I woke before dawn, my body immediately alert to the unfamiliar weight against my chest. Angel slept soundly, her breathing deep and even, one hand curled beneath her chin, the other resting over my heart. Her hair spilled across my pillow, a chaotic tangle of gold in the dim light filtering through the curtains.Last night had crossed a line I'd carefully drawn when proposing our arrangement. Physical intimacy without emotional entanglement — that had been my intention. Yet I'd stopped before taking what she'd clearly been willing to give, because something about Angel Winters made me want to be... better. More careful. More considerate than I had any right or reason to be.Fuck.I eased away from her, careful not to wake her as I slipped from the bed. She stirred, making a small sound of protest before burrowing deeper into the warmth I'd left behind. I stood watching her for a moment, struck by how young she looked in sleep, how vulnerable.The power had come back sometime duri
That, at least, didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was the twist of satisfaction I felt knowing George had betrayed Angel even earlier than she realized. "Keep monitoring the situation," I instructed. "Especially any further contact between Sinclair and Luciano's people. And increase security around Angel, discreetly. If she asks, tell her it's standard procedure." "Of course." Marco hesitated, something unusual for him. "There's a personal matter I feel I should mention." I raised an eyebrow, waiting. "Ms Winters spent the night in your quarters," he said carefully. It wasn't a question, but I answered anyway. "Yes." "That... changes the parameters of your arrangement..?" Leave it to Marco to cut straight to the heart of the issue. "I'm aware." He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "I've known you a long time, Damien. Long enough to recognize when you're...invested." "Your point?" I asked, my tone cooling. "Just that Ms. Winters isn't like your usua
She startled, turning to find me watching her. A blush immediately colored her cheeks — the first acknowledgment of last night. "Damien," she said, setting down the brush without having touched the canvas. "I didn't hear you." "Clearly." I entered the room, noting the organized chaos of her supplies, brushes meticulously arranged by size, paints grouped by color family, palette scraped clean in preparation. "You've been here a while." "Just... thinking," she admitted. "About painting? ...Or about last night?" Her blush deepened, but she met my eyes directly. "Both." I appreciated her honesty. It was refreshing after years of dealing with people who calculated every word for maximum advantage. "Regrets?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral. She considered the question, her head tilting slightly. "No" she said finally. "Do you?" "No." The simple exchange cleared some of the tension between us. Angel relaxed visibly, setting aside the brush she'd been clutching like a lifeline. "
ANGELINA ~ The gallery had become my sanctuary over the past few weeks - the one place where I could exist as simply Angel, not Damien Salvatore's fiancée. I loved, loved losing myself for hours arranging exhibits, researching artists, and occasionally sketching during quiet moments. Today, I was cataloging a new shipment of sculptures when Elena's excited voice broke my concentration. "Angel! You won't believe who just walked in," she said, practically bouncing with excitement. I looked up from my inventory list to see her barely contained enthusiasm. Despite learning of her betrayal the previous day, I'd forced myself to act normal around her, following Damien's advice to 'keep your enemies closer.' The words still tasted bitter in my mouth each time I smiled at her, but perhaps it was my fault for asking Damien to help her get a job here, after she'd claimed that she'd been fired. "Who?" I asked, feigning interest. "Richard Knight," she whispered dramatically.
ANGELINA ~ "Just drop me off here please." I said to the taxi driver, fishing out the last of my cash from my purse. The meter read fifteen dollars and twenty two cents. I handed him a twenty. "Keep the change." The driver nodded, looking at me through the rearview mirror. "You sure you don't want me to pull into the driveway, miss? It's pouring out there." I glanced out the window at the large Victorian house that George and I had called home for the past three months. The lights were on in our bedroom, even though it was only four in the afternoon. Strange. George was supposed to be at work. "I'm sure. Thank you." As I stepped out of the taxi, the sky opened up and unleashed a torrential downpour. Within seconds, my cream blouse was soaked through, clinging to my skin. I hurried up the pathway, my painting supplies tucked underneath my arm in a desperate attempt to keep them dry. I had spent the day at the park, sketching, letting my mind wander. George had been distant la
I felt sick. "Our whole relationship... was a lie?" "Not at first. But once I got what I wanted, what was the point? You're not exactly stimulating company." He picked up the papers, thrusting them at me. "Sign." Tears blurred my vision. "No. I need a lawyer to look at these first." His laugh was cold. "Good luck finding one who'll take your case. Claire's made sure every decent attorney in the city knows not to touch this. You'll get nothing from me, Angel. Nothing." "I don't want your money! I just— " "Oh shut up with the innocent act! Everyone wants something." He grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the bed. "SIGN THE DAMN PAPERS!" I flinched slightly. "Let go George! You're hurting me!!" The bedroom door opened, and my stepmother Olivia stood there, her thin lips curved in a smile. Behind her was my stepbrother Victor, his eyes always gleaming with something that made my skin crawl. "Is everything alright?" Olivia asked sweetly. "We heard shouting." George released my ar
With shaking hands, I pulled out a suitcase and began packing what little I could claim as mine. Clothes, a few books, my mother's old silver hand mirror— the only thing of hers I had left. I reached for the wedding photo on the nightstand but stopped. That marriage had been a lie. The smiling couple in the silver frame were strangers to me now. Instead, I carefully packed my art supplies. My sketchbooks, charcoals, and paints were the only things that had ever truly belonged to me. My mother had been a painter too, though her talent had been stifled by poverty and my father's disapproval. As I packed, I heard laughter from downstairs. George, Lisa, Victor, and Olivia, probably celebrating my downfall. The family I had tried so hard to please, to love, united in their contempt for me. I zipped up my suitcase, took one last look at the bedroom I had shared with a man who had never loved me, and headed downstairs. They were in the living room, drinking champagne. They fell sile
The rain was relentless, pounding against my skin like tiny needles as I dragged my waterlogged suitcase down the street.My clothes clung to me, a second skin soaked with rain, tears, and the lingering stickiness of champagne that Lisa had poured over me. Each step felt heavier than the last, my mind still reeling from how quickly my life had imploded.Three hours ago, I'd been sketching in the park, worrying about my husband's emotional distance. Now I was homeless , jobless, and completely alone.Night was falling, turning the dreary afternoon into something more sinister. Streetlights flickered on, casting long shadows that seemed to reach for me. I needed shelter, somewhere to gather my thoughts and figure out what to do next.The community shelter on Maple Street was my first hope. I'd volunteered there during college, serving meals and sorting donations. Surely they would help me."I'm sorry Angelina." Mrs Peterson said, her weathered face pinched with genuine regret. "We're
ANGELINA ~ The gallery had become my sanctuary over the past few weeks - the one place where I could exist as simply Angel, not Damien Salvatore's fiancée. I loved, loved losing myself for hours arranging exhibits, researching artists, and occasionally sketching during quiet moments. Today, I was cataloging a new shipment of sculptures when Elena's excited voice broke my concentration. "Angel! You won't believe who just walked in," she said, practically bouncing with excitement. I looked up from my inventory list to see her barely contained enthusiasm. Despite learning of her betrayal the previous day, I'd forced myself to act normal around her, following Damien's advice to 'keep your enemies closer.' The words still tasted bitter in my mouth each time I smiled at her, but perhaps it was my fault for asking Damien to help her get a job here, after she'd claimed that she'd been fired. "Who?" I asked, feigning interest. "Richard Knight," she whispered dramatically.
She startled, turning to find me watching her. A blush immediately colored her cheeks — the first acknowledgment of last night. "Damien," she said, setting down the brush without having touched the canvas. "I didn't hear you." "Clearly." I entered the room, noting the organized chaos of her supplies, brushes meticulously arranged by size, paints grouped by color family, palette scraped clean in preparation. "You've been here a while." "Just... thinking," she admitted. "About painting? ...Or about last night?" Her blush deepened, but she met my eyes directly. "Both." I appreciated her honesty. It was refreshing after years of dealing with people who calculated every word for maximum advantage. "Regrets?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral. She considered the question, her head tilting slightly. "No" she said finally. "Do you?" "No." The simple exchange cleared some of the tension between us. Angel relaxed visibly, setting aside the brush she'd been clutching like a lifeline. "
That, at least, didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was the twist of satisfaction I felt knowing George had betrayed Angel even earlier than she realized. "Keep monitoring the situation," I instructed. "Especially any further contact between Sinclair and Luciano's people. And increase security around Angel, discreetly. If she asks, tell her it's standard procedure." "Of course." Marco hesitated, something unusual for him. "There's a personal matter I feel I should mention." I raised an eyebrow, waiting. "Ms Winters spent the night in your quarters," he said carefully. It wasn't a question, but I answered anyway. "Yes." "That... changes the parameters of your arrangement..?" Leave it to Marco to cut straight to the heart of the issue. "I'm aware." He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "I've known you a long time, Damien. Long enough to recognize when you're...invested." "Your point?" I asked, my tone cooling. "Just that Ms. Winters isn't like your usua
I woke before dawn, my body immediately alert to the unfamiliar weight against my chest. Angel slept soundly, her breathing deep and even, one hand curled beneath her chin, the other resting over my heart. Her hair spilled across my pillow, a chaotic tangle of gold in the dim light filtering through the curtains.Last night had crossed a line I'd carefully drawn when proposing our arrangement. Physical intimacy without emotional entanglement — that had been my intention. Yet I'd stopped before taking what she'd clearly been willing to give, because something about Angel Winters made me want to be... better. More careful. More considerate than I had any right or reason to be.Fuck.I eased away from her, careful not to wake her as I slipped from the bed. She stirred, making a small sound of protest before burrowing deeper into the warmth I'd left behind. I stood watching her for a moment, struck by how young she looked in sleep, how vulnerable.The power had come back sometime duri
"May I touch you here?" he asked, fingers dipping just beneath the elastic. "Yes," I breathed. "Please yes." His hand slipped inside both shorts and underwear, finding me already embarrassingly wet. He groaned against my breast when his fingers encountered the evidence of my arousal. "So wet for me," he murmured, circling my entrance teasingly before moving up to find the bundle of nerves that made me cry out when he touched it. "Oh god..." I whimpered as he began stroking in slow, deliberate circles. "No," he corrected, his voice a dark — almost teasing caress. "Just me." He continued his merciless attention to my body — mouth on my breasts, fingers between my legs, building a pressure that threatened to consume me. Just when I thought I couldn't take anymore, he withdrew his hand, making me whimper at the loss. "Patience," he said, pressing a kiss to my sternum. "I want to taste you." The words sent a flood of new arousal through me. I'd never experienced that before, Georg
That single plea seemed to break something in him. He kissed me again, harder, deeper, his body pressing mine against the wall. I felt the evidence of his arousal against my stomach, hard and insistent through the thin fabric of his pajama pants.His mouth left mine to trace a burning path down my neck, teeth scraping lightly over my pulse point. I arched into him, fingers tangling in his hair to hold him there. When he reached the junction of my neck and shoulder, he bit down gently, then soothed the sting with his tongue."Oh..!" I gasped, unprepared for the jolt of pleasure the action sent straight to my core.He pulled back slightly, eyes dark with desire but still watchful. "Too much?""Not enough," I answered truthfully.Something like a growl rumbled in his chest. His hands moved to the tie of my robe, pausing there. "May I ?"I nodded, unable to find my voice as he untied the sash and pushed the silk from my shoulders. It fell to the floor in a whisper of fabric, leaving me
I'd never been to his bedroom before. Our charade didn't extend to sharing living quarters, though Rosa and the staff assumed we sometimes did. I paused outside what I believed to be his door, suddenly uncertain. What was I doing? This wasn't part of our arrangement. This was crossing a line into territory neither of us had defined.Before I could retreat, lightning struck again, followed immediately by a deafening crack of thunder that made me gasp. My hand acted of its own accord, knocking on the solid wood door.Silence. Then the soft sound of footsteps.The door opened to reveal Damien in black pajama pants and nothing else. His hair was tousled, his chest bare in the dim light spilling from his room. He looked softer somehow, less impenetrable without his usual armor of tailored clothing."Angel?" His voice was rough with sleep. "What's wrong?""I — " Another crash of thunder made me flinch. "I'm sorry. The storm... I couldn't sleep."Understanding dawned in his eyes. He stepped
The day my divorce was finalized, the sky broke open.I'd spent the afternoon in a downtown law office, signing papers that officially ended my three month marriage to George. My lawyer, provided by Damien, of course, had handled everything efficiently, keeping George and his new attorney, a sharp featured woman named Claire, at the opposite end of the conference table. George had tried repeatedly to catch my eye, his expression cycling between wounded puppy and calculated charm. I kept my gaze firmly on the documents before me."Ms. Winters, if you'll sign here," my lawyer directed, pointing to yet another line requiring my signature. "And here. This formally dissolves your marriage and confirms the settlement terms."George had fought the divorce bitterly once he realized I wasn't coming back. He'd suddenly discovered a passionate attachment to our marriage vows, conveniently forgetting he'd been the one to file first. Only after weeks of legal maneuvering had he reluctantly agreed
The walk back to the house felt like marching to my own execution. My anger at Damien had been tempered somewhat by the unexpected discovery of his hidden artistic side, but I was still determined to confront him about hiding George's visit.I found him in his study, jacket off and sleeves rolled up as he reviewed documents at his desk. He looked up when I entered, his expression guarded."Marco said you wanted to see me." I began.Damien set his papers aside. "George sent flowers.""He did," I confirmed. "With a note claiming we're soulmates."A muscle twitched in Damien's jaw. "An interesting perspective from a man who threw you out and filed for divorce.""What's more interesting is that you knew he came here two days ago and didn't tell me," I countered, unwilling to be diverted.Damien didn't attempt to deny it. "I handled the situation. There was no need to upset you.""That wasn't your decision to make," I said, my voice rising slightly. "George is MY problem, not yours!""You