the door open. She put her
seatbelt on and settled back into the seat.
I shook the thoughts from my head as I closed the door. I rounded the
front of the truck, suddenly feeling nervous with her for reasons I couldn't
begin to understand. Her actions toward me the night before were suddenly
starting to make sense. If she hadn't been with anyone else, then she was
still very inexperienced. I'd only had her once—but that one time had been
branded to my memory.
I started the ignition and the truck roared to life. "You want a coffee?"
Her face relaxed until she looked at the time. "No. I need to get to
work."
"All right," I nodded, taking the quickest route to the zoo. "So, how do
you like work?"
"I love it." She was looking out the window as though interested in the
gray streets outside. "I'm actually thinking of volunteering at an SPCA as
well."
"That doesn't surprise me." I replied factually and she glanced over at
me. "You've always loved animals."
"They're innocent." Her reply was matter of fact. "Their love is pure
and selfless."
I nodded. I could listen to her talk all day and I had half a mind to
make a wrong turn. But she'd had a bad night and I was certain she'd woken
in a bad mood. Her morning had been filled with bad luck and all I wanted
to do was make her day better. I wanted her to think of me as her happy
place. If I purposefully made a wrong turn, I was certain she'd have my
head mounted on her wall.
"What time are you off?" I asked.
"Four." Her eyes settled on me. "Is that when your twenty-four hours
starts?"
I thought about that for a moment. "I'm thinking six. I'll get you home
first so you can have a shower and change and then my time will start?"
"I can't smell like the zoo for whatever you have planned for me? It
might keep things from moving too far between us."
"You can smell however you want, Toots. I just want you
comfortable." I looked over at her as I pulled into the parking space. I
wasn't ready for her to go just yet. "And I want you to know that I will
move as slow as you want. All I'm asking for is a chance. Just one shot."
 She nodded. "You've got twenty-four hours, Daman. What you do with
that time is up to you."
She opened the door and I felt my heart lurch. This was not a note I
wanted to leave her on. I jumped from my truck, quickly running around the
front of the vehicle to where she stood. "You don't have a lunch."
A small smile touched her lips and I wanted to raise my fist to the sky
for the feat. "I'll buy something from the cafeteria here."
"Can I join you for lunch?"
"I'll probably just work through it."
I shook my head. "I don't think so. You're like the wicked witch of the
west when you don't eat. I'm vetoing against that. My twenty-four hours
starts today and I demand a clean start."
She laughed, shaking her head. The sound was sweet and I felt my
heart swell. "Okay, I'll take my lunch at noon."
"I'll be here."
"Meet me at the cafeteria." She waved, walking backward away from
me. "Have a nice couple of hours."
I grinned. "See you soon."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 9
I rubbed my temple as I stared at the computer screen. I was typing up
the chart-notes I had made on the animals interaction within their habitat—
as I had been doing all morning. I was in serious need of a break. I had
chosen the wrong day to stare at the computer screen. With my lack of
caffeine, the headache I'd woken up with and the nerves I felt bouncing all
over the place within me at the thought of giving Daman twenty-four hours
—well, I was just an all around mess.
I didn't bother to look over my shoulder when I heard the door to the
office/laboratory I shared with my two buoyantly happy partners. Being as
Jana was currently organizing a filing cabinet, I knew it was Simon. No one
else bothered to walk through the doors without knocking. This was our
domain.
"Look what I found sniffing around the zoo looking for Gracie." At the
mention of my name, or maybe it was the mischievous tone Simon used, I
turned to inspect Split and my heart lurched. Daman was standing beside
Simon with a lazy grin on his handsome face. Simon looked Daman up and
down, his eyes twinkling. "Isn't it just delicious?"
I rubbed my forehead, pushing away from my desk to stand. "I do
hope you're referring to the coffee he's holding, Simon."
Daman laughed, nodding at me. "Hey Toots."
Jana raised a brow. "Toots?" She waggled trimmed brows at me. "He
has a nickname for you."
"He's been asked repeatedly to stop calling me that." I muttered. I took
the Starbucks coffee Daman handed me, peeking up at him through my
lashes. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He looked up. "I would've brought you guys one as
well, but Toots didn't answer any of the text messages I sent her trying to
get an order. She skipped coffee this morning in an attempt to avoid me—I
will add that her plan failed miserably. I figured I'd bring coffee," he
shrugged smugly. "I didn't want you to have to endure the monster within
the beauty."
I grimaced. "You're a douche."
 Daman's mouth fell open and his blue eyes were pools of mock
innocence. "See?" He gestured to me. "Gracie with no coffee—just give it a
few minutes and she'll be the angel we all know and love."
Simon laughed, placing his hand on my shoulder. "I don't think Gracie
has a monstrous bone in her body."
Daman's eyes glimmered with mirth and I glared up at him. If I could
shoot lasers from my irises, Daman would be extra crispy. "You just wait
and see. This girl is full of surprises."
Jana crossed the room, eyeing Daman appreciatively. It made my lips
twitch with a smile. "I'm enjoying the first surprise so I hope I'll enjoy the
others just as much."
I groaned. "Jana, you do realize your husband is right here?"
Daman laughed and Simon shook his head. "It's no bother, Gracie.
Jana has excellent taste."
I nodded exaggeratedly. "That's obviously why she picked you."
I was sure Simon was moments away from defending his peacocking
ability when Daman spoke. "I was hoping you'd be able to take a short
break?"
Jana pushed her glasses up on her nose as she watched me shift
nervously. "I can't. I told you I'd meet you for lunch."
"Gracie should really go check on the animals," her eyes were on
Daman. "You're welcome to join her."
"Jana, I was inputting my notes,"
"Your notes aren't running away and your laptop will still be here on
your desk when you return after lunch." She shooed me from the room. "Go
on now," I sighed heavily. I didn't know who to glare at, so I focused on the
door ahead and gritted my teeth.
Daman placed his hand on the small of my back and warmth spread
through me. "Take a step, Toots."
I was about to tell him to 'shove it' when Jana spoke. "Oh and by the
way, Daman, for future reference, we both like caramel macchiato's."
He winked over his shoulder at her. "I'll keep that in mind."
I didn't look back again as Daman guided firmly me from the office. I
knew without doubt that Simon and Jana would gossip like high school
girls after a party. The thought had my stomach flipping and flopping.
"What are you doing here, Daman?"
"I brought you coffee."
 "Buy why?"
His eyes were serious. "Because I missed you and the abuse of your
lashing tongue." I rolled my eyes. "And the silent attitude you dish out in
droves." He nodded to himself. "I missed that too."
I bumped his shoulder with mine. "Come on, Mr. Sarcasm."
He laughed and the sound made my heart feel light and airy. I quite
liked it—but I shouldn't. "Where are you taking me?"
"To meet Gloria."
I could practically feel his frown rather than see it. "Who is Gloria?"
"She's the tiger."
"I assumed you'd eventually feed me to the animals, but I have to
admit I thought it would be wolves." His pondering tone was laced with
sarcasm and I laughed.
"I don't know why you would ever come to such a conclusion. A tiger
is much more fitting." I joked back at him.
"So it would seem." He wrapped his hand round my waist and I tried
to shrug out from beneath his warm touch.
"Daman," I took a sharp left but he kept pace with ease. "I'm at work."
"I know you're at work. But there's no one around. We're fine."
"I don't know about that. When you touch me it feels," I paused,
feeling my face heat with a blush.
He pulled me to a stop, looking down into my face. The only thing
between us was the coffee he'd bought me. I was certain he was now
regretting the purchase. "Tell me what you feel when I touch you."
"I love when you touch me. It feels amazing. I feel alive," I sighed,
looking down from the intensity within his eyes.
"Then why are you fighting me?"
"Because I'm waiting for you to walk away, Daman." I fought to keep
the words in but they were determined to find escape and I was helpless to
stop them. "I'm waiting for you to decide that you want something else. I'm
waiting for you to give up on us again."
He closed his eyes and a pained look crossed his face, but his hands
held me tighter. It was almost as though he was trying to assure himself that
I was real and that I wouldn't disappear at any given moment. A slow,
uneven sigh toppled from his lips and he opened his eyes. "I'm not walking
away, Gracie. And I'll keep pushing myself closer until you believe that."
 I wanted to believe him. I really did. But my single life was so—
uncomplicated. It was so easy. Life with Daman would be filled with raging
emotions, aches, tears, joys and love. I knew this as well as I knew the sun
would rise the next morning. But could I accept him? That was the golden
question that rivaled all others. Could I accept what Daman was trying to
offer? And could I accept it without fear?
"Let's go see Gloria," I proposed rather than addressing his statement.
Daman sighed, but instead of demanding I acknowledge his vow, he
nodded. He was much more patient than I gave him credit for.
I led Daman to a quiet, shaded piece of grass outside Gloria's habitat.
She was laying in the sun, soaking up the rays. She was beautiful. She was
glorious—hence her name.
"She's a beauty." Daman said as he eyed her magnificent form.
"She is." I agreed. When silence settled over us, I decided to get to
know the man I was falling for all over again. I had intended for my
question to come off a bit more gentle, but instead it was like a snowball to
the face. "Are you still fighting?"
Daman shifted, leaning back on his elbows. He didn't answer right
away, and when he did, his tone was low. "Not as much as I used to,"
"But you're still fighting?"
"Yes." He nodded. Almost wearily.
"And Jack? He's okay with you fighting still?" That was something I'd
never understood. First, the fighting was illegal. And second, I would never
let my sons fight for money in an underground club. It was simply
deplorable. Yet, despite how I disagreed, I loved Jack. He's been a constant
figure in my life when I was little. He was my father's best friend. It was
because of that close friendship that I fell in love with Daman. So
regardless of the mans decisions, I couldn't hate him. I just couldn't. He was
family. And deep in my heart of hearts, I knew Jack supported the boys in
everything they did for fear of losing them.
"Jack knows he can't hold Dace or I back from something we want.
That was how he raised us." He looked up to the sky. "Why are you
suddenly so interested?"
I shrugged, "Just curious."
"Gracie," Daman warned. But I wasn't ready to tell him yet.
Daman said he wanted a relationship with me. He wanted me to let
him in—but the man came with so many goddamned variables. I mean—he
was a walking risk. Everything about him smelled like trouble. If I gave
into my heart's desires and fell into the abyss of love with him—and by
some chance he got caught fighting—that would ruin us. I didn't want to be
the girl who gave ultimatums, but fighting was a deal breaker for me. I had
accepted it once and I had hated every moment of it. I'd accepted it out of
what I had always known. My own father had been a fighter—but I'd never
watched him in a ring. Watching the man you loved bloody his fists was
like taking a scalpel to your chest. It was awful. I hated watching Daman in
the ring—beating another person into the ground. I hated wondering if this
time was the time he would meet his maker in his opponent. I mean—the
Demi brothers were machines when it came to fighting. Everyone knew
that. They were kings of the underground world—but I didn't want to be
with a king. I wanted to be with a protector—a noble, loving man with a
gentle hand. I wanted a man who ruled with kindness—not violence.
I glanced down over my shoulder at Daman and realized by the
determination I saw in his eyes that he was not even close to being ready to
give up fighting. The thought was heart breaking.
I lay down next to him, setting my hands to rest on my belly. I closed
my eyes against the sky above and breathed in deeply. "Do you think you'll
always fight?"
"Probably not." He grunted. "One day I'm sure I won't need it
anymore."
"But you need it now?" I asked gently. I didn't want him to sense my
agitation at the thought.
"Yeah, I do." His words were quiet. "I don't fight every weekend
anymore, Toots."
"How often?"
"Once—maybe twice a month." He shifted to lie beside me. "Not all
that often."
I didn't bother saying it was too much for me. However, I was happy to
hear he wasn't fighting every weekend anymore. That meant he was letting
go of the need. I could only hope he would realize sooner rather than later
that he didn't need it at all.
***
Daman
 I waited in the parking lot for Gracie to finish work. I left her after
lunch to get myself sorted for the twenty-four hours I'd won from her. The
girl was seriously stringent with her time—or maybe it was just me she was
hesitant to give her time to. Either way, I didn't care. I had it, and I was
definitely making the best of it. I was supposed to work the club tonight,
but thankfully Dace had me covered. We were training Rex, our bouncer, to
handle club affairs as well. He was trusted and he knew the ropes—or most
of them anyway. I had the next two days completely free and so did Gracie.
I planned to make the minutes I had with her memorable. I would not fail.
Over the last few hours, I plotted and schemed to make this night the
most perfect night I possibly could. And it was difficult—because not only
did I have to take into consideration what Gracie would enjoy—I had to
consider her newfound habit of running from anything and everything that
frightened her. After struggling with that thought, I finally knew where I
was taking her. I was taking her somewhere she wouldn't be able to run
away from.
Gracie came into view, pushing her deep red hair over her shoulder.
She wore a black tank top instead of the T-shirt she had been wearing the
last time I saw her. I jumped down from the truck and walked to meet her
halfway. "How was the rest of your day?"
"Uh," she ran a hand through her hair. "It was all right."
"What happened to your shirt?"
She rolled her eyes. "You just had to ask."
"Well," I took in her tank top. It was nice. "You're not wearing it so,"
"Simon ran into me with a tray of shit." Her tone was filled to the brim
with annoyance.
I laughed and she glared. I couldn't help it. "A tray of shit? You mean
poop?"
Her lip curled back in a sneer. "That's exactly what I mean. And I don't
have a clue what he was doing with it so don't ask."
"Where's your shirt."
"I trashed it." She looked at me and a grin curved her lips. "You didn't
think I was planning on putting it in your washer did you?"
"I was hoping you wouldn't." I stated despite the fact that I hadn't even
considered the possibility.
She laughed. "So what are the plans for tonight?"
 I grinned, walking backward to the truck. "You'd like to know,
wouldn't you?"
"Of course I want to know." She stated matter of fact, before
narrowing those stunning hazel eyes. "But you're not going to tell me are
you?"
I shook my head. "You're right on that one, Toots."
She sighed. "Really?"
"Really." I opened the passenger door of my truck and she raised a
brow. "Get in."
"If you tell me what the plans are, I'll get in."
"You're bargaining with me?" I took a step toward her and she crossed
her arms over her chest. She tipped her head back and I knew she was
trying to look intimidating—she just looked cute. The girl was too damn
small to look scary.
"I might be." She shrugged. "What are you going to do about it?"
The little vixen was challenging me. Wow, I thought these days were
over. But I definitely wasn't complaining. I loved her spunky attitude. It was
refreshing in a world of women willing to bend any which way—morphing
into what they believed men wanted.
Her eyes glittered as she waited for my reaction—and I couldn't wait
to give it to her. Without any warning, I had her tiny waist locked in my
hands. She squealed in loud delight as I picked her up, easily throwing her
into the seat of the truck. She was feather light. Tossing her around was
easy. And what made it all the better was that I knew she could have put up
one hell of a fight. The girl knew how to swing a fist—she also knew how
to avoid getting hit. The fact that I had gotten my hands on her at all was a
telling sign that she wanted them there.
I leaned over her lap, holding her in place with my arm as I clicked the
buckle of her seatbelt in place. She was smiling down at me when I looked
up at her and I felt rooted in place beneath the heat of her gaze. Tonight was
most definitely going to be a good night—if she stayed in the mood she was
in. I needed her to stay happy and quirky. I needed this night. This was the
one shot I had been waiting for.
Slowly, I pulled away from her. I closed the door and rounded the front
of the truck. I climbed in beside her and felt her eyes on me. I glanced at her
to find a small smile on her face.
 "Well Daman," she grinned sweetly. "What are you going to do with
me now that you've got me where you want me?"
I quirked a brow, "And who says I've got you where I want you?"
Her lips twitched. "Where do you want me?"
I set my eyes on her and a blush tainted her cheeks. "That is a
discussion for another time."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 10
Gracie
I slipped into a white sundress and glared at the mirror. If Daman
would tell me what we were doing and where we were going, I would have
a better idea of what I was supposed to wear. But I didn't—because the jerk
of a man refused on all accounts to tell me anything. Therefore, I was left
guessing as to what was appropriate for whatever we were doing. I loathed
guessing.
With one last glare at the mirror, I spun on my heel to stomp to the
door. "Daman?" I called as I poked my head into the hall. There was no
answer. With a heavy, slightly annoyed sigh, I made my way into the
hallway. I walked straight to the front door where Daman was loading a
cooler and two large Rubbermaid bins into the back of his truck. I frowned.
"What are you packing?"
Daman looked up from the bins and grinned the lopsided grin I
couldn't help but love before jumping down onto the asphalt from the box
of the truck. He slammed the tailgate closed. "You're wearing a dress?"
"Should I not wear a dress?" The fact that he didn't bother to answer
my question didn't evade me. I narrowed my eyes on him and he laughed.
Daman leaned against the truck, shoving his hands into the pockets of his
jeans. He regarded me through intense eyes and I felt my skin heat under
his gaze.
"You can wear anything you like, Toots." He peeled himself from the
truck, closing the distance between us. My heart hitched. "You look
beautiful, by the way."
"Thanks." I breathed. "You're not so bad yourself."
"Come on now," he cocked his head. "Be honest."
"Be honest?" I asked.
His grin was filled to the brim with mischief. "You know you're lusting
after me."
I scoffed. "If I was lusting after you I'd have you in bed. Don't fool
yourself."
He wasn't swayed by the forced hostility in my tone. "Keep telling
yourself that, Toots. One day soon you'll be begging for me." He leaned into
me, his lips close to my ear. His voice rumbled through me—shaking me to
the core. "Pleading for me to take you. To consume you."
My breath was shaky. "I think it's you, Daman, who is the fool."
He laughed heartily, pulling away. I gasped for breath as
inconspicuously as I could as he walked to the door. "I'll be right back and
then we can get going."
I watched him disappear into the house before I crept as quickly as I
could to the truck. I climbed the back tire and swung my leg into the box of
the truck. If he wasn't going to tell me what was inside the tubs, I would
have to find out for myself. I reached out for the lid, shifting it with my
finger when a loud voice startled me from sneaking a peek at the contents.
"Gracie!" I looked over my shoulder at Daman. A backpack was
hanging from his hand and he shook his head at me. "Are you snooping?"
"No." Sheepishly, I lowered myself to sit with my feet hanging over
the edge of the truck.
He narrowed steel blue eyes on me. "Then what were you doing?"
"Just sitting." I sputtered. "It's a beautiful day and I didn't want to sit in
the cab."
"You're a shitty liar." He tossed the backpack into the back seat of the
truck before reaching up for me. His hands made contact with my hips and
my heart raced as his thumbs rubbed circles on my hipbones. "You ready to
go?"
I looked down at him. I hated that I loved the feel of his hands on me. I
hated that I reacted this way to him—my body completely at the mercy of
his fingertips. "Are you sure I'm dressed okay?"
Hooded eyes scanned my dress. "You're dressed perfectly."
"Then I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be." As soon as I said the
words, I felt his hands on my hips tighten. He lifted me from the lip of the
trucks box, slowly lowering me to the sidewalk. I reached out, holding tight
to muscular shoulders. He didn't step away as he lowered me, and I slid
against his body all the way down. Every nerve ending in my body was
alert, almost seared. I felt over-stimulated as my body moved against his
long, hard length. He dipped his head, pressing his lips against the curve of
my neck. Hot desire pulsed through my body and my knees were weak. A
small gasp fell from my lips as Daman pressed his body into mine, holding
me hostage with need between the cool metal of his truck and the hot
muscle of his body.
 Slowly, I felt his lips drag over the skin of my throat up beneath my
ear. His breath was warm on my skin as he pulled my earlobe into his
mouth, biting gently on the flesh between his teeth. I was a throbbing mess
of desire—an over abundance of pulsating nerves. "Can you still deny the
fact that you're lusting after me, Gracie?" I felt his smie. "I can practically
smell your desire."
My mouth dropped open and a blush stained my cheeks as he pulled
away from me ever so slowly to look down into my eyes. When I spoke, my
voice was shaky. I hated myself just a little. "Are you done being a
jackass?"
He grinned. "I think I've gotten the answer I wanted."
"I'm sure." I smiled sweetly. I placed both hands against his chest and
shoved as hard as I could. He moved and I knew it was only because he
wanted to. Daman was heavy as a chunk of granite and just as difficult to
move. I knew for a fact that if he had wanted to keep me lodged between
his delicious body and his truck, that I wouldn't have been able to push him
away.
I pulled open the passenger door of his truck, tossing my purse onto
the floor before pulling myself up into the seat. Daman closed the door
behind me as he rounded the front of the vehicle. I thought once about
locking him out, but I could only imagine the revenge he would take against
me. That thought kept my fingers linked in my lap rather than straying
toward the automatic lock button. It was hard. The damn button was
practically glowing—screaming for attention.
Daman appeared in the seat beside me with in impish grin. I narrowed
my eyes and sighed. "What are you looking at me like that for?"
"Like what?" He asked innocently and I huffed.
"Like you stole a cookie from the jar."
He laughed. "Really?" He shook his head, starting the truck and
pulling sway from the curb. "A cookie from the jar," he mused. "How old
are we?"
"Oh, shut up." I rolled my eyes, focusing on the passing scenery. "Are
you going to tell me where you're taking me?"
"Now, what would be the fun in my telling you where we're going?"
"I don't like surprises, Daman." I pouted, folding my arms over my
chest.
 He scoffed. "That's a lie and you and I both know it. You love
surprises."
"I used to like them." I corrected. "Now I think they're disconcerting."
"Well," he sighed, signaling into a Starbucks parking lot. "You're just
going to have to suck it up, princess."
"You're ridiculous." I rolled my eyes.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing." I muttered. I realized I was being difficult—but I hated that
I was falling in love with the man who shattered my heart years ago. I
should know better. No, I did know better—but my heart was stubborn as a
mule and I was just as determined not to fall for him. Sadly, I was losing
against my mushy-gushy heart. No matter how indifferent I tried to be
toward Daman, I couldn't seem to be truly unresponsive in regard to him.
As I pouted in the seat beside him, Daman ordered two caramel
macchiato's from the drive through. He paid, took the coffees and passed
me one. "I know you want one."
He was right. I really wanted one. "Well, you bought it," I wrapped my
hand around the warmth. "So I may as well drink it."
He chuckled. I knew he knew I was playing hard to please and that
irked me. "You may as well."
Daman pulled out onto the road, driving straight west. I had no idea
where he was taking me, but I settled into the seat, finding comfort against
the smooth leather. We drove through Spruce Grove—it was practically
connected to Stony Plain. We hadn't said a word since leaving the Starbucks
parking lot and although I was dying to know where he was going, I didn't
ask.
"Do you want to stop somewhere?"
I looked at Daman through weary eyes. "Should I want to stop
somewhere?"
He shrugged. "That depends."
"On what?"
"On whether or not you need to use a washroom."
I shook my head. "I'm good. Will we be at your destination anytime
soon?"
He nodded. "It shouldn't be much longer."
"What exactly is your definition of 'much longer'?" I shoved my empty
cup into the holder and peered sideways at him.
 "About fifteen, maybe twenty minutes."
I nodded, playing at indifference. "All right, then." I couldn't deny that
he had most definitely sparked my interest. I had no idea where the man
was taking me.
I watched attentively through the windshield as Daman turned off the
highway. He drove down a paved road that eventually turned to gravel.
With the tall trees surrounding us and lack of humanity, I thought once
about cracking a joke about who was planning on feeding whom to the
wolves—but I didn't. I remained silent as he steered the truck off the gravel
road and onto a grassy patch that appeared to be more for quads rather than
trucks. I bounced in the seat as the tires climbed through the ruts and hills in
the terrain. My fingers gripped the seat and my knuckles had long ago
turned white. When I couldn't hold back any longer, I had to ask. "Daman,
please tell me where we're going."
"You'll see." Was all he said in response. His blue eyes glittered as he
watched the trees pass us by through the windshield. It was almost 7:00pm
and soon the sky would be dark. I really didn't want to be driving down this
road when darkness fell. What had started out as an evening with promise
had suddenly taken a turn for the worst.
"Are you lost?" I asked quietly.
Daman shook his head. "You have no faith in me, Toots."
"Well,"
"Have I ever gotten us lost?"
"No but,"
"I know where I'm going. I found this place after you left for school."
His words turned quiet. "I know you'll like it."
"All right," I nodded. "I'm trusting you with my life right now."
He smiled, but it was weak. He was obviously plagued by thoughts of
my leaving—if I had known my action had caused him any amount of pain
—I couldn't help but wonder if I would have come home. But I had thought
that he wanted me gone. I thought he had been done with me. Maybe—just
maybe I had been wrong.
Finally, after another couple minutes of enduring the bumpy road,
Daman pulled the truck to a stop, backing it up into a small clearing that
looked onto the river. "We're here." His voice was gruff and when I looked
over at him, my heart leapt. He looked nervous.
 "What are we doing here?" I asked quietly. With the engine silenced,
there was nothing more than our breathing to fill the silence.
"It's not our spot," he paused, nibbling his lip. "But it's our river."
I swear to God, my heart stopped beating in my chest. He remembered
our spot—how we used to sit on the rock together and dream about the life
we wanted. The life we longed to possess together.
When I didn't say anything, he continued. "I wanted to bring you here
because it's more secluded. We have a lot to talk about, Gracie."
"Why couldn't we have talked at our spot?"
"Because out here there's nowhere for you to run." At least he was
honest.
I shifted in my seat to look at him. "Why would I want to run,
Daman?"
"Because I want to talk about us, Gracie. And you seem to have
developed a habit of running." His voice was gruff and determined and I
was stunned into silence. We only made the deal this morning—but he had
really thought his allotted twenty-four hours through. He knew exactly what
he wanted from our time together and I was helpless to take my words back
and they were simply too sour to eat. I simply had no choice but to suffer
through what I knew would be a serious and heartbreaking conversation. I
had a feeling Daman had the intent to stir up the dust over our skeletons and
once exposed, we would have no choice but to face them.
"What about us?" I asked after a long moment of silence. My words
were shaky and Daman shook his head, rubbing his forehead. This was
obviously not going the way he wanted it to go.
Without a response, I watched Daman push his door open. He jumped
down from the truck and walked around the front to my side. He pulled
open my door, holding his hand out to me. "Let's just have a nice time for
now, Gracie."
I swallowed my nerves as I placed my hand into the one he offered me.
"I'd like that."
He grinned a lopsided smirk that had my heart fluttering back to life.
His fingers wrapped around mine and as I jumped down, he tightened his
hand around mine. It was obvious he thought I was going to pull away once
on my feet, but the truth was that I had no intent of pulling away from him
at all.
 "Come on, Toots." He nodded to the water and I narrowed my eyes.
"The rocks aren't the same as ours, but they'll do."
I looked out to the river and sure enough there were a few large rocks
where we could sit together the way we had always done on our rock at our
spot. "You want to get into the water?"
"I can roll my jeans up and you're wearing a dress." He cocked his
head. "Don't tell me you don't like sitting with your feet in the water
anymore—I won't believe it."
I laughed. "No, I'm sure I'll still love it just as much as I did."
He frowned, "You haven't sat in the water since being with me?"
I shook my head sheepishly. "I was always studying." She shrugged. "I
didn't really have much of a life."
"It's time you start living, Gracie." He said sternly, tugging me gently
toward the river. I went willingly. There simply wasn't a thread of fight left
in me. This was what I wanted. I wanted Daman and if I never took a leap
—I would never know if I had the power in my jump to make it to the other
side alive. I would rather fail and live with the consequence of falling than
to wonder where jumping would have led me.

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 11
Daman
Something had changed in Gracie. Only a few minutes ago there had
been a darkness around her I feared I would never penetrate—but now it
seemed to have vanished. Her steps were lighter and her smile was gentler,
less forced. There was a light in her hazel eyes, shining in the depths where
pain and distrust had festered. It was as though she decided to trust again—
to open herself to me. The battle I had been prepared to fight only a few
minutes ago had me dressed in the finest, most impenetrable of armor—and
now I really didn't think I needed it.
Gracie's hand tightened around mine, and my heart felt swollen. It was
all I could do not to pull her into my arms and hold her tight to me. Instead,
I did the only thing I knew would get her into my arms—and fast. I led her
to the water. She paused at the rocky shore, her hand shaking in mine. Her
eyes scanned the clear water before drifting to look up at the sky. It was late
in the afternoon and the sun was a couple hours away from bowing to the
moon. The clouds were a haze of orange, red and pink. It was beautiful, but
it couldn't rival the hazel eyes that were currently staring up at it as though
she was wishing for something, or praying. I wondered what was drifting
through her mind—the woman was usually so easy to read, but right now
she was as difficult to read as an ancient script.
I watched her full red lips part as she pulled in a deep breath and her
eyes closed. I recognized the look on her face, as it was one I had seen in
myself many times. She was asking for courage. But I didn't understand
what she thought she would need courage for.
I watched, subconsciously holding my breath captive in my lungs as
she breathed out. Her eyes opened and a small smile touched her lips. The
urge to claim those lips with my own was strong, but before I found my
own courage, she'd tilted her face down. She kicked off her flip-flops and
released my hand as she took the first step into the water.
She turned to stare at me as the water flowed over the bare tops of her
feet, sloshing around her ankles. Despite her lack of height at five foot two,
her legs looked as though they stretched for miles. The white sundress she
wore hugged the tiny circumference of her waist before billowing in artful
pleats to rest above her knees. The cut of the breast was square and the
straps were an inch thick. With the sun glimmering behind her, haloing her
red hair, she looked like an angel. When she spoke, my entire body
responded. The soothing melody of her voice flowed over me—through me.
She called to me like a siren. I was completely helpless against her. And I
didn't want it to be any other way. "Are you going to roll up your pants and
join me?"
I nodded. "You bet," My voice came out huskier than I intended and
she blushed at the sound.
"Well," her fingertips bunched the sides of her dress into small fists,
lifting it higher, baring more skin. "What are you waiting for?" She asked,
taking another step back into the water. She always made me nervous when
she did that. But despite all the times we'd come out to the river, she never
slipped on the rocks.
I don't think I ever slipped out of my shoes faster than I did in this
moment. I rolled up my jeans and took my first step into the water. It was
chilly, but the warmth in the air balanced out the nip of the river. Gracie was
already standing beside the chosen rock. She selected the largest one and
she was waiting for me just the way she always had. There were other rocks
and we could have sat separately—I half expected her to want to sit
separately, but I was thankful she seemed to want to sit with me. I was
aching to hold her in my arms. I had waited a long time to hold her again.
I made my way to the large rock before sitting down on the perfect
curve of the stone. I spread my legs, and Gracie sat between them as she
had done so many times before. I lifted my feet out of the water, setting
them on the rock beside her as she snuggled into my chest. Her hands found
mine, her fingers weaving through mine as she pulled my arms around her
tiny frame. Her feet dangled in the water, the white of her dress bunched up
between her thighs to keep from getting the hem wet. She breathed out
deeply, setting her head back to lean against the nook in my shoulder and I
wondered if her eyes were closed. I dipped my head, pressing my lips to the
hair on the top of her head.
"So," she sounded unsure. "You wanted to talk about us?"
"I did." I nodded against her head and she tilted her head to the side to
look up at me.
"And?"
 "I want to give us another shot." I stated bluntly, surprising myself. "I
want to try again, Gracie."
She was quiet for a moment and I was almost certain she could feel my
heart pounding against her back. "I think I'd like that, Daman."
Relief filled me to the brim and I found myself smiling. "You would?"
She nodded. "I can't fight it anymore, Daman." She shimmied closer to
me and I felt my cock jump in response to her movement. I cursed under
my breath. This was not the time for that. "I don't want to fight it. I'll give
us another shot—but only once. If this time doesn't work, there won't be
another."
"I won't need another." I vowed. "I'll never let you go again."
***
Gracie
Daman pulled me tighter against his chest and I sighed. I let my eyes
sweep over the beauty of our surroundings as complete bliss settled into the
depths of my heart. We agreed to give our relationship a shot and I couldn't
be more excited to see where it led. I knew I was in love with Daman.
There was no doubt my affections for him had never died. It was why I was
so freaking terrified of letting him in—because I knew without doubt that
Daman had the power to hurt me. He had the power to reach out and stroke
my heart in caressing touches—or he could curl his fingers over it and
squeeze. He could destroy me. That was how I knew I loved him—because
despite what he could do to me, I still wanted to step forward into the foggy
abyss. I still wanted to take a chance on us—on him.
He dipped his head, his lips moving slowly over the bare skin of my
shoulder. The touch of his lips over my skin pulled a shiver from deep
within my body. "What are you thinking about?"
"Hmm," I smiled into the setting sun. "I'm thinking we should
probably go soon." I felt almost sad saying it. I didn't want to leave this
place. With the symphonic sounds of the water surrounding us, and the soft
whisper of the leaves in the breeze, it was easy to forget about our lives
back home in the city. I wanted to stay wrapped up in this moment forever.
"You want to go home?" Surprise fringed his tone.
"Not at all." I snuggled deeper into his chest and he tightened his hold
on me. "But it's going to be dark soon."
"It is." He confirmed. But he didn't sound at all eager to be on our way.
 "Do you want to be caught trying to find our way back out of here in
the dark?" I laughed at the thought.
"You know I can get us out of here as easily as I got us in." He stated
factually and I chuckled. He was right—I was pretty sure he could get us
home in the dark. "If I made a fire, would you want to stay the night?"
I pulled away from him so I could look over my shoulder at him. My
eyes met the familiar steel blue pools and my heart kick-started in my chest.
"You want to stay the night?" My breath was coming in short. "I didn't
bring a change of clothes."
"I know you didn't." He shrugged. "But you don't really need to
change. I brought blankets and a cooler full of food, so it's up to you."
I nodded more to myself than him. If we stayed the night—I was
almost certain we'd find ourselves in a tangle of limbs beneath a haze of
desire. Was I ready for that with him? And so soon after accepting the way I
felt for him?
At my lack of response, Daman slipped his finger beneath my chin to
force my eyes to meet his. "What are your thoughts, Gracie?"
"I don't know if we should stay." I replied hesitantly. My fingers
knitted together in my lap—a nervous habit. "I don't know if I'm ready,"
A frown pulled at his brows and he hissed in a breath. "I'm not asking
for sex, Gracie." At his statement, I felt a blush burn my cheeks. "But I do
want to spend the night with you. I want to hold you, but if you want to
sleep with a blanket between us, that's fine too. I'm good with whatever you
want."
I thought for a moment about his proposition and smiled. I really
wasn't ready to ditch our little vacation away from civilization just yet. And
the chance to spend the night in Daman's arms was just too good to pass up.
A small smile claimed my lips as I nodded. "I think I'd like to stay the
night."
He cocked a grin. "I'll make a fire and we'll cook some hot dogs."
"Yum." I disentangled myself from him reluctantly as I stood to let him
up from the rock. We had been sitting for a while and if I spent any longer
in the water, my feet would surely look like prunes. "I'm starving."
"Come on then, Toots." Daman took a step away from me and as I
stepped forward to follow him, the bottom of my foot made contact with a
slippery rock. A loud yelp split from between my lips as I fell into the water
on my backside. My entire body felt as though it was filled with ice as I was
submerged. It took all of a few seconds before I felt strong arms around my
waist, pulling me from the water. Daman lifted me up against his chest,
carrying me from the river. His chest was rumbling with laughter and I tried
to scowl at him, but my teeth just wouldn't stop chattering. I was freezing
and the fact that the night was claiming the day's warm air didn't help one
tiny bit.
Daman set me on my feet, pulling the tailgate down before lifting me
up and sitting me on it. He jogged to the back seat of the truck, returning
with a towel in his hand. His eyes were bright and his lips had what
appeared to be a permanent smirk. "You scared the shit out of me, Toots."
I spoke through chattering teeth. "Liar. You think this is funny."
He wrapped the towel around my shoulders, rubbing me as dry as
possible. I could hear the water dripping onto the ground from where it
clung to the hem of my dress. "I think it's amusing, not funny." He shot me
a shit-grin and I rolled my eyes. "But I have to admit I really like your
choice of dress. It does wonders when wet." He winked and I felt my face
flame.
"Oh my god." I looked down and wished I could crawl into a hole. "Its
see-through."
"Only a little." Daman's eyes glittered with mirth. If one could die of
humiliation—I was certain I would have been a gonner. "You didn't pack
anything extra did you?"
"No," he shook his head. "I didn't anticipate this."
"How could you?" I asked, sounding bitter. "I've never fallen before."
Daman stepped back, tugging the hem of his shirt. He pulled it over his
head and I stared with an open mouth at his glorious body. He was like art. I
could stare at him forever and never be bored. "Here," he handed me his
shirt. It was wet where he had held me against him. "You've got to get out
of that dress."
I nodded, taking the shirt from him with a shy smile. "Thanks."
I hopped down from the tailgate and walked to the side of the truck. I
could still see Daman, but I knew my body was hidden from sight. It wasn't
that he hadn't seen it before, because he had—but I wasn't quite ready for
that yet. I wanted to be sure he felt for me what I felt for him before I went
ahead and gave him everything again. And he'd already gotten one hell of a
show tonight. I had no intention of giving him another.
 On an irritated sigh, I placed his shirt over the truck's box before I
tugged at the zipper on the back of my dress. I peeled the clingy wet fabric
from my body before squeezing the remainder of the water from the
material. A small puddle formed on the ground at my feet and I glared
daggers at it. I hung the dress over the truck before unclasping my bra. I
thought about leaving my wet panties on—but that would only irritate my
skin. With an eye roll and a nervously beating heart, I peeled my panties
from my body. I had never gone commando before, but I guess there is a
first for everything. I pulled his shirt over my body and sighed in relief
when it hung down to the middle of my thighs. I could only pray he
wouldn't know I was strutting around without panties. If I thought I knew
humiliation—well, that would surely take the cake.
As I made my way to the back of the truck, I spotted Daman. He was
crouched down over a fire pit and a small flame was lighting the shadows.
The sun was low in the sky, casting warm shades over the land. It was
beautiful—almost picturesque. If I weren't wearing a T-shirt, I would feel as
though this was a scene from a romance novel. But it wasn't. There was
nothing romantic about strutting around commando in the wilderness. At
the thought, a blush flushed my skin all the way to my hairline.
I leaned against the open tailgate and watched him. As though feeling
my eyes on him, Daman lifted his head. His blue eyes found mine, and my
stomach felt light and fluttery as though a coven of butterflies lived within
my stomach. "You just going to stand there all night?" He asked, unfolding
from his crouched position.
"Is there anywhere for me to sit?"
"As a matter of fact there is." He flashed his cocky grin. "I brought a
chair."
"Ah," I nodded, cocking my head to the side. "He thinks of
everything."
"I try." He could sound so conceded at times. And if I was being
honest with myself, Daman really was conceded. His ego was so big I
sometimes wondered how he was able to pull it through some doorways.
I raised a brow. "Well where is this chair?"
He chuckled, hopping into the box of the truck. I turned around to
watch as his long legs claimed the space. He pulled a folded up chair from
where it rested between the Rubbermaid bins and the cab before walking to
the end of the tailgate and jumping down. He held the chair up with one
hand. "Did you doubt me, Toots?"
"I may have had a few doubts." I reached for the chair. "I can set it up.
You'll need to set you own chair up."
A twinkle lit his eyes and a frown pulled at my brow. "I only brought
one."
I laughed. "It looks like you didn't think of everything."
He shook his head. "Oh no. I thought of this."
I cocked my head, folding my arms over my chest. The movement
pulled the T-shirt up higher on my thighs and I discreetly peeled my arms
apart. "You brought one chair on purpose?"
"Yup." Daman walked toward the fire with the chair and I followed
close behind. I watched him unfold the chair. It was one of those long body-
length reclining ones people used for sun bathing.
"Why wouldn't you bring two?"
"If I brought two, you'd sit by yourself." He explained simply. As
though it was a conclusion everyone would draw.
I scoffed. "So you brought one so I would sit with you?"
He winked, walking backward toward the truck. "You're smart, Toots."
"Ha. Ha." I said dryly, shaking my head as he laughed. Daman pulled
the cooler from the truck before joining me again beside the fire. I watched
him assemble two hot dogs on a stick, handing me one. "You know you're
manipulative."
He shrugged, "Whatever it takes, Toots."
I perched on the edge of the chair, sticking my hot dog into the fire.
"Whatever what takes?"
"Whatever it takes to get you where you belong."
I fastened my eyes on his face. The line of his jaw was hard and his
eyes reflected the flame of the fire. He looked determined and I had to ask.
"And where do I belong, Daman?"
"With me." His eyes looked deep into my eyes and I felt my breath
hitch. "You belong in my arms."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 12
Gracie
Daman thought I belonged with him—and in his arms. The idea was
fanatical. Throughout the last six years, I envisioned him saying those very
words to me nearly every day. At night when my head hit the pillow, I
imagined that he was still as wrapped up in me as I was in him. I'd thought
then that I was just hoping for a fairytale ending—that I was concocting an
image of the impossible. But now it was happening. Daman thought I
belonged with him and I didn't know if I'd heard him correctly, or if I had
just imagined it the way I had so many times before.
I couldn't tear my eyes from his and I couldn't speak. He was looking
at me with an intensity I couldn't seem to shake. His blue eyes, like heaven
on earth were looking not only at me or through me—but they were looking
inside of me. I was so certain he could see all the fears and longings I had
entertained throughout the years I spent without him that I would have been
willing to bet my heart on it.
His voice was growly. "Say something, Gracie."
"I," I looked down into the flames of the fire. I could feel their warmth,
I could see their reality and I could accept them for what they were—so
why was it so difficult for me to give Daman that same acceptance? I could
see his desire to stand beside me just as easily as I saw the flicker of the
flames. I could feel his heat—his desire just as I felt the burning of the
flames. But damn, Daman was so difficult to accept. Maybe it was because
unlike the flames, Daman had done so much more than keep me warm. He'd
burned me.
"Gracie," Daman closed the distance between us. "You can't shut me
out."
I stared into the flames where our hot dogs were getting crispy. "They
will burn if we don't take them out."
"I don't care about the food."
"I'm really hungry." I brought my eyes up to meet his and he sighed. I
knew I'd gotten to him and when he pulled his from the fire, I pulled mine.
He plucked the buns and condiments from the cooler and I assembled my
bun over the blue plastic surface. I moved back to the seat, pulling it a little
closer to the fire. My bared legs were starting to feel the effects of the night
air.
We ate our hot dogs in silence and I thought about his earlier words. I
knew I was slow to process emotions and if I was being honest with myself,
feelings had always been difficult for me to accept. Daman knew this.
Surely, he remembered. When I finally felt as thought I could maintain a
conversation, I spoke. "You really think I belong with you, Daman?"
His eyes flickered to mine and I tried to focus on his face rather than
his bared chest glimmering golden in the hue of the flames. "I know you
belong with me, Gracie."
"How?"
He moved to close the distance between us, kneeling down in front of
me. His hands settled on my thighs, his skin burning me through the thin
material of his shirt. I felt my body respond instantly to his heat. My core
throbbed for him and I shifted uncomfortably. "I know what it means to live
without you. I thought about you every day and I know you thought about
me too."
"I want everything, Daman." I whispered. My eyes misted and I hated
myself for feeling so deeply. "I don't want the life mom and dad had. I want
more."
"I can give you anything." His eyes were sincere. "Just tell me what
you need."
I smiled, looking down into his beautiful face. "I want the white picket
fence, marriage and babies." His eyes widened and he blew out a deep
breath. I knew before I spoke my desires that he would react this way.
Daman had never considered kids and as for the white picket fence—he
believed his scars would only blacken the crisp illusion of such a life. He
didn't think he was capable and that broke my heart. I would do everything
to give prove to him that he was capable. He had it in him to be everything
and more than he ever could imagine. I cupped his face in my hands and
leaned down to his face, my lips a breath away from his. "I love you,
Daman."
I didn't wait for him to respond to my declaration. Instead, I leaned
down to press my lips to his. Upon contact, fire tore through my entire
body, consuming me from limb to limb. Daman pressed against me,
pushing me back into the chair. His hands slid around the back of my
thighs, lifting me into him. His lips on mine chased away my every fear, my
every worry until there was nothing but the two of us and the love I felt
between us. Daman loved me. I was sure of it. I could feel it. He hadn't said
the words, and I didn't need them yet. I had him. I was wrapped up in him
and that was all that mattered.
My back pressed into the chair as his knee nudged my legs apart. The
air that caressed my most intimate part was cool and I ached for his warmth.
My skin was on fire where his hand moved from my knee to hook around
the back of my thigh, sliding ever so slowly up to my hip. A deep groan fell
from his mouth as his calloused hand moved over the skin of my bare rear.
"You're not wearing anything under my shirt." His eyes were filled
with fire. His hair was messy and I longed to run my fingers through it. I
wanted to pull it.
"Everything was wet."
"Fuck," he groaned. He resembled a man who was fighting tooth and
nail for his will. "You're making this difficult."
I cocked my head, running my hand over the contours of his naked
chest. I hated that there was so much space between us from where he
hovered over me. There shouldn't be an inch between us. "What am I
making difficult?"
He shook his head, dipping his mouth to mine. His lips were frantic as
they claimed my mouth. The emotion emanating from his kiss was raw. My
breasts ached as my nipples swelled, pebbling against the fabric of his shirt.
I ran my hands up over his shoulders, my nails biting into the hard flesh of
his back in a failed attempt to pull him down to me. His tongue traced the
line of my lips, plunging into my mouth to dance against my tongue. His
scent, a spicy outdoorsy scent that belonged only to Daman consumed the
air around me. I felt drunk. Completely drunk on him.
"Please," I whispered against his lips.
"Tell me, Gracie." He pulled away to look into my eyes and I wiggled
beneath him. The desire pooling within me was agonizing.
"I want to feel you." I whispered into the night. "Against me."
He bowed his head into the crevice of my shoulder, running his nose
along the hollow of my throat and over the line of my jaw. "We don't have
to do anything more, Gracie."
"I want to."
"We can take our time." He whispered against my ear and I moaned.
 "We have taken our time." My voice was pleading. "I just want to feel
you against me."
"That's it?"
I nodded. "Just your skin against mine."
"Fuck," his hands hooked around my thighs, his fingers gripping my
flesh. "You're going to be the death of me, Gracie."
"Please," I moaned.
His answer was gruff. His command was unquestionable. "Hold on
Toots."
I clutched his shoulders tight as he lifted me from the chair. I wrapped
my legs around his waist, feeling the bulge in his pants rub against my
throbbing core. I was wet and the roughness of his jeans against my clit was
enough to send me into an aching mess of longing. He set me against the
tailgate, pulling away from me. Coolness washed over me as his eyes
searched my face. "I'm going to lay out the blankets I brought."
I nodded and Daman leapt up into the box of the truck. He opened one
of the Rubbermaid containers as I pulled my knees up to his chest to watch
him. I kept waiting for uncertainty to claim me now that the haze of my lust
for him had cooled—but there was none. I wanted to be with him. I was at
peace with the thought. I was in love with the man.
Daman rolled out a foam mattress and I laughed. "You really did have
this all planned."
His eyes met mine. "I hoped. But as I said before, if you wanted to go
home or sleep with a blanket between us, I can accept your decision." He
placed a blanket over the foam before laying another four blankets on top of
the first. Two pillows were plucked from the bottom of the bin and placed at
the head of the truck. "I won't push you, Gracie."
I stood, walking toward him. When we were a breath away, but not
touching, I spoke. "I know you won't, Daman."
My fingers toyed with the fabric of his shirt against my thighs and on a
breath of courage I lifted it over my head. Shaking fingers dropped the shirt
to the floor of the truck and I watched his eyes drink me in. One would
think I would feel exposed, but I didn't. I felt beautiful. The flames of desire
lighting his eyes warmed me from the chill in the air. His lips parted and he
hissed in a breath. The sound went straight to the spot between my thighs
and warm wetness touched the skin of my thighs as I waited for him to
touch me, to kiss me.
 "You're gorgeous." His voice was unsteady, gravelly. The sound was
erotic and my breath hitched.
"I want you to touch me, Daman." I whispered, feeling a blush sting
my cheeks. His eyes swept over my body as he pulled the blankets back so
there was only two atop the foam. On his knees, he leaned forward and
pressed his lips to my belly button. My knees shook, instantly feeling
wobbly and weak with need. I ached for him. Throbbed for him and
thankfully, he didn't make me beg. His hands moved from my ankles where
he'd rested them, over the length of my legs, my rear, my hips, and up to my
waist. His lips crashed against mine as his hand pressed against my lower
back, crushing me against him. I didn't mind. Feeling his naked chest
against mine was hot. My nipples were pebbled against the warmth of his
skin, pleading for the touch of his tongue.
Slowly, he lowered me to the blanket. My back pressed against the soft
cushion and when he pulled away from me, I opened my eyes that were so
content to remain closed. He was looking down at me with an intensity that
robbed me of my breath. Ebony hair fell onto his forehead and his jaw was
set hard and determined. He pushed back on his heel, his eyes taking in my
body where I lay unashamed beneath the heat of his gaze. He was sitting
between my knees and my legs were spread, exposing me to him. His eyes
drank in every inch of my body and my skin heated as though he was
touching me with his eyes.
"You know I'll never let you leave again." His eyes found mine, and
my breath caught in my throat.
Slowly, I nodded. "I never want to leave." I sat up to face him, lifting
my hand to the side of his face. "I love you, Daman."
His eyes were hooded as he peered into my eyes. "I love you, Gracie. I
always have."
My heart swelled in my chest and a laugh fell from my lips as I pulled
his head down to mine. His lips brushed against mine in a gentle kiss and I
felt as though he was drinking in my very soul. And there was no part of me
that wanted to pull away. I was completely and entirely wrapped up in him.
I pulled away from his kiss, gasping for breath. "I want to feel you,
Daman."
A fire ignited in his eyes as he pressed his lips to mine again, lowering
me once again to the blankets beneath me. My stomach felt tight with need
and I was so wet for him I was moments away from pleading. He stood
from between my legs, his head tilted to watch me as I watched his hands
move to the belt at his waist. From behind him, the fire glowed. He looked
devilishly tempting in the dark glow of the amber light and my heart raced
in my chest. Pounding against its cage. His forearms flexed, his muscles
rippling as he unbuckled his belt before unbuttoning his jeans. I could feel
his eyes on me as I watched him peel his clothing from his body and I
couldn't find an ounce of shame or embarrassment within me. What we
were doing was not wrong. It was natural and perfect. It was overdue.
Slowly, he pulled his pants down, kicking them from his ankles until
the only material clinging to his body was the black boxer shorts at his
waist. Beneath them, I could see the large bulge of his penis and I wiggled
against the blankets with need. Just looking at him had me aching,
throbbing and swelling with need. I was certain I could find release just at
the sight of him. But I wanted to be with him. I wanted to lose myself in
him and I wanted him to lose himself in me. I wanted this night to be
everything our first time wasn't.
"Don't make me beg, Daman."
His eyes glittered and he grinned. "Tell me what you want, Gracie, and
it's yours."
"You." I said simply. "I just want you."
A groan fell from his lips and he hooked his thumbs into the band of
his boxer shorts, pulling the material from his waist. Baring himself to me
completely. I drank every delicious inch of him in as I watched him lower
himself between my knees. There was nothing surrounding us but nature. In
the distance, I could hear the river water caressing the rocky shore in its
travels. The burning coals crackled, lighting the darkness as the flames
reached for a higher destination and the leaves rustled in the occasional
breeze. This was the most perfect moment in all the moments I had lived.
And I owed it to Daman.
I reached up for Daman, pressing my hand over the place his heart
rested in his chest. He closed his eyes, tilting his face to the sky as he let me
touch him. His heart was beating fast and hard. I moved my hand higher to
wrap around the back of his neck, I sat up and pressed my lips to the
piercing in his nipple. A gasp fell from his lips into the night around us. I
tilted my head back to look up into his face and found with delight that he
was looking down at me. There was a burning desire in his eyes I couldn't
wait to satisfy.
 Daman took control then, his hands gripping my hips as he lowered
himself over me, forcing my back onto the blankets. As he settled himself
between my legs, I groaned into the night. The sound was filled to the brim
with pleasured need. He pressed his length against me, shifting his hips in a
deliciously tempting rotation that had me writhing beneath him. Slowly, he
dragged his length along my moist core, his chest pressed tight against
mine. I wrapped my legs around him, hooking my ankles over his backside.
A grunt toppled from his lips as I pushed myself into him. He dropped his
head, claiming my lips with his. "Are you sure, Gracie?"
I nodded, speaking against his lips. "I want you, Daman."
He kissed me harder as he slid his hand between our bodies, moving
his fingers over the sensitive skin of my stomach to the delicate place
between my legs. He found my clit easily, rubbing circles over the bundle
of nerves with the pad of his thumb as his finger stroked my entrance. My
hips shifted beneath his touch and he ground out a command. "Stay still,
Gracie."
I tried to obey him, but with his fingers working me the way he was, it
was harder said than done. I closed my eyes, arching my back as his mouth
claimed my breast. My sensitive skin ached as he pulled away, blowing
cool air over my pebbled nipple before running his teeth gently over the
swollen flesh. I moaned a breathy plea and I felt his lips form a smile.
"Daman,"
"You're mine, Gracie." He brought his lips to my mouth and I felt his
tip resting against my opening. Excitement flared within me and I would
have pressed my hips up into him if he weren't holding me in place. "Say
you're mine."
"I'm yours." The night swallowed the sound of my words, capturing
the whispers and moans of passion forever within these trees. Daman
pushed himself slowly inside me and I moaned. His lips found mine and my
sound became his. Slowly, he rocked inside me, filling me completely. With
every thrust, his motions quickened and I met him stroke for stroke.
Pressure built within me as pleasure spread like wildfire.
His words were a whispered command against my lips. "Come for
me,"
And I did. My body quaked as my orgasm shattered, spilling around
him. I felt him convulse inside my body as he pushed himself deep. His
body pressed into mine, his lips pulling every moan I had to give as our
bodies shook together with passion.
Daman slid his hand beneath my back, holding me to him as he
pressed his lips to my forehead. I could still feel him hard and hot inside me
even though he had come and I hoped he stayed this way with me for a
while. I wasn't ready to let him go just yet.
His lips against my forehead were gentle. He pulled away to look
down into my eyes, shifting inside me. His lips were parted and my heart
leapt. "I love you, Gracie."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 13
Gracie
Daman loved me! He loved me! I had waited for a long time to hear
those words fall from his beautiful lips. And now that they had—I swear the
world and all its pieces were falling into place around me.
A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as complete and utter bliss
flooded through my veins, it's wondrous toxin pouring into my
bloodstream. "I love you, Daman."
He grinned that cute lopsided grin that had my heart thumping in my
chest and I wiggled beneath him. "You're beautiful."
I leaned up to kiss him, closing my eyes to the night as his mouth
worked gently against mine. Slowly, he pulled from within me and I felt an
ache swell inside me where he had been buried only moments before. The
pang of emptiness was quickly replaced by the feel of Daman's arms
wrapping around my middle, pulling my body into the warmth of his naked
front. He reached down to pull the blankets up over us and I curled into his
chest, loving the warmth he subdued me in. I was feeling sleepy and content
and so very blessed. If there was such a thing as a fairy godmother, then she
had certainly sprinkled her dust over my head this morning when I woke,
because I couldn't remember ever having a day where all my dreams came
true.
"What are you thinking?" Daman's fingertips traced small circles over
the smooth skin of my stomach.
"Hmm," I wiggled to face him and he pressed his lips to my hairline.
His fingers resumed their caress against the skin of my lower back. "I'm
thinking that I'm happy."
He grunted. "How happy?"
"Deliriously." I felt his grin rather than saw it and knowing it was there
on his face made me smile. "What about you? What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that I'll never let you go. No matter what. You're mine
from this day forward."
I pondered that thought before speaking. My tone was low and my
words were soft. "I think I've always belonged to you, Daman. I just don't
think I realized it until now."
 He tightened his hold on me, pressing my body flush against his. "At
least you've come to realize it now."
I laughed, kissing his chest. "Thank you for a perfect evening."
He sighed. "It was all you, Gracie."
"It was all you, Daman." I tilted my face to look up into his. "If I had
known you were such a planner, I might have had more expectation." I
teased. "Now I'll know for the future."
"This was an anomaly." He defended himself. "Don't get your hopes
up."
I laughed. "Oh, the negatives of outdoing yourself."
He scoffed. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"
"I'm your piece of work." I replied with mock indifference.
"You're right about one thing, Toots. You most definitely are mine."
***
Gracie
The morning sun was bright. It peeked through the treetops, pulling us
from the peace of sleep. I moaned, pressing my face deeper into the hard
pillow of a chest I was nestled against before I froze. My eyes popped open
as the night before came flooding back to me. I stared down at the glorious
body beneath mine and felt an enormous smile light my face. We really did
it—we had over come every mountain we had ever built between us.
Together we had climbed our mountains and slayed our dragons. We found
a common ground where we could stand together. A place we could link
hands and walk side by side into a future we would build together. Whereas
before we had stood on different planes of existence, we were now on the
same land.
A yelp tore from between my lips and I found myself on my back.
Daman hovered above me with sexy, sleepy, hooded blue eyes. "Good
morning, Love."
I beamed, breathing in the crisp morning air. "Good morning."
He nudged my legs apart with his knee and I felt the warm hard length
of his cock settle between my legs. He sighed and it was a fevered sound
that boiled my blood. "You're so wet for me."
I was. "I am."
"I need to be inside you." His words were strained—hoarse. I loved
that he needed me. Because I needed him. Feeling his desire for me against
my most intimate place had me moist with need for him all over again. My
hips tilted up to his and I felt the length of his cock stroke my clit. It was a
delicious feeling that pulled on the fringes of my consciousness. The deep
blue of his eyes, the quirked set of his mouth and the feel of his hardness
against me had my body worked into a quivering mess of nerves built on
passion.
"I'm yours to take," I whispered.
His lips pressed against mine. His tongue explored my mouth as he
rocked his hips against mine, rubbing his length against my sensitive
clitoris. A strangled moan sounded from deep in my throat and he
swallowed it eagerly. There was no warning for what happened next. One
moment he was rubbing against me—and the next he had filled me
completely. I cried out in surprised pleasure as a slight burst of pain burned
inside me. Daman stilled instantly. "Are you all right?"
I nodded. "I'm better than all right."
A grunted sound of pleasure filled the space between us as he resumed
movement. He pounded into me relentlessly. This time was so different
from the gentle passion he had practiced only last night. His thrusts were
practiced, hitting me in just the right place. His hands gripped my hips as he
sat back on his haunches, pulling me up with him. My breathy moan of
surprise was loud and he flashed a proud grin.
"Rock with me, Love." Daman commanded and I wondered where
Toots had gone, but the thought was short lived as he shifted his hips—
hitting me in a new place. As requested, I rocked my hips against his. I
wrapped my arms around his shoulders, holding myself to him. His hands
were rough against my hips, locking me in place against him. I didn't mind.
This was my definition of heaven.
The blankets were a pool of material around us, and the sun was
climbing higher in the sky with every passing minute. I was making love to
the one and only man who had ever owned my heart beneath its golden
rays, surrounded by nature. I couldn't think of a better way to wake. I
couldn't think of a better way to start the day.
Daman caught my mouth with his. It wasn't a normal kiss—no—this
was a kiss to touch souls. His lips took everything I had to offer and I gave
it to him without reservation. I wanted him to possess me, own me, love me
and cherish me. I wanted to be his in every way possible and in that kiss—I
willingly handed over everything I had to give.
 His words were a plea against my mouth. "Come for me, Love."
And I did.
***
Daman
I poured myself into Gracie without an ounce of regret. I had never
been one to forget a condom—or just not use one. But I couldn't seem to
fathom the though of such a barrier with Gracie. I knew she was on the pill
as I had seen her take it—so I wasn't worried about pregnancy and I knew
Gracie hadn't been with anyone since me—so I knew she was clean. I hadn't
been with someone since hearing that she was returning home and I'd been
checked—I was clean. Being with her was unlike being with anyone else.
There was something about losing myself in her that I simply couldn't seem
to replicate in anyone else. And I had tried for six years. Now, I would
never have to try again because I had her. She was mine. I would never let
her go again. I couldn't. I knew what it meant to live without her and there
was no way in hell I was willing to walk that road again. No thank you.
Her body shook against me as she came down from her euphoric high.
Her head was thrown back and her eyes were closed. She was a beauty that
couldn't be compared. I watched as her lips parted on a contented sigh and
she slowly lifted her head, her eyes focusing on me.
She smiled. "You're watching me."
"You're beautiful." My voice was husky and her eyes glittered at the
sound as they swept over my face. She was studying me. I was moments
away from asking her what she saw—what she was thinking when my mind
blanched. A small, throaty laugh sounded and she shook her head.
"You're a sweet talker." The way she said it made it feel like an
accusation rather than a compliment and I narrowed my eyes on her. Her
lips maintained an easy grin as she cocked her head to the side, "What is it
you want that I haven't given you?"
I laughed. She was teasing, but there was something I wanted. "I want
you to move your stuff into my room when we get home. I want to hold you
in my arms every night."
Her brows raised and she shifted her hips against mine. The movement
had me swelling inside her and her mouth opened, her lips forming a small
'O' of surprise. "Again?"
 She was avoiding my earlier statement. Interesting. "Gracie." My tone
warned her away from the bullshit I knew she threw when she was unsure
about something. "You'll move into my bedroom."
"I don't think you have a closet big enough for the both of us." She
smiled with mock sympathy and I rolled my eyes.
"Is the closet in the room you have now large enough?"
"It could be slightly larger."
"Good. I have two closets in my room and they're both larger than the
one in your room." I grinned smartly at her and her jaw dropped. "You can
have one and I can have one."
She shifted her hips again, biting her bottom lip. She really was a sexy
little vixen. Tempting as all fuck. "Don't you think that's moving a little
fast? You might get sick of me."
She was talking about moving fast with our relationship when I was
buried deep inside her. Was she insane? "It's not really a change, Gracie." I
argued. "You live with me already and we'll end up in each others bed
anyway. Mine is just a lot more comfortable."
She smirked. "I happen to like the bed I'm sleeping in."
"But mine is a king," I informed and she rolled her pretty hazel eyes.
In the light of the morning sun, they glimmered gold. "Don't roll your
eyes."
"Don't tell me what to do." She barked back at me. "I always roll my
eyes at you."
I smirked, shifting so she was flat on her back. A squeal of delight
pierced the air around me as she laughed and I looked down into her face.
"But now I can punish you whereas before I was just trying to get you to
trust me."
She cocked her head. Her lips curled into a mischievous grin. "And
who says I trust you now?"
"You do."
"Oh, really?"
I nodded, shifting inside her to remind her of where I was and how I
was currently possessing her. "I wouldn't be where I am if you didn't trust
me, Gracie."
Her eyes turned serious. Her smile vanished. "You're right. I do trust
you."
 "So why are you trying to convince me not to move you into my
room?"
"Well," she shrugged. "Are you sure I won't irritate you—be in your
space?"
"I'm sure." Then I thought of something I didn't like. "Would I irritate
you?"
She frowned. "I don't think so." Her eyes met mine. "Unless you hog
the covers."
"I didn't last night, did I?"
She shook her head. "I suppose you didn't."
"So, you'll move across the hall."
She laughed. "You are the most ridiculous person I have ever known."
"But?" I nudged her.
"I'll move across the hall." She relented to my satisfaction. And then
she spoke again, "Under one condition."
I narrowed my eyes on her face. Damn, she was beautiful—even when
she was being difficult as all hell. "What are you proposing?"
"You have to stop and buy me a coffee on the way home."
"How about we stop and get breakfast too?"
"Sounds like a deal."
I kissed her nose. "It's a date."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 14
Gracie
My phone buzzed against Daman's end table and I reached out to
quickly silence it. It was early, but I had plans with Ella and the girls—
although I had never met the girls. We were going for breakfast before a
pedicure. By the time 1:00pm rolled around, I had faith that I would be
back in Daman's arms. However, the ridiculous man that he was wanted to
remain tangled in sheets for another few days before we walked back out
into the not-so-bright light of the real world. If I was being honest with
myself, I really did want to stay in bed with Daman—but I had planned this
day with Ella early in the week. I didn't want to cancel. I needed some girl
time. Since moving home I hadn't really seen anyone apart from Daman and
my co-workers. Not that I was complaining, they were great—but I needed
some girl chat. And the fact that I had never really been one to hang with
girls before I left for Vancouver meant that I hadn't had a female friendship
to come home to. It had always been just me, Daman and Dace. Since I
wanted to talk about Daman—I had to broaden my stretch of company and I
quite liked Ella, Dace's fiancée.
With a quick glance over my shoulder at Daman's sleeping form, I
stealthily made a break from the bed. My toes made contact with the
hardwood and a small breath of relief started to flow from my lips.
Obviously, the relief had come too soon. Before I knew it, my back was
pressed against the bed and Daman was positioned atop me. His eyes were
dark. A thrill pulsed through me as I stared into his sharp gaze.
"I thought we agreed last night that you would spend today with me."
His voice was tense. I was in trouble. I like trouble.
"That's not how I remember last night." I defended myself.
"Enlighten me." He rolled his hips into mine and I bit back a moan.
"I remember you manipulating me with great sex—kinda like you're
trying to do now." I tried to frown but the act was simply impossible to do
when he was moving against me. Like that.
"I'm not manipulating you, Love."
"You are." I gasped as he pressed against me, sliding easily inside me.
"I'm going out with the girls today whether you like it or not." I moaned as
he dove deep, consuming me.
"You said you'd give me today," he protested. "Did you lie?"
"No." I moaned as he rolled his hips. My hands gripped his backside as
I spread my legs wider, taking him deeper. "And, if I did agree to spend
today with you, then it doesn't count because I don't remember, and if I
don't remember, it was because you had me in some sex-crazed haze." He
nipped my earlobe and my skin heated with the pleasure of feeling his teeth
on my sensitive skin. "It's you're fault."
"When will you be back?"
"Before one," Daman pulled out of me then. I watched in shock as he
stepped off the bed. Did he plan to finish what he started in he shower?
"What are you doing?"
He grinned and I frowned. "We'll finish this when you're not planning
to run out on me."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" My fingers clenched around his pillow
and I chucked it at him as hard as I could. The freaking brute of a man
caught the pillow and a laugh split from his lips. "You got me all wet and
wanting and you're going to leave me like this?"
He winked. "Just assurance that you'll come back to me."
I sat up raising a brow. "You need assurance?" My feet pounded
against the floor as I stomped past him to the bathroom door. "You're
ridiculous."
"What are you doing?" He cocked his head, folding sculpted arms over
an equally sculpted chest. His confident grin had my hackles ruffled.
"I'm going to finish what you started in the shower. By myself." I
slammed the door shut, but before it could latch, Daman was there, pushing
against it.
I gasped as I stepped backward into the bathroom, away from him and
his menacing glare. He slammed the door shut and I felt my stomach coil as
I watched his muscular form stalk me. His erection stood proud and alert as
he moved closer to me. He caught the nape of my neck in his large hand,
forcing me to look up into his face as his fingers spread up into my hair. "I
finish what I start, Gracie."
Every fiber of my being was wound so tight with desire even my knees
shook. "Then finish it."
His mouth crushing against mine was the only response I received. My
body burst into flames as he pushed me gently into the tall, glass encased
shower. I continued being moved backward helpless to fight the desire
pooling within me at his kiss. My shoulder blades pressed into the brown
tile wall and I gasped at the chill of the tile. His mouth only pressed harder
against mine, determined to swallow my every sound.
His hand slid from the nape of my neck and the next thing I knew, cold
water splashed over us as the shower turned on.
I hissed in a deep breath of shock, "Cold."
"Wait it out, Love." He commanded, pressing his warmth over my
pebbled skin. "It'll get hot real quick."
My eyes shot to his face where a dark and dangerous smile waited for
me. A pitter-patter thumped in my chest as my heart danced at his words.
Oh my—I loved this man. So very deeply. When I spoke, my voice sounded
throaty and a hell of a lot more sexy than I had been anticipating. "I'm
counting on it."
A flame lit his eyes, and just as he promised, I felt the heat. His hands
hooked around my thighs, lifting me higher against the tile wall. I wrapped
my legs around his hips, pulling him tighter to me. I had no self-restraint
when it came to him. I didn't want any. This was perfect—this heat I
couldn't seem to suffocate was like waking, living, breathing through bliss.
Daman was the drug my body simply could not live without. In the years I
spent without him, my mind had been nearly comatose. Yes, I had
submerged myself in my schooling, and yes, I ate and drank and slept and
woke each and every morning. But I didn't really feel. Now that I had
Daman again, I knew I that I had been living—but never truly living.
Feeling this need for him—with him—was so much more than I ever
thought I would feel again. Daman was my one. He was my only. I knew
that now and I never intended to fight against fate again.
There was no doubt in my mind that Daman and I belonged together.
Apart we were two wounded souls determined to feel something. Anything.
But together, we were like fire. So long as we had air, our love couldn't be
suffocated.
Daman pulled my hips down against his, bringing my thoughts to the
here and now. My lips parted and my body melted at the feel of the tip of
his cock pressing at my opening. God, he fit so perfectly inside me. I fit so
perfectly around him. "Your thoughts, Gracie?"
"They're all about you, Daman."
 He pushed an inch inside me and I let my head fall back against the
wall, exposing my throat to him. His lips travelled over the smooth skin and
the scruff of his unshaved face pulled a shiver from deep inside me. "You
like that?"
"I love it," I corrected on a breath. "I love everything you do."
"Everything?"
"Yes," I assured and before the word was even out of my mouth,
Daman had filled me to the hilt. The end of my word came out sharp and I
opened my eyes to look down in his face.
"Everything, Gracie." He whispered on a gravelly voice. "Give me
everything."
"Always," I promised as he quickened his movements. The tile held
me in place as he pounded relentlessly inside of me, building me up into an
ache that demanded release. I pushed my body from the wall, wrapping my
arms around his shoulders to press my chest tight against his. A moan fell
from passion-tense lips, muffled by the skin of my neck where he buried his
face. I felt him burst inside me, spilling his warmth deep into me. That was
all I needed to come undone around him. My body convulsed and he held
me tight, slowly lowering me back against the wall. I tightened my legs
around his waist and he grinned a sated smile, leaning down to press his lips
to mine.
I melted into his kiss, sighing against his lips. He pulled away, slowly
pulling himself from where he was embedded within me. I wanted to
protest his absence, but I couldn't. If I encouraged him to remain within me,
he would. And then I would be late for my girls day. It was a dilemma, but I
knew that before the end of the day I would have him again, so I didn't fret.
Daman lowered me gently to the ground. "I suppose I'll let you get
yourself ready for your day with Ella and the girls."
I cocked my head. "Do you know the girls?"
He quirked a brow, "Well yeah,"
"Go on." I poured shampoo into the palm of my hand, rubbing the suds
into my hair. "Tell me all you know."
"Why don't you meet them and make your own opinions?" Daman
watched my breasts move as I scrubbed my hair and I smirked.
"Why don't you just tell me?"
He sighed, on the brink of relenting. "Gia works for me. She's worked
for me for a while and I suppose she's nice."
 "You suppose?" I frowned. Had there been something between them at
some point? Oh God—my stomach felt heavy.
"Whatever you're thinking, you're wrong." Daman's blue eyes were
fastened on my face and his jaw was stern. He looked slightly unimpressed.
"And what was I thinking?"
"Whatever it was, you didn't like it," he breathed in deep. "I've been
with a few girls, Gracie."
"And Gia's,"
He interrupted me. "Gia's not one of them."
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh,"
"You were gone for six years, Gracie." He looked pained and I couldn't
believe we were having this conversation right now. Of all times, this was
so not the time. "I was never celibate."
I looked to the floor, a whisper on my breath. "I was."
He hooked his finger beneath my chin, lifting it. "I know you were."
His eyes were so dark. "And I'm so happy you were because I think I would
probably kill anyone who touched you—but I didn't think you were ever
coming back and,"
I pressed my finger to his lips. "I don't want to talk about this. You
have a past." I shrugged. "But you're my only past. It is what it is. We
accept it and move forward or we don't move anywhere."
He nodded agreeably. "Gia is a nice girl. She's a little rough around the
edges, but she's honest, sometimes mean and she's got a boyfriend she vows
is the love of her life. She took instantly to Ella although I don't have a clue
why, the two of them are like the sun and the moon, but they're friends."
I was so relieved he jumped from talking about his past conquests and
my lack of, to the conversation we had been engaged in prior. "She sounds
nice. What about Dee?"
"Dee is Ella's best friend. I don't really know her as well as Gia, but
from what I do know, she is smart as fuck—wants to be a pediatrician. She's
dated Kyle since high school and she looks kinda like a Barbie—but the girl
has the mouth of a sailor. She's a lippy little thing—kinda like one of those
yippy dogs." He frowned. "The little fur balls, what do you call them?"
"A Pomeranian?" I laughed, my eyes wide. "Are you seriously
comparing Ella's best friend to a Pomeranian?"
He chuckled. "You'll know when you meet her. She's great, but some
of the things that fly from her mouth are just," he shook his head. "Well,
you'll see."
I shook my head, stepping from the shower. "I honestly can't wait to
meet Dee. After your description of her I think meeting Dee might fall into
'one of those things you have to do before you die'." I joked.
Daman laughed as he tipped his head back into the stream of water
pouring from the showerhead to rinse his shampoo. The hard line of his
throat made my breath catch and I shook my head. "I should tell her what
you think of her."
Daman shot a glare at me. "I think she's a nice girl."
"That's not what it sounds like."
He narrowed his eyes on me and I realized with a jump in my heart
that I was lucky there was glass between us. "If you say anything of the sort
to her, I promise you'll regret it."
I stepped backward to the door that was now looking like an escape
route. "And what will you do to me, Daman?"
"Tell her and find out." He opened the door and I shot from the
bathroom, fleeing his wet, hard muscular body. His laughter followed
behind me and I quickly locked myself in my closet.
With my back against the door, I flicked on the light and breath a sigh
of relief. He hadn't caught me. Which was good—because if he had, I knew
I would have definitely been late for this girls day. After hearing his
explanation of the girls, I couldn't wait.
I stepped into a lacy white thong with a bra to match before plucking a
pair of cute dark jean shorts from the built-in cubby. I stepped into the
fabric, pulling it over my hips. I chose a white flowing tank top that I
cinched at the waist with a thin brown leather belt. I added a cute dressy
necklace that hung down over my shirt between my breasts. The chain was
dark silver and the pendant matched—it was of a bejeweled owl. I loved
owls.
Slowly, I pulled open the door of my closet and my heart clenched in
my chest as I spotted Daman sitting on the bed. No surprise, he wore no
shirt. His teasingly delicious hips were adorned in black boxers peeking out
from under dark denim. He was the epitome of eye-candy.
"You can come out." Blue eyes met mine. "I won't make you any later
than you are."
"Than I am?" I pursed my lips, stepping into the bedroom from the
closet. "What do you mean?"
 Daman's eyes glittered mischievously as he waved my phone in the air.
"Ella's on her way."
"What?" I squeaked, running for the bathroom. "When was the text
sent?"
"Five minutes ago." He appeared behind me, running his hand up my
back beneath my shirt as I rubbed day cream over the sensitive skin o my
face. "You probably have another ten before she's here."
"Then stop distracting me." I tried to wiggle out from beneath his
delicious touch but he refused to be swayed. I rolled my eyes in the mirror
as I glared at him. He wasn't fazed. Azure eyes studied me as I frantically
assembled my face with a light sweep of makeup. My hair was next. I
quickly ran a comb through my long tangles before scrunching a citrus
scented gel into the strands. There was no way I had time to dry my hair. I
had way too much hair and a half dry job would look worse than leaving it
to dry naturally. With a disgruntled moan into the mirror, I stepped away.
Daman pulled me back, forcing me to look into the mirror again. His eyes
were hard and his jaw was set stubbornly.
"What now, Daman?" I let my head fall back against his chest in
defeat.
"Do you not see yourself as gorgeous?" There was a tenseness in his
tone that sent shivers moving along my entire body. "Do you not see how
fucking beautiful you are?"
"I'm going to be late, Daman."
"I think you need to be reminded of the power you possess, Gracie.
You used to be so confident."
"I'm still confident." I shrugged. "Just in a different way now."
"You used to know the power your body held."
I scoffed. "Yeah, over you."
He frowned. "What does that mean?"
"You used to be crazy about me, Daman."
"I still am." He announced matter of fact. "That has never changed."
"You see me differently than other people do."
"I don't want other men looking at you the way I look at you," he
growled. "I'd rip their eyes out."
"Then what is the point in this lesson?" I asked on a huffed breath.
"I want you to know you still captivate me."
 I grinned a sexy grin, running my teeth over my bottom lips as I
looked up at him through long lashes. His breath hitched and I turned my
body to face his. Slowly, I ran a finger over the naked skin of his chest. It
was warm. As I pressed my body into his, I felt his desire against my
stomach and a familiar ache swelled in my chest.
The doorbell rang and his eyes flashed. "Fuck."
I giggled. "I know I still captivate you, Daman." I kissed the nipple
with the black ring through it before darting away from him. A hiss of
breath left his mouth as his feet pounded against the floor behind me.
He caught me easily, his arm snaking around my waist. A loud squeal
ripped through the silence of the house followed by a giggle. Daman
pressed me against the wall. "If it was anyone but Ella waiting on you, I'd
drag you back to my bed. But since she's marrying my brother, I'm going to
let you go to her—but remember that when I get you alone I'm going to
show you just how you captivate me." He released me. I scurried away
from him, but not fast enough to escape the sting of his large hand over my
backside.
I glared over my shoulder at him as I ran for the front door, slipping
my brown leather purse over my shoulder. I was inches from the door
before I spoke. "You'll have to actually get me alone first."
With those words, I heard his feet pounding against the floor but I had
already opened the door to a beaming Ella. She raised a brow as Daman
skidded on his heel to a stop behind me. "Am I interrupting something?"
I glanced over my shoulder at Daman. His blue eyes were engulfed in
flames of desire with just a touch of a challenge lurking within their depths.
I shrugged at Ella. "Nothing at all." I closed the door on Daman and walked
out to a little white Mazda SUV.
"Don't lie to me." She bumped her shoulder into mine. "There's only
one reason a Demi brother chases a woman with that look in his eye." She
winked as I blushed. "You forget I'm marrying a demi boy."
"Right," I breathed.
"You got under Daman's skin—literally." She grinned and my blush
deepened. "Oh my god, you did!"
"Nice car." I pointed to her car in hopes she would drop the
accusations. They were right on the money and I wasn't sure if I wanted the
world knowing I belonged to Daman Demi all over again.
 "This is Mazzy." She grinned. "But deflection won't work. Especially
on Dee or Gia. Gia has this uncanny ability to know when two people have
slept together and Dee is just a head-over-heels romantic. And believe me,
she will smell the romance radiating off you."
My mouth dropped and Ella laughed. "Don't worry, I went through this
with those two when I met Dace. Gia knew from the beginning that I was
helpless against Dace's charms." The way she said charms made me frown.
"And Dee knew there was something brewing between us before I'd even
admitted it to myself."
I nodded. "Well, I know how I feel for Daman."
"You do?" She waggled her brows, pausing with her hand on the door
handle.
Suddenly, the drivers window rolled down and a high-pitched female
voice echoed around us. "I smell Demi-boy drama. If you two are talking
about the goods without us, we're going to have problems!"
I felt a smile curve the corners of my lips and Ella laughed loud. "That
would be Dee."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 15
Gracie
Dee definitely sounded like a character. I already liked her and I hadn't
even seen the girl yet—or officially met her. But she had already made me
laugh and there was just something about her 'stick her nose in anywhere
she pleases' attitude that I loved. "We should probably get in the car."
Ella nodded. "Yeah, or apparently we're going to have problems."
The high-pitched voice called out again. "Serious problems."
Another voice, I assumed was Gia called from the back seat. "Get your
skinny asses in the car already. I'm starving."
"You're hung over." Dee quipped.
I opened the door in time to see a vibrant red head smack the seat in
front of her. "I barely had anything to drink. It was the damn shot of tequila.
That shit kills people."
I met Ella's eyes in the rearview mirror. "She lost a bet last night and as
we all know, tequila is her nemeses."
"A bet," I nodded. "Sounds interesting."
Gia shook her head. "It wasn't. I'm Gia by the way."
I nodded. I'd already pieced it together. "Gracie."
"Damn, and your dad is Gabe?" She looked stumped. "You seem
awfully innocent to have a father like Gabe."
I laughed. "I'm not as innocent as I appear—obviously."
A look of disbelief washed across her features as she scanned me with
interest. "So, you're the girl who has the other Demi brother all love-sick."
Dee turned around in her seat. "I can see why. You're hot." She turned
back to Ella. "When one brother falls, they both fall."
Ella chuckled. "You're ridiculous."
"I think it's perfect." She rubbed her hands together. "I bet Daman will
even propose soon and if only I could get Kyle to pop the question then
we'd all be planning weddings."
"Hold on!" I raised my hands in complete and utter disbelief. This girl
was no Pomeranian—more like a grizzly or a shark. "We're not even close
to marriage."
 Dee frowned, Ella laughed as though she was used to it and Gia let her
head fall back against the seat. "Well, you love him don't you?"
The car went quiet and suddenly there were three very interested sets
of eyes on me. My heart slid down into my stomach, trying frantically to
hide. "Well I,"
Gia cocked her head. "Oh God," I glanced at her. "You love him. I can
practically smell it."
I looked down to where my hands were folded in my lap. They already
knew everything—why not bare my heart and soul? "I've always loved
Daman."
Dee gasped. "Always?"
I nodded. "Always. Ever since I can remember, it's always been him."
She clasped her hands together. "That is so romantic."
I turned to Gia, wanting to take the conversation off me. "So, you're
engaged too?"
She flashed a small diamond band. It was nothing spectacular like
Ella's ring, but it suited her personality. "Tyson proposed."
"And she said yes," Dee spoke slowly as though I might not
understand. "Because she loves him."
I laughed at her last bit. Ella rolled her eyes and that only made me
laugh harder. "I love Daman. But I don't know if we're at that stage yet."
"What stage is that?" Dee asked. "I've been ready for Kyle to propose
for years."
"You've been with him for years." I returned.
"And you've loved Daman for years."
"Dee," Gia barked. "Stop pressuring the girl into accepting a proposal
that hasn't even happened yet."
I eyed Gia when Dee turned around in her seat. "Thanks." I mouthed.
"You're welcome." She mouthed back. I instantly liked her. Dee was
pretty cool too, but I really liked Gia.
"Anyway," Ella butted into the conversation. "Is everyone hungry."
"Starving." Gia announced for the second time and we all laughed. "I
need something greasy."
I covered my smile with my hand. "You're definitely hung over."
She groaned. "I know."
Again, we all laughed.
***
Gracie
Ella pulled into a small breakfast diner. It was a mom and pop kind of
shop and as we walked to the door, my stomach growled. Thankfully, no
one could hear the persistant rumbling.
"So," Ella fell into step beside me. "You were raised with the Demi
boys. Dace talks about you like you're family—so I'm assuming you know
about their," She paused, clearly uncomfortable.
"Their what?" I frowned, instantly feeling uneasy.
"Well," she scratched her temple unsurely.
Gia, the girl who spoke her mind unfailingly spoke. "You know they
fight?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "I used to watch. It started after their mom passed."
Ella shifted uncomfortably. "And you're okay with it?"
"Not really." I shook my head. "But I can't stop Daman from doing
what he's always done."
Ella's eyes widened and Gia shook her head. "It's really not that big a
deal, El."
"But it is." She shook her head at Gia. The air was instantly tense.
"You know it is."
"I think the way you found out made it worse for you." Gia stated
bluntly. "And for that I'm sorry."
There was something I was missing—obviously. "What are you guys
talking about?"
Dee shook her head at me. "You don't want to know."
"I don't support fighting." Ella interrupted determinedly. "When I
found out Dace fought, it was at one of his fights."
"Oh," I breathed, feeling awkward. I understood her dislike toward the
fighting—I had hated watching it. And I knew that if I were to watch it
again, I would hate it now just the same, if not more.
"You can really be with Daman even though he fights?"
I stiffened. "You're still with Dace, aren't you?"
"Dace doesn't fight anymore." Ella's revelation was quiet. But it hit me
like a brick. Dace didn't fight anymore? When had he stopped—and why?
"He stopped fighting?" I was awed. He had been more into fighting
than Daman. The idea that Dace had given it up when Daman hadn't was
like a typhoon to the mind. I didn't understand. "When?"
"The fight I saw was his last."
 "He stopped for you?"
"No," Ella shook her head. "He stopped because he said he didn't feel
as though he needed it anymore."
"Huh," I nodded and Gia peeked over at me.
"If you're not okay with Daman fighting, you should just tell him."
Dee informed matter of fact. "Ella and Dace were the worlds shittiest
communicators ever. They had their fair share of fights because of it."
"Leave my fights out of this." Ella scolded and Gia huffed.
"You're the one who brought up fights, El."
Ella nodded. "I know." She looked at me. "Take Dee's advice. If you're
worried it will ruin you, then it will."
"I don't think it will ruin us—I'm just not willing to settle for the life I
really want with a man who fights." I cursed mentally as soon as I said the
words. I wished I could take them back—but they were out.
Ella cocked her head, stopping in stride as Dee held the door open.
"And what life do you really want?"
"Marriage. Babies. The house with the white picket fence." I shrugged.
"I want the fairytale ending—the white dress, the magical kiss, everything."
"I like you." Dee grinned, but it didn't meet her eyes.
Ella nodded soberly. "But you're not willing to make that life with a
man who fights?"
"No," I shook my head. "My father was a fighter. As the daughter of a
fighter, I know first-hand how tortured those men can be. If Daman can't
give it up, then he can't be my everything." I walked into the diner,
following Gia to a table for four. I slid into the booth beside Gia and Ella
moved into the seat across from me.
Ella was determined to finish the conversation. "You'll tell Daman how
you feel, then?"
I flicked the frayed corner of my menu with my pinkie finger. "No. I
won't tell him."
Gia cocked her head. "Why not?"
I shrugged. "I don't want him to quit something he feels he needs for
me. He needs to let it go for himself."
A silence fell over the table and I stared with burning eyes at the menu.
My heart felt swollen in my chest as I realized Daman and I might not be
facing the forever I hoped I had with him. The thought was devastating. He
was a fighter and although I hadn't had a bad childhood—actually, I had had
a great childhood. But it wasn't what I wanted for my own children. I didn't
want a man who crept around the house in the dead of the night to wash
bloodstains from his knuckles. I didn't want my child knowing how to form
a fist before they knew how to throw a ball. There were just some things I
wanted from my life and a fighter for a husband was not one of those
things.
Gia bumped my shoulder and I tore my eyes from the menu.
"Everything will work out in the end."
I smiled, but it was weak. "Thanks."
Dee and her flamboyant mouth changed the topic. "So, you're a
zoologist?"
I think I loved her. "Yeah," I nodded. "I love animals."
"Have you looked into volunteering with a rescue agency?" She asked
with interest and I wondered if maybe she was doing that herself. If she
was, I would definitely be surprised. With her long blond hair and
bubblegum lip-gloss, I had her pegged as one of those girls who had
pictures of Paris Hilton taped to the door of her locker throughout high
school.
"I haven't actually." I eyed her with interest. "Have you?"
She nodded. "I just started. I should really be volunteering at the
hospital, but there is just something about the animal shelter that calls to
me. It's so hard not to take them all home."
Ella laughed. "Kyle would kill you."
My interest was piqued. "You live with Kyle?"
Dee shook her head. "I live in a dorm room. But I stay with Kyle
almost every night, so yeah, you could say I live with him."
"Kyle doesn't like animals?" I asked.
Gia grunted to herself and I frowned. Dee glared at Gia as she spoke.
"He does, but he thinks that if he lets me bring one home that I'll end up
bringing them all home." She rolled her eyes. "Kyle's a little overdramatic."
Ella scoffed. "As if you haven't given the poor guy reason to be when
it comes to you."
Dee's eyes went wide. "I am a fantastic girlfriend."
"I didn't say you weren't." Ella assured.
Thankfully, a waitress appeared and the bickering came to a halt. We
ordered our breakfast and as soon as she left, we were onto another topic.
The rest of the day went much the same way. We drove to the spa where we
got pedicures and gossiped about girly stuff—new sex toys the girls had
tried—which celebrity had a new baby—the club and of course, the Demi
brothers.
I never really had girl friends and I had to admit that this felt really
good. There was something wonderful about feeling as though you
belonged to a group of girls. Especially when I had only ever belonged to a
group of boys. When I was younger, I had intimidated the girls around me,
which left me with only boys to hang with. I hadn't minded then, but I
minded now. After hanging out with the girls, I realized that I needed this
kind of friendship in my life and I hoped we would be doing this again—
soon. This was definitely a misfit group, but I couldn't help but think we
were perfect in our imperfections. It was clear to me that Ella and Dee were
really close, but I didn't mind because I seemed to click with Gia.
Ella and Dee were bickering about something I hadn't bothered to pay
attention to when Gia leaned over to me. "Cute toes."
I wiggled my bright red toes and grinned. I'd chosen the color because
of Daman. He seemed to have developed quite a liking for red. "Yours are
nice too," I glanced at Gia's black toes. They had little silver flowers on the
corners of her big toes. I'd opted out of a design.
"What are your plans for the rest of the day?"
I chewed my bottom lip. "I'm really missing Daman, actually."
She laughed. "Can't wait to get back to him, eh?"
"I really can't."
"You're in deeper than you think you are." She stated matter of fact,
her voice growing soft. "You know he talks about you all the time?"
"He does?"
She nodded. "And he's been happier since you returned home. I like
the new Daman and I think you should be honest with him about your
feelings on his fighting. If he doesn't know you're bothered by it, then it's
not fair to just up and walk out of his life."
I stared straight ahead. She was right, but there were complications. To
every truth, there was another side of the story to offer contradiction. "I
don't want to be the reason he gives up something he loves, Gia."
"Every relationship has sacrifices."
"What have you sacrificed for Tyson?"
"I sacrifice the time he wastes playing video games." She grunted. "I
hate those things."
 I laughed. "And what has he sacrificed for you?"
She met my eyes with serious eyes of her own. "Drugs."
I felt my mouth drop. "He,"
She nodded. "We've all got our own demons, Gracie. It's how we deal
with them—and how we fight them that make us who we are. When I met
Tyson, we were both partying pretty hard." Her eyes were distant. "I
realized how deep we were falling and I managed to pull myself out, but
Tyson didn't. For a long time we fought about our life and when I decided I
couldn't take it anymore—I told him I was done. He had a choice then—
there were two things he claimed he needed. Me and the drugs. He had to
pick one. He had to make a sacrifice."
"And he picked you." I whispered.
She nodded. "He went to rehab for a long time."
"You waited for him?" I asked, feeling my stomach grow tight with
anticipation.
"Of course. I love him." She smiled, waving her ring. "And we're
better now than ever. We walked through the dark together and we came out
on the other side. Now we're living in the light and I couldn't be happier.
There's still a lot of shit to be figured out, but that's life. It's messy, but
damn is it worth it."
I nodded, feeling weak for even thinking of walking away from
Daman without telling him of my feelings, my dreams and desires. I could
only hope we had the same dreams. I could only hope Daman desired the
same picture of life that I did. "Thanks Gia. I really appreciate your advice."
"I know he loves you." She said softly. "It would be a shame to see
something most people never find fall to waste."
"You're right." I nodded. "I love him and I will make it work. But I
won't give him an ultimatum."
Ella leaned forward, obviously catching onto our conversation. "Then
what will you do if he decides to remain fighting?"
"I suppose I'll be the one to make the sacrifice." I said simply. But my
heart felt heavy.
"And what will you sacrifice?" Gia asked with pursed lips.
"My fairytale."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 16
Gracie
There is a difference between sacrificing something you can live
without—and sacrificing something you cannot live without. I knew that
before I uttered the words, but Gia was right when she said there were two
choices most people faced. I myself had two choices.
Choice one—chose Daman and hope he chose me in return, because I
simply could not walk away from him again. I had never gotten over him or
moved on from him. It was obvious I could not assemble a life without him.
So choose him I would—demons and all.
Choice two—forget the fairytale life I had dreamed of ever since I
could remember and accept his fighting. Forget the children and the house
and the little white fence. Forget it all. But keep Daman—and love the man
even in all his wrongs.
Love is sacrifice. I had heard that somewhere before—I didn't know
where, yet I knew I had heard it. And it was proving to be true. Words to
live by maybe. Who knew? I mean, to love someone and truly love
someone—is any heart ever safe from sacrifice? I didn't think so. But it was
clear to me that I needed Daman. I loved him so completely that there was
nothing I couldn't give in order to be with him. My fairytale included. If
Daman couldn't give up his fighting, then I would give up my fairytale. I
could only hope he would want the same thing from life that I did. If he
wanted that same fairytale, then maybe he would be willing to step away
from fighting without my influence. I would allow myself to hope.
That was another dangerous thing. Hope. I couldn't decide if it was
heavenly brilliant or hellishly dangerous. Hope was one of those things that
was so easily built, so easily fabricated, it often existed in the darkest of
places. But that was the thing about hope. It existed in the masses, flooding
the most hopeless of places. A beaming light that can't be reached by those
who need it most. Hope can be a beautiful thing—but like most beautiful
things hope holds the power to destroy.
Hope was terrifying. But it possessed me.
"Gracie," Gia shook her head. A look of shock tainted her features.
"That is not what I meant by sacrifice. If you give up everything for him,
you'll hate him."
"I love him too much to hate him."
"Love and hate are more similar than you might think. They go hand in
hand." Ella said gently. "You can only hate someone if you once loved
them."
I nodded. I did believe she was right in that statement. "This is getting
awfully serious." I waved a hand over my face. "I'm in love with the man
and there is no changing that. We'll take our relationship day by day and
wherever it leads us, I'll go."
Gia nodded and I sighed in relief at their acceptance. Thankfully, the
topic changed once again and my attention was pulled to the sound of my
phone chirping in my purse.
I pulled it from the deep pocket and my heart thundered at Daman's
name on my screen. I opened the text.
I miss you. I hope you're having fun with the girls.
I am. And I miss you too. XOXO.
His reply came instantly. Will you come to the club after? I have a few
papers to go over and Gabe is here with Jack.
I'll ask Ella to drop me off.
When should I expect you?
Is someone anxious to see me?
To be inside you. He corrected and my heart lurched. I felt my cheeks
stain red and Dee squealed, pulling my attention from my phone.
"Oh," she waggled her brows at me. "Are you talking dirty to Daman?"
I grinned. After talking sex toys and positions, this felt like child's talk.
I winked, "Maybe."
She giggled. "Tell,"
"Nope." I shook my head stubbornly. "Toys and positions I can do, but
this is personal."
Dee's bottom lip puckered in a pout Gia laughed at. Ella rolled her
eyes. "You've gotta get your priorities in check, girl." She teased.
"I know exactly where my priorities are." I beamed. "Will you drop me
off at the club?"
Ella laughed. "You're getting laid later."
"You guys are worse than a football team in a locker room." I accused,
making them all laugh.
 Ella wiped a tear from her eye. "I'll drive you to the club. I'm pretty
sure Dace is there."
"I wouldn't be surprised. Jack's there too."
Ella nodded, shifting. "Yeah,"
I frowned. "You don't like Jack?"
"I like him," she pulled her feet from beneath the heat lamp sealing the
polish to her nails. "I just don't understand him is all,"
"What do you mean?"
"I just wouldn't raise my kids the way he raised his."
I nodded thoughtfully. I knew what this was about. "Take it from
someone who was there when the boys started fighting. Jack didn't have a
choice in the matter."
"He could have said no."
I nodded. I didn't know why I felt the need to defend Jack, but I did.
Maybe it was because I viewed the man like family. He had always stuck by
Gabe. The two of them were the best of friends. They always had been. "He
could have, but then the boys would have started fighting in the streets. At
least he was there when they fought. It was controlled. No one ever pulled a
knife on either of the boys. There was always a ring, and however illegal, it
really was kind of professional. Organized."
I watched Ella chew on the information I'd given her. I hadn't expected
her to reply and she didn't.
***
Gracie
We dropped Dee off last at Kyle's house. She was overly excited to
show him her pink toenails. Her excitement was contagious. By the time
she slipped past the front door, waving us off, both Ella and I were grinning
like fools.
Ella pressed down on the gas, steering us in the direction of the club. "I
really liked spending time with you."
"Thanks for inviting me."
"They both really liked you too." Ella stated.
"They were both really nice. I really enjoyed myself."
"I'm happy you did." She stared through the windshield before sighing
heavily. "I've been thinking about what you said about Jack, and I want you
to know I appreciate your opinion. It really does make a difference."
 "It does?"
She nodded. "Dace has tried to explain it—but the way you talk about
it—and just knowing you were there to watch it all unfold makes a
difference. I never really considered the thoughts going through Jack's
mind. I supposed I'm really bias toward the situation."
"At least you realize that." I smiled softly. "I know Dace loves Jack.
And I don't think there's a thing in this world Jack wouldn't do for the
boys."
"I was under the impression he wanted them to fight."
"Well, I know they make a lot of money doing it." I said honestly. "But
I don't think he ever really liked that they did it. When Danni died, Jack was
a mess. He lost himself for a while and the boys let the fights consume
them. Daman had me so he wasn't nearly as into the fights as Dace. For
Dace it was all he had. I think it was all he felt." Ella flinched and I knew
her heart was aching for the young Dace I remembered. "I'm so happy he
found you."
She gave me a small smile. Her eyes were shimmery with emotion. "I
am too."
We sat in silence for a moment, both of us lost in our thoughts. Finally,
Ella spoke. "You know, I lived with Daman for a while. He was always a
lone-wolf kind of guy. Until you."
"Until me?" My breath hitched.
"When Dace told him you were coming home," she breathed out. "You
should have seen his face."
My heart was beating fast. "Why? What did his face look like?"
"There were so many emotions flashing through his eyes," she shook
her head. "It was hard to distinguish them all. But I knew before I even saw
him with you that he was still in love with you. He's hard as all hell to get to
know and he's rough around the edges, but he's one of the most amazing
people I know. I really hope it works out between the two of you, because I
think you're his one."
My words were whisper quiet as we pulled into the back parking lot of
the club. "I think he's my one too."
Ella smiled as she pulled Mazzy up beside Daman's truck. "If he's your
one, then you've got to do everything you can to make it work."
"I will."
"Enough of the serious." She grinned. "Let's go find our men."
"Let's."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 17
Daman
Work was hard to concentrate on when all I could think about was
getting Gracie beneath me. And naked. The last few days I spent with her
had been a heaven I never imagined I would ever visit again. And now that
I had, I never wanted to let her slip from my hold again. In her hazel eyes I
found a contentedness I couldn't imagine living without. A salvation of
sorts. I wanted to wake to those gorgeous eyes every morning for the rest of
my life.
There was only one way I could think of ensuring that she was mine
for the rest of time. I'd seen the image of a thin band and a shimmering
diamond a thousand times in my minds eye over the last few days. Hell,
even before we'd cemented our feelings for each other in the bed of my
truck, I had been fantasizing about proposing to her—and hearing a
strangled 'yes' fall from her lips. But I knew I couldn't do that—not yet. I
had to wait her out. She thought we should take things slow. In my opinion,
we were taking things glacial. I had been in love with the little red head
ever since I could remember. When girls became hot, she became the focus
of all my affections. Gracie had been my best friend—I cared for her in a
way I hadn't been able to understand when I was younger. By fifteen, she
owned my heart. And by seventeen, I had owned hers. A year later, she left
for university. I lost my heart that day. Without notice, Gracie had ripped
my heart from my chest and fled this city for another. Six years later, I
loved her just the same, if not more. I would never allow her to walk out of
my life a second time. I would walk through fire to keep her beside me. I
had learned my lesson in letting her walk away and now that was simply
not an option.
The door to my office rattled and I looked up to see Dace standing in
the doorway. "Hey,"
"What's up?" I asked, leaning back in my chair. It wasn't like I was
getting any work done. With thoughts of Gracie swarming my mind, the
idea of work was a joke.
"Ella texted me. The girls are here."
 I stood but Dace waved me back down, closing the door behind him.
"I've been meaning to ask you how you are—with Gracie being home."
"I've been good." Where was this going? Dace had never been one to
get all up and personal—I didn't know what to take of this and I shifted,
obviously uncomfortable. "Why?"
"Ella was worried about you when we left your place after dinner,"
"I should have known Ella put you up to this." I muttered, rubbing the
back of my neck.
"She didn't," Dace chuckled. "I just wanted to be sure you were good.
After Gracie left the first time you really shut yourself up."
"We both know about shutting ourselves off from the world, Dace." I
eyed him across the desk. "Maybe you more so than me."
He nodded, " Fair enough,"
"What are you really here for?"
"Ella's been texting me today while the girls were out,"
The way he paused made my skin feel tight over my bones. "And?"
"Did you know Gracie hates the fighting?"
I frowned. I didn't. I had suspected after the way she brought it up at
the Zoo, but I didn't know for sure. She hadn't said. "No."
"Well, maybe you should talk to her about it."
"And?" My tone was cold as ice.
Dace stood. "Pull your head out of your fucking ass, Daman. I'm your
brother and I don't want to watch you go through losing Gracie all over
again. And over something so fucking stupid. You've fought for years. I
fought for years. It's time we grow up." He shook his head at me. "If you
love her the way I know you do, there's nothing you won't give for her."
He was right. There was nothing in this world I wouldn't give for her
—but I wanted her to talk to me. Why wouldn't she have talked to me?
Apparently she had no qualms talking to the girls about her thoughts on the
fights—why hadn't she talked to me? Why hadn't she let me in? I leaned my
head back in my chair. I thought I was getting somewhere with her, but
obviously she still didn't trust me. At least not enough to tell me her true
feelings. And that killed like a mother fucker.
As I watched Dace walk from my office, I decided that I would get the
truth out of Gracie one way or another. She would tell me her true feelings
on fighting. I would force it out of her if it was the last thing I did. Because
I wanted it all with her—and if I didn't have honesty, I had nothing.
 ***
Gracie
I slid into the booth beside Gabe. He grinned a toothy grin as he slid
his arm around my shoulder. "How's my girl?"
"I'm doing good, Dad." I smiled an assuring smile at Ella as she slid
into the booth beside Jack. "How are you old men?"
"We aren't old girl," Jack grunted. "Just because we changed your
diapers don't make us old."
"You just had to bring up the diapers." I shook my head. "Really?"
Ella laughed, her eyes misting slightly. I didn't know what it was about
that comment that had her eyes glazed with what I was certain were tears—
a flash of pain, but they were gone as quick as they had come. Gabe spoke,
his voice gruff. "How was your girls day?"
"It was nice." I grinned at Ella. "We got our nails done."
Gabe looked at Ella. "I think you're one of the first girls Gracie's ever
hung out with."
Ella's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"
I shrugged, "I'm not really one for drama and most girls come with
closets full."
Her eyes were wide as she nodded. "I couldn't live without my girls."
"Gracie used to be quite rough on the eyes." Jack said before he
realized the way his words sounded.
My mouth dropped and I eyed him dangerously. A deep masculine
voice came to my rescue. "Gracie has never been rough on the eyes, Dad.
She was just intimidating as all hell."
I turned around to see Dace walk across the empty club. His eyes were
trained on Ella and when I looked back at her, I found her eyes were on
him. A quick glance in Jack's direction showed me that he was so happy for
his son. My heart squeezed as I remembered the way Jack looked at Danni.
It was remarkably similar to the way Dace looked at Ella. I wondered if
Daman looked at me that way.
At the thought of Daman, I felt tingles travel over my skin and I knew
he was near. My body tensed as his warmth pressed into my side. His hand
instantly moved to rest against my thigh. A possessive squeeze had me
looking up into his steel blue eyes. They were hard. And my heart throbbed
in response to the danger lurking within the depths. He looked—different.
 Daman dipped his head. "How was your girls day?"
"It was good." My breath was coming in short gasps.
"I'm glad you had a nice day." He lifted his head, pulling his eyes from
mine. "I've got a fight tonight."
I felt my heart plummet into the pit of my stomach. "I thought we were
spending tonight together."
Daman shrugged. "Last minute scheduling."
"You sure about this, boy?" Jack was frowning across the table. "I
thought just this morning you,"
"I'm fighting, Dad."
I looked between the two men as the table quieted. Dace was the first
to speak. "You're a fucking idiot."
I looked up and found Ella watching me intently. I knew she was
waiting for me to say something—but this wasn't the time or place. When I
told Daman how I felt about his fighting, it would be in private. It would be
when we were both in a calm state of mind. I wasn't about to stomp my feet
and make demands in front of everyone else. However, I did glare up into
Daman's face as he sat back in the booth, clearly unaffected.
"I'm just doing what I've always done, Dace." Daman shrugged, his
hand tightening on my thigh. "Are you going to watch me fight, Toots? Like
old times?"
What in the world was he playing at? He sounded mad as hell—but I
just didn't understand why. I cocked my head, looking into his eyes. "If you
want me to watch, then I'll watch, Daman."
His eyes were hard as he regarded me for long moments. "I want you
to watch."
"Fine."
"Fine." Daman repeated my indignant bark with just as much poison
tainting the word.
I felt Gabe stiffen beside me as he leaned over the table to look at
Daman. "You play with fire, boy, and you'll more than likely get burned."
Daman's eyes were hard and ten times as cold. "I've been burned
before."
Silence fell over the table and I swore my heart shattered in my chest.
Daman removed his hand from my thigh to stand. "I've got to work out. I'll
be in my office."
Ella's voice was cutting. "I thought you were going to work out."
 He winked at her. "I've got a gym in my office."
Daman didn't look at me as he walked away—but I couldn't tear my
eyes from his back. His head was held high, but I was certain he was
hurting. I knew Daman well enough to know when he was deflecting. And
right now he was most definitely deflecting anger. He was mad as all hell
and if I was guessing correctly, he was mad at me. But why?
Daman disappeared into the door leading up to his office and a breath I
didn't know I had been holding in fell from my lips, shattering the silence.
Gabe bumped my shoulder. "There something you want to let us in on,
Kiddo?"
I shrugged. "I don't know, Dad. I don't know what's gotten into him."
"Well, like I've always known, that boy loves you." Gabe spoke
without any reservation to the fact that we were most definitely not alone.
My cheeks stung with the heat of embarrassment as I peered up at three
watchful pairs of eyes.
"I thought he did too," I sighed. "But now I think he's trying to hurt
me. I just don't know why."
Dace swore under his breath. "I told Daman how you felt about his
fighting."
I narrowed my eyes on him. "And how is it that I feel about his
fighting?"
"Don't bullshit me, Gracie. You were talking about it to my fiancée."
I glared at Ella who shrunk down in her seat. "I thought I was talking
to her as a friend. I didn't know my every word would be relayed back to
you."
"Don't attack her." Dace growled over the table at me and I fisted my
hands, equally as angry.
"Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
Jack laid a heavy hand down on the table, pulling our focus from each
other. "I don't know what you said to your brother, Dace. But only this
morning Daman told me he was done with the fights. I was ready to shut
down the ring for good until a few minutes ago. So whatever you said to
him has him wanting to fight again."
Dace sat back in his seat, running a hand through his hair. "Fuck."
"Yeah," I growled. "Fuck."
Gabe grunted. "Gracie."
"Don't Dad." I snapped. "I'm not a kid anymore."
 "Then stop acting like one and go talk to Daman."
"I don't know what to say." I hissed, waving my hand at Dace. "I don't
know what you said to him."
"I told him you didn't want him fighting. I told him to grow up and
give it up. That's about it."
"Well you obviously pissed him off." I muttered. I stood on shaky
knees to find Daman. As I walked across the club, I felt every set of eyes on
my back and when I disappeared behind the door that would lead me to
Daman's office, I breathed a sigh of relief.
My anxiety came back full force when I walked up the stairs toward
Daman's office. I was nervous. Even my palms were sweaty. Before I knew
it, I was standing outside the door to his office and for a long moment, I
couldn't even bring myself to knock. When I did, there was no answer. My
heart felt heavy as I turned the knob, thankful it hadn't been locked. Slowly,
I opened the door to his office. I expected Daman to be working out, but he
wasn't. Instead, he was standing at the window looking over the club. The
creep had been watching me walk toward his office and he still hadn't
opened the door for me or answered me. At least he'd left the door
unlocked.
I closed the door behind me—not even trying to be quiet about it. "Are
you going to look at me?"
At my question, Daman turned. His eyes were just as hard as they were
down in the club. His jaw was stern and his hands were shoved deep into
the pocket of his jeans. As deliciously dangerous as he looked, I was mad at
him. "You want me to look at you?"
"I want to know what your problem is."
"I don't have a problem." He moved across the floor. I felt like he was
stalking me. "Do you have a problem, Gracie?"
This was my chance. I could tell him now how I felt about his fighting
and I could tell him what a jackass he was being about it, but I didn't. I
couldn't seem to find the words I needed. I didn't want to be the reason he
quit something he thought he needed. And even though he told Jack only
this morning that he was done with fighting—obviously he wasn't if
something so insignificant could send him running back to the ring.
I shook my head. "No. I don't have a problem."

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 18
Daman
I felt the muscle in my jaw tick as she stared up at me. I could see by
the glimmer of frustration in her eyes that she did, in fact, have a problem.
She didn't like the distance I was pushing between us and she didn't like the
fact that I was hours away from fighting. Hell, I didn't like it either. I had no
desire what-so-ever to fight. But I needed her to tell me how she felt about
the life I led. I'd give anything up for her—surely she knew that. I just
wanted to hear the words from her lips. I needed to hear those words.
Gracie shifted beneath my glower. I pulled a deep breath into my
lungs, catching her by the nape of her neck. A small gasp toppled from her
cherry red lips and it was all I could do not to cover them with my own.
"Are you sure you don't have a problem?"
"Are you?" She countered and I cocked a grin.
"No problem here, Toots." And with that, I gave into the need to claim
her lips with my own. I swallowed a small gasp, a moan-like breath as she
fell against me. Her hands were shaky as they delved into my hair. I felt her
melt against me as I explored her mouth with my tongue, working moan
after delirious moan from deep inside her. It would kill me to do what I had
planned next, but I needed to do it.
I pulled away from her, dropping my hand from where it rested against
her neck beneath her thick red hair. Her eyes were wide and confused as she
pulled in deep breaths.
"What?" She frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I shrugged, gesturing to the small gym in the far corner of
my office. "I should probably spend a few hours with the weights." I said
the words without much emotion, but in reality all I really wanted to do was
lay her down right here and show her just how much she meant to me.
A dark cloud washed over her beautiful features and I kind of wanted
to kick myself in the balls. "I suppose I'll leave you to it then."
I nodded, hating myself more and more with every second that passed.
I kept waiting for her to tell me she didn't want me to fight, but I should
have known Gracie better than that. She wasn't the kind of girl to demand a
change—but damn, I needed her to talk to me. And the only way I could
think of getting her to open up to me was to force it.
I stood, unmoving as Gracie walked slowly to the door. Her hand
rested against the knob and she glanced back over her shoulder at me. "Are
you coming home tonight?"
I frowned. Where the hell had that question come from? "Why
wouldn't I be?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. I just thought you might want to revel in
a win later on."
"How do you know I'll win?" I asked gruffly, shifting on the spot.
A small smile touched her lush lips. "Have you ever lost?"
"No."
She turned back to face the door, but I heard her as loudly as if she had
yelled. "That's what I thought."
***
The rooms beneath the club were familiar. Six years hadn't erased
these rooms from my memory. The gray cement floors and iron stairs with
grips that would kill to walk down barefoot and high soundproof walls.
Everything beneath the club was crafted to impede escape. Or that was how
I had always thought of the space. Like a prison. Nothing good occurred
down here. Yes, the fighters knew what they were getting into. I was fully
aware that everyone behind the closed doors ahead of me had decided to be
there—fighters included. No one was forced to watch the violent ways of
the ring and no one was forced to bet their money on the raw power
emanating from the men within the bloodstained cage. This place existed
out of choice. Everyone who was here knew what they were watching.
They thrived on the pain and wrongness that occurred. They savored the
muffled grunts of broken pride and wounded flesh.
I stared straight ahead and pondered running back for the iron stairs to
the safety of the club. I had always hated watching the fights. Six years ago,
I always brought a book with me—hoping the inky words would capture
and hold my attention from the violence. Now I had my ereader. I could feel
it against my hip where it sat in my satchel, but I knew I wouldn't be using
it. The only fights I ever watched were Damans. He was the only one I
cared about enough to witness the vile act for. If Daman weren't fighting, I
wouldn't be here.
 With a deep sigh, I reached out for the handle. I pushed open the door,
hitting someone in the back in my attempt to gain access to the room.
I earned a snarl as I snuck past a girl with platinum blond hair. The tips
were pink. "Watch where you're going."
I didn't bother to reply by telling her that she shouldn't stand in front of
the door if she didn't want to get knocked with it. I was barely affected by
her at all. My heart was a pounding mess in my chest as the musty heat the
room captured and held onto without reprieve washed over my body. The
scent hadn't changed a bit. It was the same scent that lived on in my
memories every time I thought of the ring. Every time I thought about
fighting.
It smelled like sweat—the kind of sweat that lingered in the air after a
concert. And through the sweat, there was a metallic odor that made my
mouth feel dry—it made my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth. Blood.
The odor was so strong I could practically taste it. It excited so many other
people—but it made my stomach churn. My knees felt weak as the mass of
people parted—fate had a hell of a sense of humor, I thought as I stared
straight at the ring. It was empty, but the crowd was pulsing with energy,
waiting for it to be filled with two bodies ready to fight for a win.
Just then I caught sight of my father and Jack. I sighed. Maybe fate
wasn't such a bitch—she gave me the two strongest men I knew to lean on.
Slowly, I made my way to where they sat in the front row. There weren't
many seats—but dad and Jack always had one. No one would dare to deny
them their right to the metal throne. Most people stood in the back anyway.
I had heard by plenty that half the fun in watching the fights was the thrill
that shot through your body straight into the cement beneath the soles of
your shoes. The ability to jump up and down in cheery excitement when the
fighter you bet on wins.
"Hey there, Gracie." Jack drawled. He sounded lazy and uninterested,
but his eyes were sharp. Someone who didn't know him wouldn't know that
he was affected by the fight about to occur—but I knew him. And he was
very much affected. "How's our girl?"
I sat down between the two men and sighed, staring into the empty
ring. I wondered when Daman would appear—when the fight would start.
Without thinking about my words or measuring my tone, I turned to Jack.
"Doesn't this upset you?"
 His lips were tight. "I don't know where you're going with this,
Gracie."
I felt Gabe shift beside me but I didn't turn to face him. "I want to
know why you're letting him do this."
"It's his choice now just as it was always his choice. Before, I didn't
disagree with his choice to fight but,"
"But what?" I pressed.
"Gracie," Gabe warned.
Jack shook his head at him, silently telling him that he was okay to
answer my question. I didn't care though whether he was okay with my
badgering or not. I was going to ask regardless. "I disagree now."
"What changed?"
"Daman used to want to fight." His voice was deep and his eyes were
far away. "He was just like Dace when Danni died," his hands shook as he
rubbed them over his pants. "The boys—they needed to fight. The needed
to feel. Everyone knows Daman had you to lean on when Danni died. I
always thought he would be the first to give it up, so I was mighty surprised
when I got the call from Dace telling me he was done. I was surprised, but I
was relieved. I was hopeful that Daman would give it up too after Dace
quit. And when you came home, I was certain this need would die. And it
did. Only this morning he was done. As I said, I support my boys. If they
want to fight then I want them to fight. But Daman doesn't. He's doing this
for the wrong reasons and it is because of that that I am unable to support
him. However, I will not take away his choice," his steel blue eyes looked
into my own. "Even if his choice is the wrong one."
My heart felt heavy as a brick in my chest. It was painful, it's cage
achingly tight. I shifted on the bench, my eyes flickering to the empty ring.
"You think he's making the wrong choice?"
Jack's response was quiet. "I do."
I blinked, trying to force my tears back. "Why?"
Jack looked over my head at Gabe, my father. "Cause the kid loves
you, honey. Always has."
I felt Gabe stiffen at my side, but he didn't protest Jack's declaration.
He knew it just as well as Jack and I did. Daman loved me. I knew he loved
me. I felt it when he was around me—when he touched me. But what I
couldn't seem to understand was why he was trying to hurt me. I knew his
fighting tonight was a shot at me, and however cheap it was, it fucking hurt.
 I toyed with the torn fabric on the thigh of my jeans, plucking at a
loose strand. "I'm so mad at him right now."
"I know you are, kid." Gabe nudged my shoulder with his, his arm
sliding around my waist to pull me into his side. I let my head fall against
his shoulder. "But give the boy the benefit of the doubt. We're all stupid
when we're in love."
Listening to my big burly dad get all sappy talking about love was
enough to crush my heart. "I won't give up on him. Not yet."
"Good,"
Just then the crowd went wild as a kid with a horn jumped into the
ring. My ears rang as he started yelling into the horn. I didn't hear a thing.
The screaming girls and cheering boys all fell away until there was only a
hum burning in my ears. My heart was beating so fast and my palms were
wet. I hadn't made a mindful choice to pull away from Gabe, but before I
knew it, I was perched on the edge of the seat as close as I could get to the
ring without being scolded. Daman appeared from the other side of the ring
where the mob of grappling girls parted only enough for him to make his
way to the ring. I watched as manicured nails of all different colors trailed
over his naked muscular chest and I felt a vile flame of jealousy claw at my
insides. I hated them all. And I couldn't help but think for a moment—in
that moment—I hated him too.
Daman pushed his way through the mass of women to jump the cord
into the ring. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he watched his
opponent approach the ring. There were cheers for the other man too, and I
felt a small spark of relief form as I realized that I didn't know Daman's
opponent. That was the worst. Knowing who the man you loved was
fighting and wishing they wouldn't come to harm—but knowing that their
saved pride meant shattering the pride of the man you loved. It was sticky
and I didn't wish that on anyone. It was a serious mind-fuck. Not fun at all.
The man jumped the cord and I released a breath I hadn't even been
aware I was holding. Gabe nudged me and I tore my eyes reluctantly from
Daman to look at him. He wore a tight scowl. "Are you all right, Gracie?
You're pale and barely breathing."
I nodded sharply. "I'm worried."
He cocked his head. "Bout Daman?"
"Yeah."
"Why?" Jack entered the conversation. "Kid's never lost."
 "There's a first for everything." I muttered, shoving my hands between
my knees to stop the shaking.
I watched as Daman set his eyes on his opponent. He was a large man.
A perfect match in size to fight Daman. I could only hope he was not a
match in skill. I couldn't handle that. There was a lot I could handle—but
not that. Never that.
Daman's hands were fisted perfectly, his body moved fluidly around
the ring he knew well. I was almost certain he could fight with his eyes
blindfolded. He was just that good. But the other man—he was good too.
His body moved just as easily around the ring and I wondered if he had
fought here before. Had he fought Daman and lost? Was he here to seek
revenge?
My heart was a frenzied mess of beats in my chest and my breaths
were short. Like always, Daman circled the ring, his eyes scanning the
crowd until he found mine. I knew the moment he found me he would strike
at his opponent. I hadn't seen him fight in six years, but I was certain he
would fall into the rhythm we left behind.
And he did. Daman's blue eyes scanned the crowd and I knew by the
shift in his body, the tightening of his muscles, the sharpness in his eyes that
he was moments away from an attack. This hadn't happened in six years,
but to me it felt like only yesterday I was sitting in this very spot, my eyes
connecting with the intense blue pools that owned every crevice of my
heart, every fiber of my soul.
Daman's hands flexed before tightening into familiar fists. The other
man seemed to know he was ready, because just as Daman stepped forward,
the man dodged the blow. His body spun around, his foot clipping Daman's
ankle.
My breath caught.
Daman's eyes flared. His muscles twitched as his fist shot out to
connect with the side of the man's face. Spit fell from his mouth onto the
floor of the ring and a sneer licked his lips but Daman didn't give him time
to recover. He hit him again in a quick right hook, his fist connecting with
the man's cheekbone. Daman transformed then from a man I knew and
loved into a fighting demon of the night. A man I didn't know, like, or trust.
A man I could walk away from.
My body froze.
 The man found his footing, pushing himself away from Daman into a
safe corner of the ring. Their skin was glistening with sweat and the crowd
was loud—the energy speaking volumes as it vibrated through the space
around us. Daman glared at his opponent—his enemy—and the man
charged at him. His fist was raised to defend his face, but moments before
he stepped into reaching distance of Daman, the man dropped his hand,
shooting a quick uppercut into Daman's jaw. His head fell back, blood
spewing from his mouth. Beside me, Jack tensed. Gabe leaned forward. I
knew this was bad.
I was consumed by fear.
The mans cheap shot—or I thought it was a cheap shot had gained him
an upper hand in the fight. And he wasn't about to lose it. A punch to the
gut followed the crack to the jaw and Daman doubled forward. The man's
fist connected with the side of Daman's face and more blood fell from his
mouth.
I screamed.
Standing from the bench, my cry ripped through the cheers and
gasping crowd. I slapped my hands over my mouth as tears coated my eyes
without falling. Somehow, in the chaos that surrounded us, Daman's eyes
found mine. He heard my scream. There wasn't a doubt in my mind. Gabe
pulled me down to sit beside him once again, and Daman tore his eyes from
mine. His entire body was rigid. He was going to fight. For me.
My stomach dropped.
There was no sense to Daman's next movements. There never was in
his winning. He took no precautions. He knew no boundaries. He was a true
demon—in the flesh. His eyes were dark, almost lifeless as he zeroed in on
his opponent who clearly saw the shift in the man he had been fighting. His
eyes were wide and his jaw was parted. He was backing up away from
Daman's careless advances, but he wasn't going to find reprieve. Not now.
Not here. He had awoken the beast—or maybe I had. It didn't matter. There
was no way Daman was getting hit again. There was no way he was losing.
My blood ran cold.
Daman's fists found the man's flesh over and over again. His face was
bruised and even once he had fallen to his knees, his arms shielding his
face, Daman didn't stop. He was ruthless. He was terrifying. The crowd was
wild for bloodshed.
"Stop!" I screamed.
 Daman froze and the man fell over, his back falling hard against the
ground. I stared at the man with shimmering eyes. I could feel Daman's
eyes on me. I could feel their heat. But I couldn't look at him. I couldn't take
my eyes from the still form lying on the ground. When I saw his chest rise
with a breath, I felt a relief like no other claim me. The man was still alive.
My heart shattered.

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 19
Gracie
The fight was over. It was finally over. It had happened so quickly and
yet it felt as though it had lasted a lifetime. I felt my shoulders slump down.
I felt as though I had been the one defeated. I was hurt and angry, relieved
and sad. I was afraid of the man I loved. Afraid of the man he allowed
himself to become in the ring.
A hand touched my back and I jumped. "Are you all right, kid?"
"Yeah Dad," I turned to face him. I could still feel Daman's eyes on my
back, and from my other side, Jack was looking up at me through weary
eyes. On a shaky breath I announced, "I'm going home."
Gabe frowned. "Home as in to Daman's house?"
I nodded, feeling drained. "Yeah."
"You know you're welcome to stay with me whenever, right?" He
asked sternly, his brows pulled together. The look on his face was the one
he sported when he smelled something awful. "You still got the key I gave
you?"
I smiled numbly. "I have a key. Thanks, Dad."
"So, you're going back to Daman's?"
I nodded. "It's home now."
"I understand." He offered a small smile. "You're a good kid, you
know?"
I didn't say anything as I walked away. I really didn't have the energy
in me to talk. I barely had the energy in me to walk from the room. I could
feel his penetrating blue gaze on my back as I pushed through the mob of
people cheering Daman's name loud. Girls confessed their love to him as
their boyfriends rolled their eyes. I wished loving Daman were so easy. A
declaration without work—but these girls didn't know the meaning of love.
I wanted it all with Daman. I wanted a damn fairytale.
Shaking my head, I slipped through the door and silence fell around
me. It was then that I heard the rampant beating of my heart and I knew it
was fighting from breaking. I refused to walk away from Daman as easily
as I once had. That had been a mistake I couldn't take back. I could only
learn from my mistakes—and I refused to do the same thing twice.
 I made my way to the back door of the club, ignoring Rex's inquisitive
stare as I pushed open the back door, stepping into the darkness of the night.
It blanketed me with loneliness. On a deep sigh, I walked with heavy
footsteps and an even heavier heart to my car. I pulled open the door and sat
down in the drivers seat. I stared at the back door of the club and felt a
glimmer of hope light the darkness within my heart that Daman might come
bursting from the door. I waited for what felt like eternity, but the door
remained closed. The man was more than likely reveling in his win.
The thought hurt. It seared through my heart and I gasped a deep
breath as I tried to fight my tears. Hope was most definitely the most
dangerous of all emotions to possess. It encouraged the eye to see a light
where there was none. Gripping the steering wheel, I thought about driving
to Gabe's. I knew he had been sincere when he told me his door was always
open to me—but no matter how bad the swelling pain in my heart burned, I
couldn't seem to allow myself to run from the confrontation I knew would
surface between Daman and I. I couldn't allow myself to run from Daman
period.
He had hurt me in more ways than one, crushing the hope I had in him
—in us. But it was about so much more than that. Some people might think
I should reach out and touch my feminist side—the side that finds concrete
reason to develop the strength I need to take arms to protect my heart. To
walk away from the man who hurt me—who shattered my delicate trust in
him. Yet, regardless of the temptation such an action waved in front of me, I
couldn't seem to do that either. Because I didn't believe building a wall over
my heart with an undefeatable army to stand as protection was the strong
thing to do.
Running away to save my heart from future pain would be weak. It's
not about lying down, rolling over and submitting to his cruel ways. Nor is
it about loving him too much to see clearly. It's about walking the path not
taken—the difficult path where I would have to fight the dragon determined
to destroy our love rather than running for the easy path where our love
becomes a distant memory—a place locked away in the deepest corner of
my heart.
It's about respecting myself enough to try to work through the storms
presented rather than running for the basement like a coward afraid of a
little rain. I respect Daman enough to drive myself home and talk to him
there. I would lay it all out on the table for him and from there it would be
his choice—his turn to take the stand. I could only hope he respected me the
same way. Because if he didn't, then I honestly didn't know what would
become of us. What would become of our love.
I started the ignition and drove into the night. As I drove, my heart
calmed. I had made my decision to stand and fight for what I desired from
this life—what I had always desired from this life. Now, I was left to see
what Daman desired. Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid. I knew I should be weary
of such a thing because there is always a calm before the storm. And I had
an inkling that my calm was exactly that. The lull before the storm.
***
Daman
I watched Gracie walk away. My gut churned and my throat felt tight
—as though my air was being cut off. I couldn't fucking breathe.
Glancing down at the man I had been fighting, I felt another wave of
emotion roll through me. I would have beaten him into the ground if I
hadn't heard Gracie scream. I had fought for years and never, not once, had
I lost control. But tonight—tonight I had lost all control. I let all my anger,
resentment and frustrations for the past twenty-six years seep into my
bloodstream, blacken my heart and leaden my fists. I lost myself. I know I
would have lost so much more if I hadn't heard Gracie's voice—her fear.
My knuckles were stained with my opponent's blood. My chest was
dripping with sweat—and yet I had the chills. I felt cold as a block of ice.
I reached for the towel someone had hung on the barriers of the ring,
wiping quickly at the blood. I looked back at the man who was now rubbing
his head. He was lucky he was alive. That was my last thought as I jumped
from the ring on a quest to find Gracie. I had to talk to her.
A strong hand gripped my arm, halting me. I sneered as I came face to
face with Gabe. "Let go."
Gabe's grip tightened. "You're going to listen to me, Daman. Because
that's my little girl you're hurting, and I won't fucking stand for it."
His little girl I was hurting. He was right. I was hurting his little girl.
The woman I loved was this mans little girl. A man as close to my heart as
my own father. I wanted to hate him for keeping me from her—but I
couldn't. Because he had her best interest at heart when I obviously didn't. I
had hurt her. "I'm listening."
 His nod was clipped. "Good." He continued after a few tense moments,
his hand still gripping my arm. "You're like a son to me, Daman. I watched
you grow up into the man you are today and I know it's a hell of a lot more
than what I'm looking at right now. I don't know what you're playing at with
my daughter, but the game stops tonight. And if it doesn't, I'll make sure
you never see her again. You might be like a son to me, but Gracie is my
little girl. I'll destroy anything and anyone who gets in the way of her
happiness." His eyes were cold and hard as ice. His tone was threatening.
"Do we understand each other?"
"I understand, Sir." If I really was ruining her happiness, I would
happily let him crush me. I wouldn't even fight back.
Gabe nodded, releasing me slowly. I didn't move. "You're planning on
going to her."
It wasn't really a question, but it wasn't a statement either. "I am."
Gabe pursed his lips, working his jaw tensely. "You'll clean yourself up
first."
I nodded, feeling ashamed. "Do you know where she went?" I looked
right into his eyes. They were the same color as Gracie's. "Did she go to
your apartment?"
Gabe chuckled. "I don't know why, but she went home."
"She went to my place?"
His eyes were hard. "She went home, Daman. Last time I checked,
home was your place."
Thank fucking God. "Thanks, Gabe."
"You'll do right by her, Daman." He warned one last time.
"I will always do right by her, Gabe. From this day on." With those
words, I ran for the back rooms to clean myself up.
I never moved through the motions of a shower so fast. All I could
think about was getting back to her. Promising her that I would never ever
fight in the ring again. And it wasn't because I feared I would lose her. It
was because I simply did not feel the need any longer. A laugh burst from
between my lips at the realization. I didn't need to fight anymore. That need
had been swept up in the wind that brought Gracie back into my life. My
needs had changed and I owed it all to the little red head who owned my
heart. She was undoubtedly the love of my life. My soul mate. I had always
known this—I only wish I could have found the strength six years ago to
fight for it. But now it didn't matter. I couldn't turn back the clock, and in all
honesty, I didn't really want to. We had our chance now. And I was a hell of
a lot stronger than I had been six years ago. What I couldn't find the
strength to fight for then, I knew I had the strength now. And fight I would.
For something—someone who mattered.

OceanofPDF.com
Chapter 20
Gracie
I changed into a pair of comfortable pajama pants—Daman's pajama
pants. If I was going to do this—bare my heart on the line for him, then I
was doing it in comfortable style. I couldn't think of anything better to wear
than his navy blue silk pajama pants. Thankfully they had a drawstring. The
man was three times my size. I wore a black tank top and my hair was
down. I thought about having a shower, but I didn't want to miss him
getting in. So instead of cleaning myself up and readying myself for bed, I
readied myself on the couch for what I was certain would be the biggest
fight of my life. I had a feeling Daman was going to be angry with me for
leaving without him after the fight. That was something I had never done
before. But Daman had also never almost beaten someone six feet
underground. As I remembered the fight—the darkness in Daman's eyes—I
shivered.
I never wanted to see that darkness in him again.
The front door opened, banging closed. The sound of booted feet
pounding against the entrance hall had me rooted in place on the couch. My
stomach felt as though a coven of butterflies had taken residence and my
eyes were wide. I hugged my knees to my chest and waited.
"Gracie," Daman's eyes found mine instantly, my name a whisper on
his lips. "You're here."
"Where else would I have gone?"
"I thought you left me," he took another step toward me, but I held up
my hand.
"We need to talk."
"We do." He nodded and I sensed there was more. "Gracie,"
"Stop." I looked at him with stern eyes. "I take it back. We don't need
to talk."
He frowned. "I,"
I stood, holding my hands up. "Please stop talking, Daman." I don't
know what it was in my tone that had him surrendering to silence, but he
did. I continued. "I need to talk and you need to listen."
 "I'm listening." He moved to sit on the edge of the chair and I returned
to my former spot on the couch. It was still warm.
Taking in a deep breath, I tried to conjure courage. I should have taken
a shot of the liquid courage in the cabinet before he came in—but I hadn't
exactly been thinking about that then. I opened my mouth to speak, but no
words came out. On a shaky breath, I stood and walked straight to the
liquor cabinet. I felt Daman's eyes on me as I moved. I pulled out a bottle of
whiskey, twisted off the cap and lifted the bottle to my lips. I didn't bother
with a glass. Fuck the pretenses and pleasantries. I wanted this real and raw.
No more hiding. I let the bottle meet with the granite loudly and I winced. I
found Daman's eyes with my own and saw a deep frown line between his
eyes. The burn in my throat hadn't subsided by the time I decided to speak.
"I hate you fighting." That was not how I planned to start this
conversation, but I couldn't take it back now. "I didn't want to tell you
because I didn't want to be the reason you gave up something you needed. I
don't want to be that girl—the one who suffocates the man she loves with
demands he has no choice but to fulfill. That's why I didn't tell you. I'm
sorry you found out the way you did—by my telling the girls instead of
you. That was wrong of me." I lifted the bottle to my lips again. I needed
another fiery burst of courage. "But you were wrong to use the fight as a
way to hurt me." I saw his lips move and I continued, louder. "You should
have talked to me and I should have talked to you. I might have hurt you by
not talking to you first, but you never should have retaliated so harshly.
That was wrong of you. It was wrong of you."
"Gracie, I'm so sorry." Daman stood.
I was close to tears now. I didn't want to entertain the burn of tears. I
would rather feel the burn of whiskey in my throat. I lifted the bottle again,
careful to keep the counter between us, and the bottle in my hand. "I love
you, Daman."
"I love you too, Gracie." Daman spoke gently, but I didn't miss the
way his eyes glared at the bottle. I didn't care. This was helping me get what
I needed to say out. I took another quick swig.
"I want to spend my life with you. I've always wanted to spend my life
with you—ever since I can remember. But I don't want a life with a man
who fights like you do. I can't do that. Because I want everything, Daman."
"Tell me what you want, Gracie." Daman whispered. "I will give you
anything."
 "I want you to stop fighting."
"Then I'm done." He shrugged. "I don't need it anymore. Not if I have
you."
Oh, holy hell—this next part was going to require something a lot
stronger than whiskey—but Daman was now standing guard over the liquor
cabinet. I wasn't sure if his positioning was intentional or not. Whiskey
would have to do. I took a swig. When I looked back at him, his jaw was set
hard and his hand was stretching toward me.
"What do you want?"
"Give me that bottle."
I slid it over the counter toward him. "You want to know what I really
want, Daman?" I was crying now—but I was too intoxicated to care. I was
walking on liquid bravery—cloud fucking nine.
He nodded. "Tell me."
I deadpanned and he flinched. "I want marriage—the house with a
little white picket fence. I want a husband who loves me more than I could
ever imagine with a passion that burns. I want a baby—I want babies." I
stared straight into his shocked features as I continued without mercy. "I
want a family, Daman. A fucking fairytale. And I want it all with you."
There was silence for only a moment, before his words claimed it. "I
can give it to you—all of it. I can't promise I won't fuck up, because I will.
But I'll try and I will keep trying until we have your fairytale. I swear it,
baby."
His words were my undoing. I never expected the battle to be so
quickly resolved—but I was thankful it was. I was so very thankful for him.
As though sensing the tumbling bricks of the wall I had built so high,
Daman rounded the counter. One moment, I was standing alone, and the
next his arms were around me. His hands moved up from my waist where
he held me tight, over my ribs, skimming my breast before delving into the
strands of my hair. His fingers stretched to encompass my head, his thumbs
gently wiping the tears on my face away.
"It kills me to see this—you crying." He sighed. "And knowing your
tears are because of me—it makes it worse."
My body rattled as another sob rocked through me. "I'm sorry."
"Fuck baby," he groaned. "Don't cry."
"Please kiss me." I pleaded. I needed to feel him and not a moment
later his lips were on mine—right where they belonged. Daman pressed his
body into mine, crushing me against the counter.
My hands searched his body, caressed every contour and left a fire
burning in their path. He dropped his hands from my face to my waist
before lifting me onto the counter. His mouth worked me into a state of
passionate oblivion. I could taste the whiskey on my breath and the sweet
taste of him—the taste that belonged only to him as his tongue danced with
mine, tracing my lips. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pressed
himself into the counter, pulling me closer to him. His hands moved
beneath the fabric of my shirt, stretching over the skin of my back. I
thanked my earlier decision not to wear a bra when he pushed me back to
lay on the counter, his hands finding my breasts.
"Fuck," he groaned the word. "You're gorgeous. And mine."
"Yes," I panted as he rolled my nipples between his fingertips.
"Say it, Gracie. Tell me you're mine. Only mine."
That was a command I was all too happy to oblige. "I'm yours." My
words were breathy. "Only yours."
He pulled the strings of my pants—his pants—before tugging them
from my hips. Eager for his touch—his possession, I lifted my hips from the
counter. His eyes glinted as he stared down at me. I wore nothing beneath
his pants and I knew he liked what he saw. Slowly, he pulled my knees
apart, exposing me to him completely. A thrill ran through me at the
beautiful desire I saw residing in his face. He dipped his head between my
legs, stroking my most intimate place with his tongue. Pleasure coiled
within me, building and pulsing as his tongue worked my clit expertly. The
tip of his tongue circled the little bundle of nerves before his finger moved
slowly inside me. A breathy moan escaped from my lips and he lifted his
head, watching the pleasure he worked from deep within me surface. I felt a
flush taint my cheeks and chest as he used his thumb to massage my clit as
he pushed his finger deeper.
A sensation like no other surged through me and my back bowed, my
head tilting back as I came undone around his hand. His voice was deep as
he spoke, claiming me, entrancing me. "This is forever, Gracie. You and me
—we're forever."
"Yes, Daman." I whimpered. "We're forever."
I found myself encased in his arms, my legs wrapped tight around his
hips as he walked us to the bedroom. Our bedroom. Despite he fact that I
had come for him—I was far from having my desire for him sated. For that,
I would need him inside me. I would need him to possess me completely.
Daman kicked open the door before striding across the room. He set
me down on the edge of the bed, his hands quickly stripping me of my tank
top. I watched as he reached over to touch the lamp on his bedside table and
the room illuminated with a soft amber glow. It kissed my skin gently,
caressing my flesh with its warmth. But the only warmth I really wanted
was Daman's. I wanted the flame that existed between us to consume us
both. Because I knew it would take us to a place of ecstasy.
As though unable to restrain himself a moment longer, Daman pulled
his shirt from his head. A bruise of matching blue to the one on his jaw
tainted the golden skin of his ribs. I hissed in a breath, reaching out to touch
him.
"Does it hurt?"
He shrugged, catching my hand in his. "I forgot about it."
I looked up into his eyes, tearing my gaze from the discoloration. "I
don't like to see you hurt."
"I'm not hurt, Toots." He slid his finger under my chin, running his
thumb over my lips. "Stop looking at me with worry."
"Sorry," I frowned and he lowered his face to mine, slowly working
my worry into something much more potent. Soon, the only thing I could
think of was getting him on top of me—inside of me. I wanted him to burry
himself deep and never let me go. "Please,"
"Please what?"
"Make love to me." I spoke the words without shame or question and
he groaned a strangled sound. His hands moved from my face to the belt on
his jeans. My heart raced with excitement as I wiggled farther onto the bed,
laying back and spreading my legs for him. Welcoming him.
That single invitation was all he needed. He pushed out of his pants
and climbed over me, lowering himself against me. He claimed my mouth
with his, sinking deep inside me. I felt him all the way to my womb and a
gasp fell from my lips. Daman swallowed the sound eagerly as he started
moving into me. His motions were filled with intoxicating longing and I
met him with every stroke, climbing the rungs of desire with him.
Daman's lips moved from mine, sliding over my jaw to my neck. He
suckled gently as he throbbed inside me. Pleasure coiled inside me and I
knew I was moments away from finding my release. I could feel him
pulsing deep and I knew he was only so far from coming inside me—giving
me everything and more.
I spread my legs wider, hooking my feet around his backside, pulling
him deeper. A strangled groan sounded against the hollow of my throat as
he shuddered, filling me. "Baby, come for me."
He pushed himself deep before stilling. My climax spilled over and I
shook with pleasure as I clutched him to me. He buried his face into my
neck as he stayed like that, connected for a long blissful moment. My lids
were heavy and my breathing was starting to even when I felt Daman move
inside me. He lifted his lips to mine, kissing me gently. Affection bled
through his kiss into my heart. I knew in this moment that we were meant to
be. Completely bared, connected and in love.
"I'm enthralled by you." I whispered.
"And I am in love with you. You're my saving grace." Daman's words
surged through my veins, warming me from head to toe.
"I will never leave you, Daman." I vowed. "Because this is it for me.
This is my fairytale."
His blue eyes twinkled as he shifted inside me. "This is only the
beginning of your fairytale, Gracie."
"Kiss me." I whispered.
And he did.

OceanofPDF.com
Epilogue
Gracie—Two years later
My eyes popped open and I clutched my swollen belly. Oh holy fuck!
Oh my God that hurt! I could feel Daman behind me, spooning me. He was
too hot. I was hot—really hot. I slammed my eyes shut—I wasn't ready for
this. Shit! Go away pain. Go away pain. Go away pain. I repeated the
mantra in my head, measuring my breaths until they became even and the
pain subsided.
Oh, thank God.
I let my hope consume me as the built up tension in my body slowly
fell away. I wasn't due yet. I still had another twelve days before the baby
was expected to come. This was too early. I wasn't prepared. I took in
another deep breath and released it into the night. Maybe it had been
Braxton Hicks contractions—I mean, it was a possibility. I had had them
before. Just not so bad. I almost snarled at my inner condescending tone. I
hated that tone.
I snuggled deeper into the pillow, determined to sleep. My breathing
was even and My hand clutched my belly. I wanted to peel myself from
Daman's warm form, but I was afraid to move.
Pain coiled within me, tight as a spring and sharp as a knife. My eyes
popped open and I hissed in a breath through clenched teeth. I tried—oh, I
tried to convince myself that it wasn't time. "Daman! It's time." Obviously,
it didn't work.
Damans body tensed and then he was out of the bed. I heard his feet
pounding against the hardwood of our bedroom—away from me.
Oh, God—where was he going? I breathed in deep, clutching the edge
of the bed. Another sharp jab of pain coursed through me and I cried out.
Daman appeared from the closet, the light spilling into the darkness of the
room. "What do I do, Toots? What do I do?"
I want a shower. "I want a shower."
Daman looked at me as though I had completely lost my mind. "You—
you said it was time."
Another long shot of pain had me pressing my face into the bed. "It is
time!" I moaned into the mattress. "Oh, God—it's time."
 "I'll get dressed." Daman announced and again, he was gone into the
closet. I swear to all things holy—when this is over—I am killing him.
After extensive effort on my part, I got myself from the bed. And I
walked my naked ass straight to the bathroom. I was shaving my legs if it
was the last thing I did.
Holding my belly with one hand and the shower door with the other, I
winced—aching. "What are you doing? We have to go, Gracie."
I looked over my shoulder at Daman. He was missing a sock—but that
wasn't the worst of his problems. The man's jeans were buttoned but the
zipper had been neglected. His T-shirt was inside out and backward. If I
didn't know better, I would have thought he was trying to dress himself like
a complete and utter jack-ass. I laughed—I actually laughed and Daman
frowned, stepping cautiously toward me.
"Toots, what's wrong?"
"Your shirts on backward and inside out. You're missing a sock and," I
was cut of as another wave rolled through me. I clenched my knees together
as though that might somehow stop the inevitable. Yeah right. Maybe in my
dreams. "Your fly's undone."
Daman looked down. "Fuck."
And he was gone again.
Relieved, I turned on the shower—but strong hands kept me from
stepping into the stream of water. Somehow, I was under the illusion that if
I could just have a shower everything would be all right. "What are you
doing?"
"What are you doing?" Daman countered.
"I just want a shower—please let me have a shower." I was begging
him.
"No." He tugged me gently from the bathroom after turning off my
warm stream of water. "We need to get you dressed and to the hospital."
"Fuck the hospital, Daman!" I winced, instantly crying. "I want a
shower."
"Why are you so set on having a shower?" He guided me to the bed
where a pile of clothing lay out for me.
"I don't want to have hairy legs." I was being completely unreasonable.
I knew this but for the life of me, I could not stop myself.
Daman's eyes widened as he pulled a shirt over my head—not
bothering with a bra. I really didn't care. "What do you need to shave your
legs for?"
"Everyone is going to look at them. I had this all planned. I thought I
had twelve days." I was a sobbing mess of hormones and fear. Daman
pulled me into his arms and I cried on his shoulder.
"Baby, you're beautiful to me and I should be the only one that
matters." He pulled back to kiss me and I felt a little calmer. He must have
sensed the change in me, because he slipped a pair of panties over my feet
and up my legs. "Now, let's get you dressed."
I nodded, still crying as Daman dressed me. He half carried me as we
walked through the house. It was then that I found myself feeling thankful
to Ella for her ridiculous planning. She had practically made Daman install
the car seat in the truck nearly three weeks ago. And only last week, she had
convinced me to pack a bag for the hospital. We appeared to be prepared.
Actually, we were prepared for everything but the actual labour part of this.
I wasn't prepared for that. Oh, holy shit-balls I wasn't prepared to give
labour. Again, I clenched my knees together—hoping against all hope that I
could stall the little bean from coming. Only for a few more days. I could
prepare myself if I had a little more time.
"Gracie, what are you doing?" Daman asked, gesturing to my knees.
"I can't do this." I shook my head. "Don't make me do this—I can't."
He chuckled and kissed my belly. "You are the strongest person I
know, Gracie. You can do this."
I shook my head. "I really don't think I can, Daman. I'm so scared."
"I will be right here holding your hand."
"My vagina hurts." I sobbed. "I think it's broken."
"I promise it is not broken. It's perfect like always."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Okay," I sniffled, feeling weak as I walked to the door beside Daman.
I slid my feet into my boots and Daman pulled the hospital bag over his
shoulder as we made our way to the truck. I had to pause twice because the
discomfort of the pain had been just too much.
Finally, Daman got me up into the truck. I held my belly and I
practiced breathing evenly. When he appeared beside me, I got a good look
at him. He was pale and probably just as afraid as I was. But somehow he
was being strong for me. Maybe I would let him live. The thought made me
smile and when Daman caught sight of it, he smiled too.
 We arrived in the parking lot of the hospital. I barely felt the winters
nippily air as the snow crunched beneath my feet. "They should have this
cleared." Daman growled.
"It's snowing right now, Daman."
"I don't care."
I smiled to myself, taking another step. That was when the worst thing
of all happened. A gush of warm moisture between my legs soaked my
sweats, falling onto the snowy pavement. I stopped walking and Daman's
eyes widened. "My water just broke."
***
"I'm done," I panted, letting my head fall back on the pillow. "I give
up."
"You can't give up, Gracie." Doctor Howard urged me on. "Give me
one more push."
Clenching my teeth, I did just that. I don't know how much time
passed since I decided to give up, and thankfully I didn't. Because the next
words that meant anything to me sounded.
"It's a boy." Doctor Howard smiled as he placed my beautiful baby boy
into my arms. He was wrapped in a tiny blue blanket. And my heart
swelled. I never thought for a single moment that I would know a love like
this one. It was quick. Consuming. Unbreakable.
Daman leaned down, pressing his lips to my forehead. "He's
beautiful." His voice cracked and I shifted to give our baby to Daman.
"I think I would like to name him Dacien."
Daman smiled down at me with more love than any heart could take
without the eye tearing up a little. "I think it's perfect."
I couldn't wait for our son to meet the rest of his family.

OceanofPDF.com
 Author Note
I would never have written this book if it weren't for those of you who
loved Enraptured and requested a story about Daman—so I thank you
deeply. From the bottom of my heart. Writing Enthralled was an amazing
journey I never thought I would take, but I am so glad that I have. I fell in
love with both Dace and Daman all over again as I wrote this novel. I was
practically glued to my computer (I think my fiancé misses me—just a
little). I can't wait to begin another journey—my mind is always working at
what feels like a thousand miles an hour. I have so many I want to create it's
unbelievable! I hope Enthralled touches your heart—because that is exactly
what I'm aiming for. When you feel emotion because of my writing—that is
when I have found success. So thank you again.

OceanofPDF.com
 Author Note
I would never have written this book if it weren't for those of you who
loved Enraptured and requested a story about Daman—so I thank you
deeply. From the bottom of my heart. Writing Enthralled was an amazing
journey I never thought I would take, but I am so glad that I have. I fell in
love with both Dace and Daman all over again as I wrote this novel. I was
practically glued to my computer (I think my fiancé misses me—just a
little). I can't wait to begin another journey—my mind is always working at
what feels like a thousand miles an hour. I have so many I want to create it's
unbelievable! I hope Enthralled touches your heart—because that is exactly
what I'm aiming for. When you feel emotion because of my writing—that is
when I have found success. So thank you again.

OceanofPDF.com