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Damon’s sharp command echoes around the room. The dog immediately obeys. It scuttles out of the room.
It’s another example of how Damon is a very commanding man, and another example of how everyone follows his orders.
With his dog out of his office, Damon gestures at the chair opposite his desk.
“Sit,” he commands to me.
“You may talk to your dog like that,” I reply with a flick of my blonde hair. “But not with me. I’m not going to be ordered around like an animal. Give me the respect that I will give you.”
“Pleasesit, Ava.”
“That’s better, Damon.”
The man takes his place in his chair behind the desk. His eyes don’t stray from me.
I stare back at him.
He’s taking me in, I can tell. Scanning me. Trying tofigure me out. It’s very intimidating, but kinda also turns me on. The way this man’s entire focus is on me. It’s like he’sdecipheringmy soul.
“I know your roommate is sleeping with my brother,” the man says eventually.
“Olivia?”
“You know about it?” he asks.
“Of course,” I blurt out. “I sort of...walked inon them.”
“What?”
“Yeah. It was not a great sight,” I reply. “And I wasn’t expecting it. Very nearly had a heart attack.”
“Tough way for you to find out,” Damon replies.
“Yeah, it wasn’t pretty,” I say.
A slight sparkle crosses Damon’s eyes. “I had to wrangle that information out of my brother. We don’t get involved in each other’s lives.”
I scoff. “I warned Olivia about you Penmaynes.”
“Oh, really?”
“But she clearly didn’t follow my advice. Olivia is new to Crystal River, but everyone here knows you brothers’ shared reputation.Iknow your shared reputation.”
“Pray tell, what kind of reputation is that, Ava?” he asks.
“You know what I’m talking about, Damon.”
The man finally smiles. He likes this back-and-forth between us. He’s a man who likes conflict.
Well, if he’s after conflict he’s certainly called the right woman to come to his office in the dead of night.
“People like to judge us on our reputation, Ava, and not on who we actually are.”
“I want you to know, Damon Penmayne, that I am going against all my natural instincts to come here today,” I reply slowly. “To speak to you. I am going against every freaking fiber in my body simply being in this room with you.”
Damon leans back in his chair, clearly enjoying this.
“What are you here for then, Ava? Must be pretty important.”
