Page 40 of Twisted Fate

“There’s coffee if you want some,” I say, feeling awkward. He has to have seen the expectation and joy on my face. And he has to have seen the disappointment. I feel a hot flush stain my cheeks and look down so my hair falls forward. The curse of pale skin. My blush gives my thoughts away.

Problem is, I can’t untangle the hot mess of my emotions. I should hate Damian. But I don’t. I should hate the men he’s left to guard me. But I don’t. I should hate everything about my current situation. But I don’t.

I definitely need a therapist.

Luca fixes himself a coffee—one sugar, no cream—and settles at the kitchen island on the farthest stool. “You gonna open that?” He gestures at the box.

“Is it for me?” I ask.

He shrugs. “It isn’t for me.”

I open the box. It’s an AlphaSmart Neo 2.

“What’s this?” I ask.

“Looks like it’s an AlphaSmart Neo 2,” Luca says.

I shoot him a look and find his hazel eyes watching me with amusement.

Luca pulls out his phone, types something, looks at me and says, “It’s a portable word processor.” He looks at his phone for another minute. “Not sure where Damian found this thing. Says here that they don’t make them anymore but writers snap them up second hand.”

Writers snap them up.

“But don’t worry, it doesn’t have internet access,” he says with that smug look that I’ve never seen anyone pull off quite as well as he does. “Apparently, no internet access means no distractions. At least, that’s what the reviews say.”

No internet because Damian doesn’t want me to have access to the outside world. Not unless I’m chaperoned and supervised.

“What’s in the bag?” Luca asks.

I pull out a half dozen lined pads and a bunch of pens in different colors. And two books: Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain and Writing Fiction for Dummies. I decide not to take that as an insult.

“Damian dropped all of that off early this morning,” Luca says.

My head jerks up and my pulse kicks up a notch. “Damian was here?”

Luca nods.

He was here early this morning and he didn’t wake me. He was here and he didn’t stay long enough to see me. He was here and he left me all of these wonderful things.

I’m quiet for a moment, digesting the fact that even angry with me, Damian has just bought me the best gift I’ve ever received.

I told him I like to write, so he bought me a word processor. And pens and pads and books.

Is it a gesture of apology or forgiveness? I have no way to know unless he actually shows up here to talk to me.

And what is wrong with me that I want him to?

Luca’s phone buzzes. He answers and his gaze flicks to mine, then he wordlessly holds the phone out to me. I take it from his hand and bring it to my ear.

“Hello?” I say, my pulse kicking up a notch.

“I’ll be there at eight tonight,” Damian says, his voice a little rough. “I want to fuck you. If your answer is yes, be naked and waiting in your bed. If your answer is no, don’t be there. Have Luca take you out for a walk.”

He hangs up before I can say anything.

But we both already know what my answer will be.

16

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