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As expected, the men in her family wanted to travel to Virginia, bail Bruno Neeley out of jail and kick his ass straight to the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately, she’d convinced them that justice would be served, and that Damien had punished him quite thoroughly.
Damien. Oh, his name had brought up even more questions. Her brothers were persistent. But her mom got them to shut up and leave Viv alone about him, as if realizing that the real cause of her sadness and melancholy was him, and not the attack.
“Hey, are you guys almost finished in here? People will be showing up soon,” a voice said.
She looked down from the ladder, where she’d been hanging the last of the streamers, and smiled at her brother Joe, who had just walked in carrying another bunch of balloons.
Andy, who’d been working on setting up the computer equipment for the slideshow, stood up and walked over. “Yeah, I’m done. Viv?”
“Finished here,” she said, starting to climb down.
Another brother, Neil, appeared from around the corner and grabbed her around the waist, swooping her down. Viv forced a laugh, hoping he hadn’t noticed the way she’d stiffened. It would be a long while before she wouldn’t react with a quick flash of fear when somebody grabbed her unexpectedly.
“Everything’s great, V,” Neil said, dropping an arm across her shoulders.
She stared around the banquet room with an assessing eye, agreeing with him. The place was no Black Star—the lodge was decorated more along the lines of hunting-cabin chic than international high fashion. Still, the room was prettily decorated with yellow-and-white streamers and balloons, and tons of fresh mums. A blown-up print of her parents’ wedding portrait decorated the gift table, and the cake was an exquisite creation hand-delivered by her cousin, who owned a bakery.
“Guess we’d better put this stuff away and get ready,” Joe said, taking the nearly empty streamer spool from her hand. He squeezed her fingers. “It’s awesome to have you back, Viv.”
She leaned up and kissed his cheek, hearing all the things he wasn’t saying. Her brothers might have reacted with storm and bluster, but deep down, they were all worried about her. She knew they wanted nothing more than her happiness.
She hoped someday she’d be able to accommodate them. Happiness seemed a distant commodity right now. Maybe eventually things would get better. Maybe she’d stumble across a news story about Damien’s business surging back, his team winning the championship. Perhaps he’d walk through a door as she was coming out, and they’d bump into each other, and start all over again. Fresh this time, no scandals, no stalkers, no risks.
It was worth dreaming about, anyway.
“Hey, Viv, you might want to get out here.”
As her brother Aidan stuck his head into the ballroom, she replied, “Why?”
A strange grin appeared on his face. “You have a visitor.”
Evan joined him, winking at her other brothers, who’d formed a semicircle behind her. “Yep. He’s definitely here for you.”
“Who is it?”
Aidan and Evan exchanged a glance, and then Evan said, “Uh, his name is D—”
“Damien?” she whispered, her heart thudding.
Aidan shook his head, and her spirits fell, her silly hopes dashed. “No, that wasn’t it. I’m pretty sure it’s Danny.”
He still wore that goofy grin, and Viv frowned at him. “I’m not familiar with anybody named Danny.”
“You know this guy. Or at least, he knows you.” He walked over, grabbed her hand and dragged her with him.
“What is going on?” she demanded.
Ignoring her, Aidan continued to pull her forward until they reached the hotel lobby. Stopping, he put his hands on her shoulders and directed her toward the check-in desk.
A man stood there, facing away from her, talking to the clerk, who was smiling at him and batting her eyes.
Viv’s heart skipped a beat. Despite the strange clothes—dark, crisp jeans rolled up at the ankle and a white undershirt with what seemed to be a pack of cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve—she recognized that tall form. The thick, dark hair was slicked back, and he had a black leather jacket slung over his shoulder, but oh, God, did that look like...
“Damien?” she whispered.
He must have heard that tiny sound. He turned around slowly. Their stares met and locked.
It was really him. He’d come for her.
He’d put her ahead of his family, his team, his business. His presence here proved that, despite everything he’d said from the day they’d met, Damien Black was definitely good at the relationship thing.
Maybe even the love thing.
Oh, God, did she hope that was so.
