I'm the happiest woman alive.I get out of bed and I'm practically skipping to the bathroom. Damien was in here earlier, I can smell his shower gel and his shampoo. His scent further elevates my mood. It's a gentle reminder of last night, which was absolutely perfect. I'm tingling all over at the memory of his lips on me, of his tongue in me.I can't stop staring at my ring. I don't think I'll ever get over this moment. Damien and I have been going steady for the past year, and I'll admit that I thought of marrying him once. I never mentioned it, I didn't want him to think I was putting pressure on him. This is a brand new beginning for us. We'll get married in a month–how crazy is that?—and then we can start our own little family. I've been on birth control for the past year, I didn't want to risk getting pregnant again. I wasn't ready emotionally. But after the wedding, I'll take the implant out. Again, it's a fresh start for both of us. Everything is stable now, so why not try agai
Devon wakes up with a pounding head.That punch nearly knocked him out. He could feel blood trickling down the side of his head and now the spot on the side of his head is unbearably painful. It's throbbing. The dried blood is making his skin itch. This is absolute torture. Why doesn't Damien Fucking Keller just kill him already? What's the point in keeping him alive?The motherfucker saw him at the party, talking to Amelia. It was so quick that he thought he was safe, but he should've known better. He left with her, but he must have paid someone to follow him around all night. One of the guards, maybe. Devon would never have guessed it. The guy's slick, he'll give him that.He had no choice but to surrender. At the time, he didn't know what was going on. His first thought was Ash, his second Theodora Keller. He never would've guessed that Damien was involved. His gut feeling failed him. Life failed him. The universe failed him. He didn't see this shit coming. The fucker warned him la
I push that spot of blood on his cuff to the back of my mind.It's nothing. If it were, he would've explained himself. There's nothing off about him so there's nothing to worry about. I remind myself that today is an incredibly special day and we should be celebrating our engagement. We're going out for lunch and it's all going smoothly. It's going to be a marvelous day.We've been holding hands for the past thirty minutes. I don't know where he's taking me, I didn't ask, but I'm sure I'll love it. I asked him about his meeting and he said everything went well. Again, he didn't elaborate, but who talks business when they're supposed to be celebrating? I'm prying too much. I'm making too much of that smudge of blood. It could be anything."I'll have to find a dress soon," I tell him. "Theo is confident that we'll find something tomorrow."He smiles and kisses my forehead. "Don't let her bully you into picking something you don't want. I know how impatient she can be.""I don't mind," I
Damien drops Amelia off at the apartment.He accompanies her upstairs. Their talk over lunch was tense, but necessary. Now he knows about Ethan. Something changed in his brother that night. He has the certainty that he's in some kind of trouble, he just can't figure out what it is. It's only a matter of time before he does.He also knows how she feels about Devon Tyler.He was worried about her reaction. He knew what he had to do, he had no doubts, but Amelia and that man had a bizarre...relationship. He couldn't understand it at first and it infuriated him. They're on the same page, though, and she wants him out of their lives as much as he does. Hearing her say the words was relieving. He'll admit that if she had asked him to release him, he'd release the son of a bitch. He would let him go. He'd do whatever she asked him to.He kisses her at the door. "I'll be back later.""Okay," she simply says.He gets back in the car and tells Roger to stop by The Lounge. They have to pick up t
He can't believe he's going to die in this miserable place.He has no clue of how many hours have passed, all he knows is that he's lost all hope whatsoever. He's never been this thirsty before in all his life. He can't even manage to scream for help anymore. His body is shutting down, he can feel it. It doesn't help that he hasn't hydrated properly in some days. He was drinking at the party.His hands are incredibly sore. He's been pounding at that piece of metal for a door for hours. He managed to free himself, but it didn't benefit him in any way. He's still stuck in this room. His voice is hoarse now, he can barely utter a word without feeling pain in his throat. This is it. This is the end. This is how he dies.He's gone from feeling angry to feeling like he deserves all this shit that's happening to him. He deserves an end like this. How many people has he fucked over before? He fucked those girls and gave them hope. He promised them that someday she'd work for them but he disca
There are only two weeks and a half left to go before our wedding.I don't know where the time has gone. I'm floating and sinking at the same damn time. We're not even halfway there with the preparations and Theo and Greg have had their first fight only yesterday. Something about the flower arrangements. I wasn't paying attention, I had a lot on my mind.There's something Damien wants to tell me, but I know he's afraid of ruining our wedding plans. I don't care about that, I told him. I can take the truth, no matter how harsh it is. He doesn't have anyone to confide in but me, and I want to support him in any way that I can.It's about Ethan, I'm a hundred percent sure.Ever since I told him about my suspicions, their relationship took a turn for the worse. Just last week they had an intense argument about a decision Damien made without consulting him. They had an agreement, sure, but Ethan hasn't been around much and Damien couldn't sit around and wait for him to show up. Besides, he
Damien kisses Amelia goodbye and gets straight back to work.His words scared her earlier and he vehemently wishes that he could take them back. The last thing he wants is to worry her. It'll only exacerbate her restlessness. He knows she's anxious about this situation and he doesn't blame her, this hasn't been easy on anyone. It's going to get worse, he's certain of it. And there's still a lot he doesn't know.Since he couldn't take back what he said, he did what he could to relax her. He rolled up her dress and ate his way to her heart. He had her moaning his name and writhing in his chair. Her legs shook violently and she fought desperately to muffle her moans. He tasted every inch of her and relished in the familiarity of tonguing her sweet folds. He took his sweet time and he enjoyed every minute of it. For a moment, he forgot that his own blood had stabbed him in the back, that he was slowly dying on the inside. When he was done with her, she didn't mention any of it again. She
I can't wait for Damien to get home.First and foremost, we have to continue our conversation. I want to know exactly what he meant when he said that something might happen to him. He distracted me, but I've given it another thought and I'm not going to let it slide. He wants to wait until after the wedding, but this is different. This has nothing to do with Ethan and Theo finding out. He's talking about death. He wants to marry me as quickly as possible because he thinks he might die. He didn't have to say the words out loud, I understood.And I'm fucking terrified.I'm overcome with the urge to kill Ethan myself. I'll kill him and get this done and over with. Damien will forgive me. Theo might not, but at least this will all be behind us. How dare he sabotage my happiness? How dare he betray his own family? I can't believe Damien and I are related to that prick. I sacrificed myself for my brother, and Damien would do anything to keep us safe. My mother went through hell to keep us a
Six months have passed.They've been peaceful and for the most part, quiet. Tremendously busy, but I'm used to that part now. Working alongside Damien is the best part about it. I get to be with him all day and make sure that he isn't exerting himself. He has a lot more work now; he had to take over Ethan's duties. Theo helps, but there are certain things only Damien can handle. When Ethan was here, he took care of it, but he's been gone for half a year and there's no one capable enough to replace him. I think that deep down, Damien doesn't want anyone to take over Ethan's job, but he'll never admit it out loud. I help him whenever I can. There's a lot I still don't understand, but I'll get there.It's only a matter of time.He doesn't ever ask me to go home when there are people coming over to meet with him. We never talked about what happened with Ash, but it changed a lot of things. I gained some respect after I killed him. I see it in the way people look at me whenever we're at so
I help him peel his blazer off.This day has been mentally exhausting for him. He rarely leaves the office early, but I'm glad he did today. I'm glad, because at least we have the whole day ahead of us. It's going to be just the two of us. Theo rarely comes here, she prefers to stay in the city. It's closer to everything else. I love it here, because it feels like we're all alone in the world. I stare out the window and all I see is the vast sky, green hills, nature. I don't even see the guards surrounding the house. They're invisible to me.It's peaceful here, and breathtakingly beautiful. It's home. I understand why Damien is so attached to this place. It's not simply because he grew up here. I feel safe, here, untouchable. The first time I was here, I felt like an intruder. Our relationship was so different back then, I can't help but marvel at how everything is so different now. I never would have guessed that we'd end up here, closer than ever, madly in love. We've come a long wa
Today's an important day.I've been on edge all morning. Damien has called for a Keller family meeting. We're all going to be there, including Ethan and Penelope.He announced that there'd be a meeting only last night during dinner, and he asked Theo to give Ethan a call. I was startled by the news and so was she. He didn't tell me what he'll say to Ethan, but we can guess what it is. He wants closure. Ethan owns a third of everything, and that matter needs to be resolved. I doubt that Damien will allow him to return to the company. I just don't see it happening. Ethan himself never mentioned it to Theo, not that he'd dare to.Theo told me that he's out of the hospital. She said he hasn't left the country yet because he wants to see Damien first. Damien, however, wanted nothing to do with him until yesterday. He's asked after him, but he didn't want to see him. He's still hurt by what Ethan did to us, his betrayal is a wound that will never quite heal for him. And if it ever does, it'
I'm afraid of opening the door.I've been standing here for a full minute with my heart in my throat. My hand is on the knob, ready. I can't bring myself to turn it, though, simply because I know that Damien's on the other side. There's a lot we need to talk about, so much in fact that I wouldn't know where to start.I hold my breath and close my eyes. I've been standing out here for too long. I remind myself that he's my husband, he's the man I love, and we'll get through this. We'd get through anything together. I've been in a far worse position before. This time, I was actually focusing on the well-being of our family.I open the door slowly.Only the bedside lamp is on. I see him right away; he's seated on the couch across his bed. He's staring out the window with a distant look in his eyes. I take a few steps towards him, my eyes on his handsome face. My heart's thumping against my chest. I'm overcome with emotion, but I put a hamper on them for now. He's a little pale, I notice
Amelia's going to hate him for this, but that's okay, because he doesn't plan on ever seeing her again.He means it this time. He's done with this shit. He had his chance, he fucked it up a hundred years ago. It's time to get over it. If there was ever a part of him that thought he'd get a chance with her, that part of him died a while back. She loves Damien Keller. He lost her a long time ago. That doesn't necessarily mean that he's content with the outcome, but he'll admit defeat. Staying here is slowly killing him.She's going to be alright. Leaving her back there was a dick move, sure, but he stands by what he said to her; when everyone finds out that she did it, there will be no revenge. He helped her along the way, but no one needs to know that. The Huntingtons won't dream of touching her, especially when the truth about Damien comes out. It would be an entirely different story with him.He glances at his watch. Five more minutes in there and he'd miss his flight. He can't miss
I've never been so glad to see him in all my life."Devon," I say, the word a gasp. "How did you—"He doesn't let me finish. "Did he hurt you? Are you hurt?"I shake my head. "No, but how did you—""I'll explain later," he assures me. "Right now, we've got to get this asshole tied to that chair. Quickly, before he wakes up. Bring that chair over there. I have rope under the bed."I grab it and Devon grabs a duffel bag from under the bed. He opens it and fishes out rope and a couple of knives. He's been lying under the bed the entire time. It's clear that he planned this thoroughly.He didn't abandon me. He said he'd help me kill Ash and here he is. I tell him, "I thought you weren't going to show up. I thought you tricked me.""I don't blame you for assuming the worst," he says, looking up at me. His eyes are glinting with mischief and something else, something I won't dare name. He points at my gun. "You know how to use that thing?"I stare at it. "Yes."He's watching me intently. "A
It's quarter to midnight.The clock is ticking and my heart is racing. I'm ready, my small gun is hidden in my underwear. I've made sure to wear an extra tight pair just for the occasion. The dress is scarlet and flowy, perfect for tonight.I'm waiting for him in the lobby. This time, I'm early. It makes me feel more in control of the situation even though that's far from the truth. I take a small sip of champagne and look back at the entrance. My heart's in my throat, making it hard for me to breathe. I have to remain cool, though. There's a lot at stake.Everything depends on this."Anything else?" the bartender asks me while pouring someone else a drink. I shake my head, I can't even speak at a time like this.I'm taking another sip of champagne when I finally spot him. There are two men walking behind him. He's saying something to them as he looks around. For me, no doubt. I fix my gaze on him and hold my breath as I wait for him to see me. He doesn't, which is fairly disappointin
"Leave," Damien says to the nurse. She scurries out of the room as soon as he mutters the word.He's in a terrible mood and he doesn't want anyone around him. He has finally moved from that awful, desolate place and he's home. He made sure that they didn't change any decorations. They lost a lot of antiques and furniture that was in their family for decades, but he's made sure that everything else remained the same. He's sure that he'll recover in no time here, he already feels better. He's not in bed, he's sitting on the sofa beside his bed. He's supposed to be resting, but he's done enough of that.He can't sleep when he's worried sick about Amelia.The fact that no one gives him any news is a bad sign as it is. They're hiding something from him, he can feel it. The last time he spoke to her, she told him that she wasn't going to turn back, that she'd go ahead with the plan. He has no idea of what her plan might be, but he knows it won't be anything he'll agree with. He wonders if p
I can't stop chewing my thumbnail.I force myself to put my hand down. I'm in agony; I don't know what to do and I'm running out of time. I'm supposed to be meeting Ash tonight. This was supposed to end it all, according to Devon, but he let Ethan go so what happens now? The only reason why I'm agreeing to everything is because of him. It isn't, but that's what Ash thinks. Am I still expected to show up? Why would he do this?I can't figure it out.I wish I had a way of contacting Devon to let him know that everything went to shit, but I don't have his number. I don't know where he's currently residing. I don't think I'll be seeing him anytime soon; tonight, maybe but not earlier. In the meantime, what do I do? I can't ask anyone's advice. My family is against me entirely. Theo probably thinks that our negotiations with Ash have come to an abrupt end, but she doesn't know half of it. I'm planning on killing him once and for all, I made a promise to myself that I would.For Damien.I h