SCARLETT’S POVI woke up to a sound I hadn’t heard in a long, long time.A baby’s cry.At first, I thought I was dreaming. I stayed still on the bird, confused. But then it came again, louder this time. Okay… really loud.“This is definitely real”. I couldn’t help but say out loud.I sat up, my heart pounding against my chest. My room was dim, so reached for the lamp beside my bed and turned it on, still no sign of a baby.frowning, I reached for the robe at the edge of the bed, shrugged it over my shoulders, and slipped out of the room barefoot.The cry of the baby was the only thing I was focused on as I went down the hall, past the staircase, and into the wide living room.There, under the warm wash of the chandelier’s light, stood Damian.He looked nothing like the stone-faced CEO I worked for during the day, or my contract husband who like to frown all the time. He was barefoot, wearing a fitted black T-shirt and soft grey pants. But that’s not what caught my breath.It was the b
In a dimly lit room half a city away, a woman stood with her back to the window, her phone still in hand. The glow from the screen shows the sharp edge of her jaw, her lip painted red. The screen showed a familiar number, the one that had sent the message to Scarlett. Her fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before she locked the device and slipped it into her coat pocket.A man in gray suit sat opposite her and adjusted his cufflinks without looking up. “You made contact?” he said.“She didn’t reply,” the woman said at last.“She doesn’t need to,” the man replied, still not looking.“The message was meant to shake, not to start a conversation.” He continued as picked up a cigarette from the pack and lighted it.The woman laughed quietly. “It did more than shake. He reacted.”“So you saw him?”“At the office,” she confirmed. “He was trying to pretend nothing was wrong. But Scarlett? She looked like she couldn’t breathe.”The man leaned forward slightly, flicking ash from the c
Scarlett’s voice still echoed in my head "Damian... what the hell is going on?"I couldn’t answer her. Not honestly. Not yet.Instead, I took the phone from her hand and slipped it into my coat pocket. “We’re leaving,” I said flatly.She blinked. “What do you mean, we’re leaving? What about your grandmother?”“We’ll go see her,” I replied, already heading for the elevator. “Let’s not keep her waiting.”She caught up, arms folded across her chest. “Are you going to tell me what that message meant?”I didn’t even look at her. “Drop it, Scarlett. It’s none of your concern.”I heard her scoff softly “none of my concern? In case you seem to forget, the message was sent to MY phone, so it is every bit of my concern.”“Someone is clearly threatening me,” she continued. “And you expect me to just sit quietly like a doll while you handle it in secret?”“You are under my protection,” I said coldly. “That's all you need to know.”“Protection without context is not safety, Damian,” she snapped.
CHAPTER 27DAMON’S POVThe elevator ride to the top floor was very quiet, not even one of us wanted to say anything to each other. I turned slightly to look at Scarlett, her fingers curled around the strap of her handbag as we walked toward my private office. After what just happened with Julian downstairs I don’t know why, but I just feel angry and I shouldn’t be, I needed to get my head straight before taking her to Nana’s house. She had this pout on her lips as we moved, which made me smile a little. She had assumed I’ll take her straight to Nana’s house after we had left the house this morning, but I had surprised her by saying I needed to stop by the office to sign a few urgent documents.I walked toward my desk without another word, I could see Scarlett glancing around, unsure whether to sit or hover."You can wait there,” I told her, nodding towards the couch near the window. “I won’t take long."She nodded and quietly walked over to the couch, her heels tapping softly against
Damian cursed as he walked down with his hands deeply set in his pants. He walked down. Scarlett ignored him to the brim, like acting he wasn't visible. She smiled inwardly when he hissed sitting down on the table as he started eating without any of them speaking to each other."I don't know what you did to my grandmother, but she hasn't stopped asking after you. She asked to see you. You can leave with the driver if you want. Or. With me." Damian said, without breaking from eating. Scarlett hummed in response. She smiled as she loved her grandmother from the first instant her eyes laid on her. She wanted to ask if she would be allowed to visit her, but knowing Damian and trying to exert control. She had kept mute about it. She stood up immediately, making a little dance as she ran up the stairs, not even hiding her excitement. Damian was still as he watched her till she went out of his sight. He didn't trust his grandmother with her. She might tell Scarlett about his embarrassing
A knock on the door and Damian groaned, making to continue his administrations on Scarlett’s body.She loved every bit of it, but She couldn't let whoever was there stand for long.“Ignore them. They would go away and let us be if you do.” He whispered, acting like a hormonal teenager who was having sex for the first time behind the school building."No! You have to answer that! How would you feel if you are been left by someone you need to see urgently?" Scarlett asked, looking at him as he groaned again getting up to his feet.“I would do as you say, but you would have to give me a reward, or I would ignore the next person that knocks while we are having a good time.” Damian threatened, and she laughed out loud at his dramatics.“I will. Now go answer." Scarlett urged, pushing him slightly.He nodded, walking out of the bathroom in his bathroom robe, looking deadly handsome.Leaving Scarlett wondering how she managed to end up with someone like him, he was treating her the right