Page 65 of Insatiable


Font Size:  

Sylvia lurched in her chair as if slapped. “You can’t do that. Damien. You must consider your family, the business—”

“You?”

“Yes.” She drew a diamond-bedecked hand to her chest. “You’re breaking my heart, wasting yourself on someone who’s beneath you. She’d only marry you for the money.”

“Like you did with Dad?”

Her hand dropped and his mother’s chin went up. “Yes. As I did with your father. And we all know how well that turned out.”

Surprised she’d actually admitted it, he shook his head, feeling sorry for his old man, who’d died so young, so unhappy. “Why didn’t you just let him go? You made each other miserable.”

She sneered. “Not always. We cared about each other once, as you imagine you do this girl. But let me assure you, it will never last.” Her lips tightened and her eyes narrowed. “And not just because of her. I actually feel a little sorry for her. You’re the one who will never be able to make a marriage based on love work.”

Damien flinched. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

She didn’t relent, leaning across the table, almost shaking as she finally told him what she really thought of him.

“The truth is, Damien, if you care about that girl, you would end it now. Because you will end up breaking her heart. You are just like your father—a lying, deceitful, heartless bastard.”

Damien folded his arms over his chest, wanting to instead throw his hands over his ears. He didn’t give a damn what she said about him, but his father was off-limits. His parents’ marriage hadn’t been happy, but he’d never fully understood why. And Dad’s awful, untimely death should certainly have wiped clean the slate of grievances his mother had carried.

“Don’t say those things about him.”

“Why not?” she said with a bitter laugh, this woman who’d given birth to him, who’d never shown him a moment’s warmth in his entire life. “The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. You’re incapable of love and fidelity. You are doomed to destroy anyone foolish enough to care about you.”

Damien was in shock. The bile directed at him from his own parent was so stunning, he could barely form a response. In the end, all he could mutter was “Why? Why do you hate me?”

She didn’t flinch, didn’t deny the accusation. No. Instead, her mouth opened then snapped shut, as if she was fighting some internal battle, trying to decide what to say.

Damien realized she was on the verge of admitting something important, something he suspected she’d been keeping from him for years. “Just say it, Mother,” he insisted, suddenly weary and wanting this done. “For once in your life, be honest with me.”

One more long moment. He couldn’t be sure what she was going to do, until she opened her mouth and began to speak.

In the end, she gave him exactly what he’d asked for.

The truth.

11

DAMIEN HAD SAID he would be gone for thirty minutes at most. It had now been two hours, and Viv was climbing the walls.

She’d showered and dressed, assuring herself everything was all right. Surely she wasn’t the only woman in the world who’d made a bad first impression on her lover’s family. There would be an opportunity to make up for it.

Or, hell, maybe there wouldn’t, if his mother really was the cold fish she seemed to be. But still, she’d give it her best shot, at least, if he wanted her to.

He would want her to, wouldn’t he?

True, he’d said from day one that he wasn’t the love-and-relationship sort. But she’d let herself forget that in recent days. With everything they’d shared—his tenderness, his warmth, his desire for her—surely he didn’t still consider her just a brief fling?

Or maybe he did. Maybe his mother convinced Damien that Viv was bad news—the worst thing that could ever happen to him—and he could be trying to figure out how to make a painless getaway.

Whenever she heard a noise, she feared it was a hotel employee coming up with a note demanding she vacate the premises.

“You’re being ridiculous,” she muttered to herself, trying to find something else to do.

She had food sent up. She called Lulu and filled her in on the whole story of what had happened. She even called her mom, certain her family would want hear her sounding healthy and much more relaxed than she’d been yesterday.

They’d talked about this weekend’s anniversary party, which Viv had almost forgotten about in all the excitement. She was scheduled to take a train up to Pennsylvania tomorrow afternoon. Although she hadn’t decided for sure, she was considering asking Damien to come with her.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like