Page 64 of The Pact

“No, you’re not,” he counters. “Use your words. What’s wrong?” I huff at his condescending tone. But it doesn’t stop me from answering. If anything, it encourages me.

“I’ve gotten three cancellations today and my schedule is a bit lighter than I’d like. I’m stressed with this offer we’re going to put on a property and I just paid rent on the studio. I need to work harder to get more clients on the books.”

“Anything I can do to help, princess?”

I turn and give Damian the side eye. “Why do you call me that? Do I act stuck up or something?” Admittedly, I’m lashing out because of the terrible morning I’m having. It doesn’t seem to phase him much, he only smirks. He has a little more stubble than usual today. I’m not sure why I notice that.

Damian sits on the edge of the table, facing me, close but not touching. His arctic eyes sweep over me. “You’re in rare form. And no, I don’t think you’re stuck up.” He stands and circles behind me. I feel him grip the back of my chair. His breath ruffles my hair as he leans down to speak. “Every time I see you… all I can think about is that pretty little crown tattoo on your hip.” My face scrunches. When would he have seen that? Sensing my confusion, he explains. “The day at the pool, princess.”

My face heats at the memory. “It was a stupid teenage mistake. All girls go through a princess phase.” I turn to stare up at him. I let my flat expression tell him I don’t think I’m a royalty or someone on a pedestal. A wavy lock of dark auburn falls over his forehead.

Damian straightens and pushes the hair from his face. “That’s a damn shame. You should be someone’s princess.” The words feel strange. Who talks like this? “For the record, I don’t think it was a stupid mistake. I think it was deliberate. I think you weren’t given enough attention growing up, or maybe your parents didn’t give you the praise you deserved. You were telling the world or yourself that you deserved to be treated better.” My face twists at his evaluation. “It’s the same reason you latched onto someone like Gavin for so long. That’s the kind of love you’re used to. I mean, that’s the only explanation I can come to for you not choosing Sutton, who’s a much better match for you.”

What the fuck? I hate that he’s right, but God damn, did he have to say it out loud? I barely know him. He’s out of line. The best I can do is deny what he’s said—Damian hasn’t earned access to my past or my vulnerability.

“I dated Gavin because he made a move. Sutton had the chance to ask me out for two years and I was tired of waiting. And how do you know anything about Sutton and I?”

Damian sits his hand on my shoulder. It makes me go rigid. “When he came home from college, I could tell he was different, like a piece of himself was missing. He finally told us all about the girl who he couldn’t get out of his head, who made his whole day with her smile and sparkling eyes… the one who’d gotten away.” He squeezes. “The thing is, that feeling was mutual and you could have made a move on him during those two years, yet you didn’t.”

I’m scowling now and my skin is burning hot from anger. Anger at Damian and also at myself. He’s right. If I would have made a move, my life might have been so different. I could have been different.

His hand moves up to the side of my neck, his palm covers it easily. Damian’s fingers splay over the column of my throat. Swallowing hard, my body starts to tremble. I don’t know if it’s the action itself or if it’s because he’s doing it.

Sensing my nervousness and likely the pounding pulse in my neck, his hand slides away reluctantly. “I’ve been watching you both over the last couple of weeks… He’s a good match for you. You two have a connection that very few can understand.”

“I-I…” I don’t know what to say. He isn’t wrong, in fact he’s spot fucking on. About all of it. Not getting enough praise. The tattoo. Sutton.

He extends me a courtesy. “Would you like me to stop calling you princess?”

I cast my eyes down as my cheeks bloom red. “No,” I admit honestly. The pet name shocked me at first, but now… I’ve come to tolerate it. Maybe more than tolerate. It makes me feel special, like I’m someone important. It’s so pathetic, needing attention this badly, especially when it comes from Damian.

I expect him to walk away, satisfied that he’s won. Instead, his arm wraps around me from behind. My eyes travel over the tattoos on his arm—skulls stacked on top of one another, filled in by black ink. I have the strange thought that it looks like a mass grave. It makes me shudder.

Once again, he rests his hand over my throat—not so lightly this time.

He tilts my chin up so his cheek meets mine. My lips part in response. We’ve never touched like this before. It feels too intimate. Still, I can’t pull away.

His voice is low and husky when he whispers, “Good girl” against my cheek. Damian squeezes my throat, sending a rush of heat between my legs. Fuck me. Do I have a praise kink?

I can’t think beyond the smell of citrus and sea breeze that’s coming from him or the feel of his body so close to mine. I don’t want to be turned on by him, yet I can’t help it. There’s something about the way he carries himself that intrigues me.

Damian doesn’t show that he notices what his words do to me, instead he straightens and starts walking away.

“Let me know if you need anything, princess. I’m always here.”

23

THEA

I’ve been laying by the pool all afternoon, letting the sun work out my frustrations. Cole said they don’t celebrate the holiday, although he mentioned the view of the fireworks from their patio is breathtaking. A quiet night in it is.

Through closed lids, I feel the sunlight being blocked. It’s supposed to be a clear day.

Opening my eyes, I see Wesley, Sutton, Damian, and Cole standing over the lounger. “Is this an intervention?” I ask, holding up the margarita pitcher I’ve been working through.

“Yes. Yes, it is,” Sutton admits. “We’re not letting you sulk all day. Get up, we’re going out tonight.”

I shade my eyes with my hand. “And where exactly might we be going?” Nearly the whole town and every neighboring town will be celebrating, leaving little to do aside from going to see fireworks, which we can do right from here.

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