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“It’s much nicer than my last place.”
He walked past the large windows in the living room and approached the kitchen, where my unpacked boxes sat on the counter. He looked at the fridge and the appliances before he moved down the hallway and examined the bathroom and my bedroom. “It’s in a better neighborhood too.” He walked back to me and glanced at the folder sitting on the counter, which held my finalized divorced papers. He must have assumed what the contents were because he stared for a long time before he looked at me again. “Need help unpacking these things?”
“It’s just clothes and stuff. I got it.”
He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest, staring at me longer than the average person would. “What about your furniture?”
“I ordered a couple things. They’ll be here in a few weeks.”
His eyes lingered on my cabinets, taking in the features of the apartment even though he probably didn’t care about the details. “How are you?”
I pulled the packing tape off the box so I could get the lid open. “I’m okay. I’ve been better, but you know…whatever.” I was still in so much pain, haunted by what Liam had done behind my back. Emotion caught in my throat, but I swallowed it.
Damien continued to watch me, his eyes sympathetic. “It’ll get easier.”
“I’m broken by what he did, but—”
“You aren’t broken, Annabella.” He placed his hands in his pockets. “You’re bruised…but those bruises will heal. I promise.”
“I don’t know…” I pulled out a few hangers and carried them to the closet in my bedroom. I hung up my stuff and knew he was behind me, following me into the bedroom. “I’m just over it.”
“Over what?” His deep voice reached every corner of that room, filling it with heat and energy.
“Men.” I turned back around and faced him. “I’m just done with it.”
His face remained stoic, but his eyes filled with emotion. “Not all men are like that, Annabella. If you don’t believe me, think about Hades. You think there’s anything Sofia could ever do to break his loyalty? She could sleep with another man, and his response would be to murder the guy…not sleep with another woman. Don’t let Liam’s stupidity ruin the reputation of every other man.”
“But Hades and Sofia are soul mates. The rest of us…are just people.”
“Love is love—regardless of the intensity.”
“Well, I know Liam loved me, but he still stabbed me in the back.” I walked back into the kitchen.
“Not all men are like Liam.” He grabbed me by the arm and forced me to turn around. “I’m not like him, and don’t you fucking dare think I am. I would never do that shit. If I’m committed to a woman, I give it one hundred percent.”
I pulled my arm away. “How do you know? You even said you’ve never been serious with a woman.”
His eyes showed his offense. “I don’t need the experience to know what kind of man I’d be. Once I fell in love with someone, I knew exactly who I was. No matter had bad things get, I don’t sniff around. I’m loyal…just like you.”
Hearing him talk about love made me want to push him away. “Damien, if you think you and I are just going to get together because Liam is gone, you’re wrong. I need time. I need space. I’m not in the right place—”
“That’s fine, Annabella. I can wait.”
“I don’t want you to wait,” I whispered. “I just want to be by myself for a while…”
His eyes filled with pain even though he tried to cover it.
“He hurt me, you hurt me, and then he hurt me again… I need a break.”
He took a deep breath before he whispered his response. “I won’t hurt you again, Annabella.”
“Liam said the same thing.”
His temper flared like a bomb exploded. “I’m not Liam!” His voice suddenly grew loud, his anger a gushing volcano. “And I hurt you to protect you. I hurt you because I’d only known you for a short time. The situation is totally different now.”
“And you don’t want to protect me anymore?”
He took another deep breath. “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet…”
“This was never meant to be, Damien. I wanted you when you didn’t want me. And now you want me, and I don’t want you.”
He shook his head slightly. “I know you don’t mean that. You’re upset, you’re traumatized, and you need space. I got it, alright? I’ll give you as much space as you want. Just don’t lie and pretend you don’t love me—because I know you do.”
I dropped my gaze. “I just don’t want you to expect anything.”
“I don’t,” he said quietly. “I’m a patient man. If all you can offer right now is friendship, that’s fine. I can be a friend.” He dropped his arms and departed from the kitchen. He stopped to look out the windows that overlooked the city, the sunset leaving beautiful splashes of red and pink. He stared for a while before he turned back to me. “You know where to find me.” He focused on me as he waited for a response, hoping I would say something to numb the pain I’d just inflicted. He clearly wanted an embrace, the affection that we used to share, that we used to be addicted to.
