Page 108 of King

“Don't you dare go in there. I want to be the one to make you wet.” Damien’s voice calls from behind me. I’m too in awe to say anything, the moonlight making the water glisten. When I don’t answer, he’s too impatient to wait. “I’ll be inside.”

When his footsteps grow distant I take another moment, grateful for where I am now, versus when I first got to Eden. Crisp air fills my lungs before I hear another call from inside, “Jo? You know how I get when I'm left waiting.”

My heart patters, a fire in my core knowing what’s inside of that house.

Damien King. All for my own.

“Damien! Damien get down here!”

My eyes spring open. Damien stirs next to me and a feeling of warmth comes over me when I realize I’m still in his arms.

Last night was amazing. I felt like Damien and I were in our own little world. I want to hold onto this feeling as long as I can since I'll be back in classes in no time. Not that that's ever stopped us. I'd be lying if I said the thought of romping around campus with Damien doesn't excite me.

Damien and I aren’t perfect and I don’t even know what this is, but it feels too good to care.

“Damien!” A booming voice bellows down the hall, startling me again and now I’m sure I’m not dreaming.

Damien sits up like a vampire rising from the dead. He looks at me, grabbing for his pants on the side of the bed, our clothes scattered around the room. “Stay here.”

“Who the fuck is that?” I ask pulling the sheets up to my shoulders.

SMASH!

“Damien King!”

That’s when I recognize the voice. “Is that your dad? I thought you said no one would be here.”

“Stay. Here.” Pants on, Damien sweeps his hand through his hair before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

I hear another smash and some yelling. It’s nothing I’m not used to but the way their voices carry through the hall, it sounds like two greek gods sparring off.

Damien shouts but I can’t make out the words. So I get closer to the door before I hear another smash. After a few seconds, I don’t hear Damien’s voice anymore but Sebastien King is giving it.

Cracking the door, I hear Damien coughing. His voice is weak, croaky and it worries me. I saw the way Sebastien King treats him in the halls of ERA. Was he doing the same thing now?

I duck back inside the room and rummage through a dresser drawer until I find a t-shirt. It’s a King Financial t-shirt but I don't care, I need to know what’s going on.

“She’s up there isn’t she?” Sebastien’s voice gets closer as I tiptoe to the stairs.

“She's not here.” Damien's trying to use that same threatening voice he uses with me. But this one’s more desperate. “And stay the fuck away from—” I hear another smash, a grunt from Damien and I'm quick to move to where I hear the sounds coming from.

My bare feet patter against the cold tiled floors, my chest tightening. When I come out of the hallway, I see blood.

Sebastien stands in the foyer, a trail of blood on the white floor. It leads to Damien, curled up, back against the door. His dad looks over him, light from the foyer window shining in on them, highlighting broken porcelain.

A gasp leaves my throat, taking in the scene. Pieces of a shattered vase lay scattered near his head, red roses sprinkled around the space.

Sebastien turns to me before he yells. "You liar!" He swings his leg back before the tip of his shoe slams into Damien's face.

Damien curls further into a ball like he’s protecting himself from a bear. His dad doesn’t let up, he keeps going at it, blood flying from Damien's mouth.

“Stop!” I yell, but Sebastien ignores me, getting on top of Damien instead.

“What is she doing here?” Sebastien growls, his fists pounding into his son.

Damien’s body goes limp and I scream again, "Get off him!"

When he doesn't move I run into the kitchen and open the first drawer. I'm hoping for a rolling pin or a wooden spoon. Something to hit Sebastien with to get him off Damien. I'm raging. Scared.

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