AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Damon:Parisis handled.Didn’twant to wake either of you.Night.
Heattached a selfie withNeiland me sleeping peacefully on the bed.
Iwas a person of habit.Everymorning,Iwoke up at five o’clock to run, followed by an hour-long meditation, email correspondences, and stock portfolio review.Everynight,Iread before bed and fell asleep precisely at midnight.Lastnight was the first timeImade an exception to my sleep schedule.
DamonMaxwellpossessed incriminating information about me.Hecould ruin everythingIworked toward and turn my future into ashes if he so pleased.Thelooming threat should’ve been tearing me apart, but it wasn’t what kept me up past my bedtime.
Iplanned on handlingPariswithout involvingDamon, but he didn’t leave room for an argument.Thelast thingIwanted was to involveDamon.Hewas the face of a humanitarian campaign and would lose credibility for engaging in aggression due to a momentary lapse in judgment.Theunprecedented rage behindDamon’seyes had me fighting off sleep.Ilost the battle.
AfterNeil’sparents picked him up,Iwent for my daily run, showered, and threw on shorts and a tank.Anhour of meditation failed to center my mind.HowdidDamonresolve the matter?Hisinspirational words on peace wouldn’t have subduedParis.
Iwaited until eight in the morning, deemed the earliest time appropriate to call someone, before dialingDamon’snumber.Ordid others regard it as okay to call after nine o’clock?
Ididn’t have the chance to change my mind.Damonpicked up before the end of the first ring, sounding as surprised asIfelt for making the call. “Poppy?”
“Yes.Hello.”Isounded unnatural.Phonecalls were a normal societal means of communication, exceptIrarely partook in them.Oncemore,Ididn’t recognize myself whereDamonwas concerned.
“Hi.I’mglad you called.”Hisrough voice sounded huskier over the phone, the gravelly tone leaving a peculiar electricity in its wake. “Ihated leaving last night without saying bye, butIdidn’t want to wake you.”
Ofcourse, he didn’t.Damondidn’t admonish me for kidnappingParis.Instead, he was concerned about my sleep health.
Icleared my throat. “Whathappened withParis?”
Damon’seasy mood disappeared. “Hewon’t be a problem again.”
Myskepticism questioned the easy win. “Parisagreed not to call the police just like that?”
“Hehas no choice.Otherwise, he’ll be charged with harassment.”
“Harassment?”
“Hecame to your place unannounced, didn’t leave when you asked, and made a move after you asked him to stop.”Damonspoke with an edge to his tone, barely keeping out the bite.
“Heis not even filing a report for assault and battery?”Ihesitated, disbelievingPariscould be easily persuaded.
“No.”Thecalm inDamon’svoice was reassuring. “Whywould he?”
“BecauseIpunched him.”
“Evenif you shot him, he’d be the one at fault.”Adark undertone was woven into the words as if wishingIhad done just that.I’dchalk it up to my imagination, exceptI’dnever been accused of having one. “Parisknows he’s at fault, so keeping quiet is in his best interest.”
Itwas remarkable, indeed, how a little perspective could turn a situation around.Icounted on a scandal for taking a prisoner.Perhapssome jail time as well.Tonot face any consequences sounded too good to be true.Whatwas more astonishing was that rather than being scared off by glimpses of my evil,Damonsounded like the same golden boy and helped hide my mistakes without batting an eye.
“Mysecurity team will keepParisunder surveillance to be safe.”Thetimbre in his voice embraced my insides for a warm hug. “Ifhe changes his mind and spreads gossip or contacts the police, they’ll take out a restraining order on your behalf.It’llinvalidate any defense about him being the victim.”
“Youcovered up my crimes,”Ispoke satirically.Hecouldn’t be more perfect if he tried.
“Yes, but don’t let your grandmother set you up again,” he warned. “I’llrun out of security keeping you out of jail.”
Iglanced at the mirror.Abarely-there smile was planted on my face.Ihad never known this face with genuine smiles, only sarcastic smirks.Itlooked odd, as if a stranger were staring back.Noone had been so nonjudgmental about my personality before, not evenRose.PerhapsDamonhad a valid point with his suggestion.
Ifthis is worth fighting for, we can helpRosecome to terms with it.
Ishook my head.No.Rosewouldn’t go for it, especially after reacting so poorly to seeing us together.ChoosingDamonmeant losing everythingIhad worked toward, including my relationship withRoseand my family.
Plus,Damonwas unequivocally perfect.Howlong until the faultless man figured out how far removedIwas from perfection?Itwas one thing to be aware of my issues, but another to live the experience.Likeeveryone else, he’d tire of my inability to reciprocate his feelings and display compassion.Eventually, he’d abandon the pursuit after uncovering my personality's unsavory bits.Allthe sacrificesI’dmake would be for nothing.
Iput the phone on speaker, setting it on the obsidian-colored comforter while rummaging through my closet.Noddingoccasionally asDamonspoke,Iabsentmindedly grabbed an outfitRosehad gifted me for my eighteenth birthday.Itnever crossed my mind to wear it since the dress seemed too bright.Unthinking,Islid it over my head.Myfingertips hovered over the collar of the black dress with large white prints.Thecuffs of the sleeves were also white with clear buttons.Lookingin the mirror,Irealized it was the most illuminated version of myselfIhad seen in years.IthoughtI'dhate it more, but the aversion was lukewarm at best.Themiracles kept coming.
