Me: Went into town for a little retail therapy, and I realized I had no one who could give me their opinion on this little thing I purchased. Well, no one who’s opinion really mattered. Thoughts?
She attaches a photo, one where Kara is clearly visible in the mirror and anyone would mistake her for a man. The bed alsocomes into view with a few pieces of lingerie scattered along the comforter.
“He’s going to lose his shit. I know nothing about him, other than the tidbit of information you’ve shared with us, but I just get the feeling he's the jealous type. Possessive, protective, positively alpha.”
Well, if that isn’t the perfect description of Damon Drake.
His response is almost immediate, causing Kara and Liza to laugh wholeheartedly. Not me. I’m overcome with nerves, my fingers shaking as I take the phone from Liza’s hands and unlock it, opening the message.
Damon: Where the fuck are you, Wynter?
A shiver runs through me as I picture him whispering that exact thing into my ear. I can hear his voice, dark and gravelly dripping with wickedness. Just as I am about to respond, Kara swipes the phone from my hands.
“Ooh yes just as expected.”
“Give me the phone, I got it from here.”
Me: Answer the question.
Damon: Answer me first.
But before I can type out my response, he messages once more.
Damon: Tell me where the fuck you are, Princess, and I’ll go easy on you.
Me: Fine, I guess I’ll have to get someone else’s opinion. Shouldn’t be hard to.
Three dots appear to show he’s typing but before his reply can come in. I lock my phone and toss it on the bed.
Liza laughs, swinging her arm around my shoulder. “Bold move.”
“Now what?” Kara asks, a little too enthusiastic.
An electric energy flows through me at the image—the excitement of watching him squirm, unable to contain his anger as he stares down at his phone.
“Now I let him sit and think about what I may or may not be doing here, wearing this lingerie, with someone behind me.”
My phone’s been buzzing incessantly, first with text message notifications, before phone calls came pouring in. For the past ten minutes, I’ve been helping the girls clean up and close the studio and set it up for a fairytale themed shoot Kara will do tomorrow. I draped pale pink tulle across the top of the bed frame, and wrapped beautiful greenery along the posts, clipping some fake butterflies and flowers into the vines. The bed now has a sage green comforter and an array of fluffy pink and white pillows.
“If you don’t answer your phone, Wyn. I am going to do it for you. The man is relentless.”
“Tell me about it,” I joke, though I’m not laughing at all. Anxiousness creeps up my spine, wondering if I’ve pushed him too far.
Kara’s phone vibrates loudly on the table, startling us. She walks over and picks it up, staring at the screen with a look of confusion. “It says, unknown.”
Liza turns to me and gasps, her eyes wide as she shakes her head in disbelief. “You don’t think it’s…”
I shake my head, but to be honest, I wouldn’t put anything past him at this point. Damon is relentless when there’s something he wants, and he’s a man with means who frankly can get it without issue.
“Answer it,” I whisper, afraid but also eager to find out if it’s truly him.
“Hello,” Kara whispers nervously into the phone, putting it on speaker. Her blue eyes shoot wide when a voice on the other line speaks. I can’t make out what they’re saying or even tell if it’s a male or female voice, but her expression gives it away.
It’s him. It has to be.
My heart races with a mix of fear and anticipation, but it’s not until I hear his voice, dark and demanding, laced with a hint of humor that I nearly lose consciousness.
“Stay where you are, Princess. I’m on my way.”