Page 58 of Enchant Me

“Because I didn’t know you existed before Saturday as anything other than a racecar driver. I know you don’t believe that, but it’s the truth. And I think there are things we should talk about.”

For a moment, Ashton remained perfectly still, his face an unreadable mask. Then he pulled the door open, allowing Damien to enter the suite.

“Got anything to drink?” Damien asked, and Ashton actually chuckled.

“So we’re going to have that kind of conversation?”

“I figured a drink might do us both good,” Damien admitted.

“Bourbon?” Ashton asked.

“Perfect.” Damien crossed to the sitting area and took a seat on the sofa. As Ashton poured the drinks, Damien looked at him. “Who told you I didn’t want you?”

“My mother.”

“You mean Richter’s half-sister.”

“So? She adopted me. She loved me and raised me. I get that you may not have her on your favorite person list. After all, you killed my grandfather, her brother. Probably aren’t warm fuzzy feelings between you and the Richter family.”

He brought the drinks over, and put one in front of Damien before taking a seat in the chair facing the sofa.

“I know you won’t believe me, but I didn’t kill him. He fell off the roof. But I do take responsibility for not saving him. I think I could have. I didn’t even try.” He lifted his eyes and looked at Ashton. “I don’t regret that. The man was vile.”

Ashton’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t ask what Damien meant. It didn’t matter. Damien was certain that Ashton had heard all about the abuse.

“So who else knows that I’m your father?”

Ashton lifted a shoulder. “As far as I know, no one. Well, no one before yesterday. Now I guess the whole world knows. News about Damien Stark does tend to spread.”

“Why no one? Why was it kept a secret?”

Ashton sipped his drink and seemed to genuinely consider the question. “Honestly, I don’t know. It just was. I think my mother may have been scared of you, after what you did to her brother. Maybe she was afraid you’d find me and take me away.”

“In the beginning, that was hardly going to happen. I was a child, too.”

“But you’re not a child now, are you?”

“We both got the raw end of the deal, Ashton,” Damien said. “And your grandfather was the reason for it.”

Ashton studied him, but didn’t say anything. Damien waited for a moment, then finally said, “After so many years of not seeking me out, what finally made you do it?”

“I thought we’d been over that. It wasn’t the damn trust. I didn’t even know about that. And I don’t want any part of it. I’ll sign whatever papers you want. That’s why you’re here, right? To make sure I don’t get any of your precious money?”

“No. It’s yours if you want it. You’re entitled. I’m not disputing paternity. I’ve seen the evidence on paper, and I see it in your face, too. There’s no question that you’re my son.”

Ashton had a decent poker face, but Damien was certain he’d surprised the man.

“I believe you that it’s not about the trust,” Damien continued. “But if that’s not why you suddenly popped into my life, then why did you?”

“Maybe I finally have a way to get back at you. Maybe I’ve spent my life hating you, Stark, and maybe now I have the power to do something about that.” He smiled, then shrugged. “Or maybe I just wanted to get to know Daddy.”

Those words—said by a man who was his son—twisted in Damien more than they should have. He didn’t even know this guy. He didn’t know how he was raised or what kind of demons were taunting him.

Ashton Stone was a mystery, and letting him into the family could be dangerous. Dangerous in ways that were different from the way Jeremiah Stark and Elizabeth Fairchild had fucked with them over the years.

But at the same time, this man was his son. Perhaps nothing would ever come of that. Perhaps they’d never have any sort of relationship, much less a good one. But until he knew for certain, Damien had to try.

“You may be right,” Damien said slowly. “You may have a product that will truly take off. The cornerstone of your own growing empire. Maybe one day, you’ll dwarf Stark International. You have a good product with impressive potential. You know I believe that. And I haven’t made a secret about the fact that I’d like to be part of that. But I understand why you don’t want to let me in.”