Page 64 of That Emerald Vow

He nods once as he handcuffs him and drags Demetri kicking and screaming.

“Stop! Do you know who the fuck I am? I’ll pay you. Just let me go.”

“Not a chance, asshole. I could tear you to pieces for what you did to my little gem. But that’s going to be her job.”

“I have a surprise for you,” Damon sing-songs as we leave Adrian’s home after another dinner. It’s been a few days, and we’ve been keeping our eye on Lily and supporting her as best as we can, including lots of time there with both of them.

Clapping my hands, I squeal, “Oh! I love surprises. What is it?”

“Do you also happen to like blindfolds? ‘Cause you’ll have to wear one for this.” He gives me a mischievous grin as he pulls out a silky black one from his back pocket.

“Damon! Were you just waiting all night with that in your pocket?” I smirk at him before adding, “You kinky man. Well, it just so happens I’m into all kinds of restraints and fun times.” I grab the blindfold from him seductively.

“What if I was?” he says, pulling me closer with the blindfold. “I bet if I checked right now, you’re already getting wet for me. Isn’t that right, little gem?”

I clench my thighs together. “Nope,” I say, popping the “p.” But we both know I’m a lying sack of shit.

Damon smirks at me as pulls me closer, and his fingers graze my bare legs, traveling upwards to the opening in my minidress. “Mm-hmm. I can feel the heat radiating off of you and I haven’t even reached your entrance yet.”

He pulls his hand away, making me instantly pout. “Hey!”

“Don’t worry, little gem. My surprise is gonna make you even wetter for me,” he assures me as he leans in and bites my earlobe. I shudder at his closeness and the anticipation for the surprise. “I promise.” I don’t think anything is going to make me feel as good as he does, but I’m excited to find out what he has in store for me.

My arms are covered in goosebumps as I just nod—words escaping me. We get into his truck, and he puts the blindfold on me, making me promise not to look.

We get there in what feels like thirty minutes, but I can’t be sure. “Are we on the outskirts of town?”

He laughs. “Good eye, babe.”

“I can’t see, silly,” I tease.

“Duh, I mean good catch,” Damon says.

“Lily and I try to hone all of our senses. ‘Cause you never know . . .” My voice hitches. “Walter got lucky with her. Drugging her disoriented her long enough that she couldn’t really tell where she was.”

I feel his hand touch mine in a squeeze before he shuts the engine. “Nothing like that will ever happen again. Not to her or you.”

“Damn right,” I say, with confidence. “Unless you’re planning to chop me up into pieces now and make me forever yours.”

“Charlotte Thatcher, you are already forever mine,” he says. People talk about butterflies in their stomach when they hear something romantic, but Damon makes a whole stampede of animals march within me.“There is one thing I’d like for you to do though before we embark on that forever.”

“You say the sweetest things to me. I’m so fucking lucky. Now kiss me before you give me whatever this one thing is. I will admit that all I need isyouto make me happy . . .” I snort before adding. “And Lily, who’d kill me if I didn’t include her too. You know, since she’s my soulmate andall.”

I feel him lean over the middle console to get closer to me. He gives me a slow, gentle kiss before saying, “I would never dare get in the way of you and your soulmate.” He laughs. “As long as both of you know who’s planning to rock your world ten ways to Sunday every night while making all your dreams come true with love and laughter during the day.”Did he just say love?

“That’s a tall order, sir. I am a handful,” I say, trying to maintain my sass, but I’m breathless.

“Yeah, you are,” he flirts. “But I will spend every day making you feel like the precious gemstone I nicknamed you after.”

“In chaos we reign,” I say.

“In chaos we reign! Now come on. Your surprise has been waiting for you.”

He helps me out of the car, and I try to take in my surroundings with my other senses. The air is crisp with no noise pollution. With us being on the outskirts of town, my guess would be an abandoned building.

As the ground changes from gravel to solid concrete, I know my assessment is probably correct. We go pretty deep into the building before I hear that there’s someone else with us. There are muffled moans of someone trying to scream the closer we get to them.

A sinister smile grazes my lips as I ask with so much giddy enthusiasm, “Did you get me a toy to play with?” I turn my head in the direction of where he’s standing.

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