AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ididn’t deny his assessment.Lyingto him felt like lying to myself.Thefirst few years after my mom remarried were particularly difficult.Ididn’t want to bear witness to their happiness, and the furtive glances she exchanged withZanemade me feel she was slipping further away from me.Spendingthe holidays with them was the last thingIwanted to do.Otherthan this recent winter break,Imanaged to steer clear of them by participating in various out-of-state internships.
Damon'seyes revealed a deep understanding. “I’mangry at those other people, not you,” he clarified, his voice dropping for a gentler one. “AndI’mangry at myself.WishIcould’ve been there for you.Orat least been there to stop them from taking advantage of you.”
Istilled atDamon’sinsinuation. “Whatdo you mean?”
“Itshould have never happened,” he lamented, his voice heavy with regret. “Youwere only fifteen.”
“Youattended boarding school.Areyou really telling me the first time you had sex was at eighteen?”
“Peoplein boarding school were my age.Everyoneat college is a lot older than you,” he countered, his frustration seeping through. “Theyshould’ve known better.Theygot away with it on a technicality because you were also in college.Theythought you were on equal footing when it couldn’t have been further from the truth.”
Istruggled withDamon'ssentiment. “Everythingwas consensual,”Iinsisted.
“Youcan’t give consent at fifteen.”
Hisconviction clouded my mind. “That’swhy you hateEli—”Icut myself off upon catchingDamon’sicy glare. “That’swhy you hate theRAfromCornell?”Irestated, though the irony wasn’t lost on me.
DamonbelievedElijahpreyed on me.However, hadn’tDamondone worse by drugging me, marrying me, and trying to knock me up?
Asalways,Damonseemed to pluck my thoughts from the air. “Don’tcompare what we have with him.It’sdifferent.You’remy wife, and we’ll be together forever.It’snot just about sex between us.”
Ididn’t know what to say or how to feel.Damonclaimed he did all this to be with me, not to hurt me.Hewas justifying erratic behaviors while simultaneously beating up others for lesser crimes. “Thatmakes it okay?”
“You’rean adult, and we’re evenly matched.Whereaswhen you lost your virginity, you were a kid who suffered some great losses.Peoplepreyed on your vulnerabilities because you’re so damn beautiful.Itwas the only way they could have you because you were out of their leagues, and they knew it, too.”
“That’scrazy.”
“Youthink so?”Damonchallenged, his voice laced with conviction. “Roseis twenty-one, the same ageDankworthwas back then.Howwould you feel ifRosehad sex with a fifteen-year-old?”
Disgustrippled through me instinctively. “She’dnever do that.Gross.”
“Exactly,”Damonaffirmed triumphantly.
Iwas stumped to find outIwholeheartedly agreed withDamon.Untilnow,Inever considered whatElijahdid was wrong.Hewas perfectly nice and asked me for permission.Hedid the respectable thing by offering to stay the night and buy me breakfast the following morning.Iturned him down when he asked me out.
Onsome level,IguessIknew it wasn’t cool for a twenty-one-year-old to pursue a fifteen-year-old.Ifthe roles were reversed,I’dnever partake.Theidea of hooking up with a fifteen-year-old repulsed me.Despitemy ambiguous moral foundations, it wasn’t a thresholdI’dcross.Itwas the same reasonIrespectedSophiefor approaching me afterIturned eighteen.Thethought brought forth another lurking suspicionI’dbeen grappling with.
“Didyou know about the threesome before going to the party?”
Damonshook his head. “Sophiefigured outIhad feelings for you and decided to create drama by springing the threesome on me.”
“Howdid she find out?”
“AfterIoverheardSophiesniffing around about you,Iasked her to stay the hell away.”Theedge inDamon’svoice returned.Thistime, it was pure jealousy. “Itonly piqued her interest, and she approached you anyway.”
“Thenwhy did you come to my room?”
“Itold you.Irecently found out what you did on your mother’s anniversary.Iwent to that party to stop you from sleeping with someone else and memorized the layout of the house.WhenSophietexted me at the party to meet up, she sent the directions to your room.Irealized she had gone back on her word and propositioned you.So,Iwrecked her car.”
Itshould’ve freaked me out, but for some reason, laughter tumbled out of my mouth instead.Itturned outDamonwas the kind of crazyIhad been searching for all my life.
ChapterThirty-Five
DAMON
Poppywasslick by the timeIsettled between her thighs, my unbuckled belt skimming her bare legs.Ihad vowed to make her crave me, exceptIwas the one who couldn’t go a few hours without her.Myinsides were exploding from the frustration of withholding sex whileIlet our bodies recover.Shecouldn’t even walk last night, and my dick was beyond chafed.
Poppysuggested we keep ourselves occupied with a movie marathon,TwelveGruesomeMurders,followed byThirteenGruesomeMurders.Although, in her opinion, the sequel was too mainstream.
