“You’re fired. Get the hell out of my house.”
Nick’s usual calm demeanor shifted and I saw a wave of panic wash across his face. “You can’t fire me. We have a contract.”
“Not anymore. The minute you decided to make decisions as to how I should proceed in my personal affairs without my approval, our contract was void. Your job was to handle my professional affairs, not my personal life. Where you go from here is up to you, Nick, but I suggest you leave my name out of your mouth from now on. I realize now that I don’t care if I lose every role from here on out, but I know you don’t want to risk losing everything you’ve worked for just to get back at me for firing you.”
I had him. I knew I had him. There was no way he was going to risk me tarnishing his reputation when he could easily land any up-and-coming actor to take my place on his roster. He stood up and buttoned his suit jacket.
“I think we’re done here. Damien. Ava.” He nodded at both of us and walked out without even a glance back in our direction.
I sighed as I picked up and crumbled the contract in my hands and threw it into the fireplace. I looked back over at Ava still sitting on the sofa, anxiously pressing her perfectly manicured fingernails into the palms of her hands.
“Damien, I’m sorry about all of this. I really thought it was for the best. I thought that giving you a glimpse of the future we could have together would finally make you see the potential in all of this.” In all of her diva glory, Ava was still trying to make a case for herself.
“Ava, you cannot possibly think that lying to me about having a baby is in any way a normal way to continue a relationship,” I reasoned.
“It was only supposed to be for a little while. Nick told me that I would only have to pretend long enough to get you back and get the media’s attention.”
I didn’t know whether to be mad at Ava or feel sorry for her. After everything that had happened, she still didn’t get it. She still didn’t understand what she and Nick had done, or were planning on doing, was morally bankrupt.
“Ava, it would have never worked between us. We are two very different people. I’m sorry that you cannot see that, but it’s the truth. And rather than try to fight through it for the sake of public attention, wouldn’t it be better for you to find someone that doesn’t drive you crazy like I do? Someone that cares about you and you about them, and maybe even someone that enjoys being in the limelight as much as you do?”
Ava sighed, as if only now realizing the lost cause that was her attempt at making this work. Nick had left her to fend for herself in the rollout of his master plan and I don’t think that she was equipped to handle it on her own. She probably never would have said or done anything like this without proper encouragement. “You never did like the attention,” she admitted. “I guess you’re right. I really wanted us to work out though,” she smiled meekly. “Maybe we can be friends?”
Maybe she meant it, maybe she didn’t, but I wasn’t in the mood to decipher anything else that came out of her mouth. “Sure, Ava. Maybe not right away,” I laughed, “but eventually.”
She smiled, walked over to me, and gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I hope so. Bye, Damien.”
She grabbed her purse and quietly walked out of the house. Once the door closed, I sat down and ran my hands through my hair. What the hell had just happened? Had I really come that close to losing control of my life?
I called out for Bentley. This house had ears and they usually belonged to him. There was no way he would miss Nick and Ava’s admission of guilt and I was happy he had felt inclined to follow their every move when they were in my house without me. He never trusted them and now I knew he had been right all along.
“Hey, is everything okay?” he asked casually as he strolled into the room.
“Yeah, everything's fine now. I know you were listening so you can drop the innocent routine.”
His face practically unfolded in emotion. “I told you not to trust them, didn’t I? What assholes! I told you Ava was no good. I have to admit, Nick was always a prissy jerk, but I didn’t think he would try to manipulate you in such a dirty way. Convince you, yes, but not trick you.” Bentley was rambling on and on.
I waved my hands in dismissal. “Nevermind them, Bentley. How fast can you get me on a plane to Miami?”
“Yes!” He instantly understood what I wanted to do and his scowl turned into an ear-to-ear grin. “Start packing and I’ll see what I can do.”
CHAPTER 30
MADELYN
I was wrapping up my day at the office - answering emails and getting all the change orders for the MacMahon project sent off before I left for the evening. I took a quick peek at my phone before putting it in my purse, and noticed that Damien hadn’t attempted to contact me at all today. I couldn’t help feeling somewhat disappointed, but then again, I was at fault for not returning any of his calls or texts. As much as it pained me to imagine, perhaps he had finally accepted his new role as a soon-to-be dad and was finding happiness with Ava once again. My heart wrenched at the thought. I was instantly seized with an aching emptiness when I pictured Damien in my mind.
Eager to get home and wallow in my own self-pity, I logged off the computer and walked out of the now empty office. Everyone had already said their goodbyes earlier and I was left with the task of closing up the office yet again. As I walked into the parking lot, I noticed a tall male figure leaning against my car, and stopped in my tracks. In my head I did the whole fight or flight scenario, while my body was froze, refusing to react. My heart was hammering as I tried to ascertain whether or not this person was a potential threat, and if I should go back inside for help.
Then, he waved at me. As my feelings of perceived danger lessened, I decided to take a few tentative steps in his direction… then my hands flew to cover the gasp escaping my mouth. It was him… Damien was here, leaning casually against my silver Camry as though it was the most natural thing in the world. I tried to stifle the oncoming hyperventilation. My feet must have moved of their own accord, because somehow I was now standing right in front of his beautiful form.
“Hi,” he said softly, his eyes searching mine.
“How did you get here? What are you doing here?” I asked, shaking my head back and forth in disbelief. I realized my hands were still covering my mouth and quickly dropped them, wrapping my arms tightly across my chest.
“Well, I’ve been trying to call you for the last four days, but you’ve been ignoring me. I finally decided that maybe it would be best to show up in person. This way, you can’t avoid what I have to say,” he explained, arching his eyebrow at me.
“Damien, I’m sorry. I never wanted to avoid you, I just thought, considering the circumstances… actually, I had resolved to call you tonight or tomorrow, but…” Suddenly he pulled my toward him, crushing me to his chest in a tight embrace. I rested my cheek against his chest and smiled, thrilled to be in his arms once again.
“You don’t need to explain. I’m here to do the explaining,” he said as he pulled my head away from his chest and looked into hy eyes. “It was all a lie… everything that happened, was a lie. Ava faked the pregnancy to try to get us get back together because it would be good for our image. And worst of all, it was my agent Nick’s idea. He secretly conspired with Ava and the two of them hatched this plan to have me sign a contract which would give Nick the authority to govern my personal endeavors; give him full control of how he represented me to the media. He wanted the ability to exploit me as he saw fit regarding decisions that would further my career. He was literally making me his puppet.”
My mind couldn’t digest everything he was saying and process the fact that he was actually standing before me. My eyes devoured him. I was amazed that he was here, and at the same time, petrified someone would walk out of the office and recognize him, which would likely result in an unwanted scene. I couldn’t think of what to say or what to do, but I knew we needed to leave the parking lot as soon as possible.
“Quick, let’s get in the car and go back to my place where we can talk privately,” I suggested.
“That’s a perfect idea. Thank you,” he said appreciatively.
As soon as we were in the confines of the car, the electricity between us was almost tangible. It was like our very souls were aware of being reunited once again. I let out a shuddering breath as I turned the key in the ignition, willing myself to concentrate and get us home safely. Damien put his seatbelt on and grabbed my hand. He then reached out and caressed my cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. My skin tingled at his touch and I could feel myself blushing under his gaze.
“I missed you,” he said simply.
“I missed you too,” I replied, smiling at him.
I reluctantly tore my eyes from his seductive gaze so I could pull out into oncoming traffic. Suddenly, everything he had said earlier finally registered with me.
“Wait, it’s true then? Ava isn’t really pregnant? I mean, what a horrible thing to do to someone!” I exclaimed.
“Took you long enough,” he laughed. “I was waiting for what I told you to sink in.”
“Sorry! I guess I was too shocked at seeing you standing against my car to process what you were saying,” I chuckled.
“Ava and Nick are selfish, despicable people. I can’t believe they would stoop to that level… wait, yes I can. They’re unscrupulous. What really upsets me though,” he said as his voice caught in his throat, “was how close I came to losing you.” He squeezed my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine. My nervousness slowly melted away at his touch and was replaced with a spreading warmth. I was suddenly overcome with desire and contemplated pulling the car over and kissing the hell out of him.
“It was foolish of me to ignore your calls and messages. I really am sorry, Damien. I thought it was best for you to forget me and move on with your life, considering the baby and all. I can’t believe we almost let this slip away…” I trailed off as the realization of my words hit me full force. The relief I now felt was overwhelming. Damien was here. We were free to be together and pursue our fate and nothing would get in our way this time.
Damien let go of my hand so he could reach up and touch my hair, running his fingers slowly through it. “Since you left on Sunday, I’ve been picturing you in my mind… your beautiful face, running my fingers through your soft hair, your perfect, full lips,” he said, as he ran his thumb against my bottom lip. My body was on fire. Every touch left a sizzling trail against my skin.
I pulled into my apartment complex (it felt like it took ages to get there), and into my parking space. The sexual tension between us was rolling off in waves, making every second in the car feel like an eternity. I turned toward him as I shut the car off and and was taken aback by the intensity and hunger in his eyes. He looked at me in a way I have never been looked at before by any man. My breath caught in my throat as I reached out to stroke his chiseled jaw. His eyes closed at my touch and his voice came out in a ragged whisper, “We better go inside.”
“Yes, I agree.”
Once out of the car, I boldly grabbed his hand and led him up to my apartment. As I fumbled with keys, trying to open the door, he stood behind me and placed both hands on my waist. I stiffened slightly as he pulled me against the length of his body, his lips grazing the side of my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as I felt him harden in response. I eagerly opened the door, and stepped aside so he could enter.
“Please make yourself at home,” I told him as I walked in behind him. I began turning on the lights, then set my purse down on my beloved original mid-century credenza. He was beside me in an instant, grabbing my hand and turning me toward him. My heart began beating frantically in my chest and the mounting tension was setting my insides ablaze. I rested my hands against his sculpted chest and despite being in heels, still had to look up to see his face.
There wasn’t time for ceremony or pleasantries as his lips crushed against mine in an urgent, all-consuming kiss. We began tearing off items of clothing at an alarming pace. He ravaged my neck and shoulders with his mouth as he pushed me up against the wall between the credenza and the doorway. My breath was coming in fast and hard and I moaned in pleasure as his mouth moved onto my breasts, teasing my body into submission. Damien grabbed me by my hips and hoisted me up and I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist. I twisted my fingers through his thick hair, pulling his mouth to my own. I craved him desperately. Our lips molded perfectly as his tongue plunged into my mouth, making my body ache with the need for more. Damien slipped his thumb under the lacy seam of my underwear, the only clothing that still remained on me, and began expertly caressing, bringing me to the brink of explosion.
“Damien,” I said breathless, “I’m going to lose it if you keep doing that. I want you inside me,” I said urgently. Those words seemed to send him over the edge. He let out an animalistic groan as he disentangled my legs and let me slip down the wall. He had my underwear off in one swift motion, then moved on to unbutton his pants, pulling them down. I took a moment to marvel at the sight of his naked body. Good god, he was beautiful. He put both hands against the wall and bent his head down; his mouth hungrily kissing mine before hoisting me up once more. He gently slid inside me and we simultaneously moaned with pleasure. We fit perfectly and it was pure magic as our bodies moved in unison; the rhythm bringing us to the point of mutual ecstasy. We stayed there, frozen in our euphoric state, our bodies connected as our heart rates slowly returned to normal.
My breath was coming in heavy and ragged as we lay down on my heather-grey area rug. It was in this moment that I was really glad I sprang for the luxurious plush shag - it was quite comfortable, I thought to myself. We lay there exhausted- my body draped over his, our legs tangled together.
“Jesus Madelyn, you’ll be the death of me,” Damien blurted out, visibly spent.
“What do you mean?” I asked, moving a strand of hair away from his face.
“You drive me crazy… I can barely handle my desire for you,” he admitted between breaths.
“I know what you mean,” I responded, feeling exactly the same. It was an overwhelming desire, not only because we were sexually attracted to one another, but also because our souls shared such an intimate connection. I wondered idly if Satvi and Namesh felt this uncontrollable passion for each other and how they managed it.
I let my fingers trail down his chest and onto his side. I slowly traced the length of his torso with my forefinger, watching the goosebumps rise to the surface of his skin.
“Mmm… that feels amazing,” Damien said, closing his eyes in response.
We stayed there for a little while, enjoying the feel of our skin touching before we reluctantly disentangled ourselves and proceeded to dress. I slipped into a pair of grey cotton shorts and a black long sleeve shirt that were sitting on top of the freshly laundered pile of clothes on my dresser, then went into the kitchen to make something for the two of us to eat.
“What would you like to eat?” I asked. “I’m starving.”
“I am too, actually,” he chuckled. He looked so hot sitting there in the kitchen in nothing but his jeans and a big smile on his face.
I got to work and quickly whipped up a spinach and sundried tomato frittata. I went into the fridge to grab the mozzarella and also pulled out a bottle of pinot grigio.
“Can I pour you a glass of wine?” I asked, as I began to sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of the frittata.
“I’d love a glass,” he said, giving me a sexy smirk.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, placing the dish in the oven, then reaching into the cabinet above to grab two wine glasses.
“Nothing… it’s just that you look so sexy bustling around in the kitchen.”
“Oh really?” I remarked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“I don’t mean it in a bad way, like women belong in the kitchen sort of thing. I’m just enjoying watching you, that’s all,” he clarified.
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nbsp; “Mmm-hmmm…” I smirked. I opened the bottle and poured us both a glass, handing him one.
He lifted his glass to mine and said, “To us.”
“To us,” I repeated, smiling contentedly.
We drank our wine and chatted as the food cooked. Once it was done, I served it and we both ate in companionable silence, only speaking to fill the gaps that occurred over the last four days. I couldn’t help feeling at ease around Damien. The feeling of having known each other for years was still prevalent as my legs were casually draped across his lap under the bartop, his hand softly resting on them as he ate. It was amazing how everything was so fresh and new, but still so comfortable.
With our meal finished, I stood up and gathered our dishes, placing them in the sink before asking the inevitable: “So, what are your plans now? How soon before you have to be back in LA?”
“Well, I was sort of hoping we could spend a few days holed up here together…” he trailed off, an adorable boyish grin spreading across his face.
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