a's

JoJo's voice blasted from the scr

ncing across his dark shades like he thought he was a celebrity. "JoJo!" I grinned, instantly

ips glistening from a drink.

y eyes. "Yo

here the hell are you? This doesn

where are you? And why do I hear 'De

st each other. "Club, baby. Some Tinder guy dragged me here. Thought he was gonna be

ghing so hard my stomach h

not even the jumbo pack, like those tiny-ass broken crayo

ver settle for a crayon in

. "Big, bold, thick, like a Sharp

t with warmth. That's what I loved about him. No mat

smirking. "Who you fucking tonight

ce. "Shut the fuck up and speak to

Blackwood now. All proper and prim.

ous. "Speaking of Blackw

ropped. "Wai

my lip.

about

e with a car last night? That was him. And then today, at breakfast, he literally called me a stranger

oftly, like he was

ww? What the hell is t

"this is the perfect lo

Trash that thought. That man doesn'

he's got bones elsewhere....tell

If I'm not gonna lie, Damien is so

wiggle that ass in front of him

er give out advice tha

," he

perfect. He's everything a woman would ever need. Sweet, funny, protective. But Damien..

sou

fro

ng up. I hea

ses in that creepy mansion? If you know it looks li

id he'd pick me up in an hour, but right

and some holy water." He made

t. Han

as I stepped into the hallway. My pulse pounded in my ears. Each ste

flicked it on, and scre

polished floor, and I ti

ong hands

chest...hard, warm, unyielding. The scent of

am

se betraying me. For a long, suspended moment, the world shrank to just us...the press of my fin

able. Intoxica

oice came low, detached. "If you're not fit en

tely, stepping back, ad

able. "Step up your game. Next ti

t. "Do you actually think I just t

ing at me. "Wouldn't surprise me. A

ity. "Wow. What exactly ar

p walking, did

e?" I snapped. "It was a mi

ulders stiff. "

t play games with me, Damien. Everyone makes mistakes. You t

off him easily, like I was nothing. His eyes cut through me

d back, bre

s little fire of yours to the time when your mother was

My chest burned. "You

ugged, turni

e. "You're not all tha

re deliberate as he walked back, closing the distance until I c

ging it back just enough to tilt my head. My brea

am all that. And your body knows it. It's begg

ling dangerously low, down toward the ridges of his abs. Th

gently, stepping away,

. are you heading for the tea

faintly. "

pposed to pick me up... but he's late. L

efinitely, he forgot about you, we

d. "Wait.

lready wa

Dada," I teas

not slowing. "Don't

aving me pressed against the wall, b