He shows me how to reload and carefully places the weapon back into my hands. I shoulder the weapon and I give it another go. This time I’m at least aware of how far off target I am as once again I aim and miss … horribly.
“All right, big guy, let’s see what you’ve got.”
With a lopsided boyish grin he takes the rifle gently from my hands and in the blink of an eye he has it mounted on his broad shoulder and fires, hitting the target nearly dead center.
“Where … where in the world did you learn to shoot like that?” I ask, stunned.
“Ah, that’s nothing, baby, you should see Hawk and my father. They’re the real marksmen.”
“Well, I’m thoroughly impressed. You certainly are a man of many talents.” I grin mischievously up at him.
“Mmm, I like that. Now tell me why in the world your father never taught you how to shoot? A single woman living on your own … It’s practically a necessity.”
He catches me way off guard as I look away, embarrassed. “Ahhh, it’s complicated,” he says.
Please let him leave it at that.
“Violet, look at me.”
In a rush, I blurt out, “Look Luke, to make a long story short, he didn’t teach me anything because I grew up a ward of the state, all right? I don’t have any family. I bounced from group home to group home until I went away to college. It’s a difficult topic for me to discuss, as in ever, but I believe in honesty, especially with you Luke. All I know about my parents is that they gave me up when I was a baby. Maybe they were too young, too broke, or just too damn selfish. It is and will always remain a mystery to me.” Tears threaten to spill and I will myself to breathe in a deep, calming breath. I glance quickly over toward the target because I’d rather see anything but his pity.
Instead of saying a word he wraps his arms around me and puts his face against my hair. I start to struggle, realizing that I’m on the verge of tears, when he lets me go and looks straight into my eyes.
“Rather take a fucking bullet to the chest than ever see you hurting, you know that?”
I slowly nod because I know that he means every word.
Softly he says, “I’ll leave it alone for now but you tell me when you’re ready to talk about it, all right darlin’? Let’s shoot a bit more and grab some lunch in town.”
I soon learn that shooting practice is a fantastic release for me. The feeling of that much power and control at my fingertips, coupled with the skill needed to wield such a weapon, requires every ounce of focus in my body and enables me to forget about any other concerns. I really should have gotten into this ages ago.
After target practice, we go inside to get cleaned up before heading into town. I decide not to share my dinner plans with Luke. I’ve decided that I’m going to do what’s necessary with Damon, but I want it to be on my own terms. Not Luke’s. I just can’t believe that a man as elegant and sophisticated as Damon would be capable of murder. There has to be something between the two men that I don’t get. Perhaps a rivalry or a misunderstanding. Nevertheless, I have to make it clear to Damon that we can’t be anything but friends, not while I’m involved with Luke.
Livid would be an understatement of epic proportions if Luke ever found out I met Damon for dinner.
Chapter Ten
What if I Told You
Sushi Koi is half full when we arrive at seven thirty and the owner comes from behind the bar to greet Damon with enthusiasm.
“Wonderful to see you again, Yoshi.” Damon greets the Japanese owner with a charming smile. “How about the table by the window for the beautiful date I have with me tonight?”
Yoshi takes me in and smiles before answering Damon politely, “Yes, of course, please follow me.”
Damon is wearing a starched blue dress shirt and black slacks. He is so tailored and beautiful, yet something about this entire scene just isn’t me. He is obviously attracted to my appearance but we really don’t have much else in common, and while he’s the practical choice I would inevitably feel like I was living in a glass case, an object of some sort.
As we walk to the table Damon places his hand on my back and leans down to whisper, “You look unbelievably sexy in that black dress, Violet. You should wear your hair up more often. It shows off your pretty neck.”
“Thank you Damon.” I avert my eyes and focus on my surroundings. There’s a wide, lovely rock fountain in the middle of the intimate restaurant with fat carp swimming about. Soft light from round, white fabric hanging lanterns gives the place a warm glow. We sit down at a honey colored wooden table with a single white orchid in a delicate vase placed upon it.
I’m not looking forward to what has to be done tonight because Damon has been beyond fantastic. He has been so charming since I met him and that body alone is enough to keep me up at night. But I’ve decided that I really want to give things a shot with Luke and I don’t want to lead Damon on.
“So, Violet, would you mind if I order for us?”
I hesitate before answering. “That would be perfect, thank you.”
As the waitress arrives he places the dinner order, his manner flawlessly smooth and polite. He orders sakes for both of us. I’ve never had a man order for me at a restaurant and I could easily get used to it.
Folding his manicured hands before him on the table, he speaks without hesitation. “So, Violet, I’d like to clear the air right now so we can start off fresh like we did the other evening. Am I correct in assuming that Luke told you a story about Cassie Richards and me?”
All I can do is nod once. This might not be as easy as I thought.
“I see. I knew he would bring it up,” he says thoughtfully. “What he most likely left out was that she was my girlfriend and I cared about her deeply.”
I listen attentively.
“She also had a raging drug habit and liked to get physically violent with me when I called her out on it.”
Interesting.
Was Luke trying to convince me that Damon was responsible for her death just to make me quit seeing him? I lean in closer.
“The night that she disappeared—the night that Luke saw us fighting—she had confessed that she was, and I quote, ‘getting banged regularly by a group of local bikers and that my good boy moves could never compare.’ ”
My mouth drops open in shock and I reach for my sake, downing it in one swift tilt.
“As we argued that night I said some ugly things about her wasting her potential and being a whore. She dumped her coffee on my crotch and it hurt like hell. I am ashamed to admit this, but I’ll be honest, I backhanded her right there in anger. She got a bloody nose and went off on me, screaming like a banshee. That’s when Luke showed up. I took off to avoid the fight that I knew was a long time coming with him. You see, Luke has never liked me and had always been waiting for an excuse to get into it with me.”
“Wow, that’s terrible. Did you tell the police everything when she disappeared?”
With a strained look he continues, “Yes, of course, I told them everything that I could. We fought the entire way home and she forced me to stop near this rough biker bar, where she informed me that we were over. I didn’t want to let her out there but she insisted. My pride was obviously hurt at that point, so I did. Worst mistake of my life.”
His shoulders hunch as he swirls the sake in his glass, upset over reliving that painful night.
“Hey, I don’t hold anything against you. Let’s just have a nice evening. Forget the past for tonight. I can see that it weighs on you tremendously.”
He looks up at me, his cold, intense blue eyes boring into me, “Yes, Violet it does. And you want to know the worst part?”
“Sure,” I say.
“I still dream about her walking toward that bar the night she disappeared. But in my dream I stop her and we make up. Ridiculous, right?”
“Not at all. You want to resolve things between the two of you, so dreaming about it is quite understandable. So, Damon, what do you think actually
happened to her?”
“I don’t think, I know. Those filthy bikers had their way with her and she either overdosed on them or they killed her during violent sex.” He looks away in disgust. “God, Violet, it makes me sick just thinking about it.”
“The cops know all of this, right?”
“Yes, they do, but it’s a small town and the cops are friendly with all of the bikers so I have to tread lightly. They questioned various bikers repeatedly and investigated the bar but they came up with nothing. Without a body what could they really do? The case went cold. I headed to the East Coast for Medical school at Columbia soon after that. Best decision I ever made.”
The dinner arrives and he’s right, the salmon rolls are unbelievable. We eat in thoughtful silence after such a heavy topic. Damon’s admission has made me second-guess my decision to stop seeing him, as well as doubt Luke. I drink more sake in an attempt to quell the uncomfortable, conflicted feelings tumbling inside me.
Damon breaks the silence. “Enough about me, Violet. Tell me about yourself.”
Cocking my head to the side, I ask, “What would you like to know?”
His mood brightens as a smile warms his face. “There’s so much I’ve yet to discover. Let’s start with the basics. Are you from Washington?”
“Yes, born and raised.”
“Ever thought of moving to Canada?”
Oh my, where is this heading?
I remind myself of my earlier resolution to end things with Damon, and even though I may have my doubts about a long-term relationship with Luke, I know this is the right decision. But damn, this is hard.
Twisting the napkin nervously in my lap, I begin. “Damon, I don’t know how to say this, but as you know I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time with Luke and, well, it’s more than just casual. We’re becoming serious and it is not fair to hide this fact from you. I came here tonight to tell you that we can only be friends. I’m very sorry, Damon.”
He looks instantly enraged as his jaw clenches and his eyes tighten in accusation. Leaning across the table, he hisses, “Jesus Violet, you’re fucking joking with me, right, sweetheart? What the hell?” He throws his napkin down on the table and I’m shocked by the menace in his demeanor. “You loved it the other night when I took that sweet mouth of yours. You were just as hot and fucking wound up as I was. And now you’re telling me that you’re banging a nasty logger, of all people? You seriously want that piece of shit over me? I’m a fucking surgeon. You must be off your meds, baby.”
Mortified by his cruel taunts I lean in and seethe quietly through gritted teeth, “Enough. I won’t stand for anyone to speak to me like this. I would like to go back to the lodge now. If you refuse to take me I will call for a cab.”
He looks furious but he stands and throws two hundred dollar bills on the table, far in excess of whatever our check could have come to.
“Lead the way.” He throws a hand out roughly toward the front door. At this point we’re starting to draw attention from the other restaurant patrons.
Yoshi approaches us on our way out, “Ah, Damon, was the food not—”
Damon silences him with a look before throwing open the front door. I offer an apologetic head shake before following after him.
Once outside I turn angrily to face him. “I should call a taxi.”
“Or Benoit, maybe?” he says in a low, cruel voice.
This is rapidly going from bad to worse. I know I just ended things with him, but honestly, our “relationship” hadn’t progressed enough to merit this type of outburst.
“Hey, at least I was honest with you and told you what was going on. Would you rather I lie about it?” I’m vaguely aware of someone else coming out of the back door of the restaurant—a teenage busboy on a smoke break—so I lower my voice and hiss, “At least Luke is polite company and doesn’t insult me.”
The look he gives me chills me more than the falling snowflakes. I start to back away from him and begin to slip in the snow as he roughly grabs my arm, jerking me toward the Jeep.
“Hey, let go!” I shout as he nearly drags me across the parking lot. His grip is brutal and I’m certain he’ll leave bruises.
“Damon, you’re hurting me!” I yell, horror lacing my voice.
“Bitches like you are into the rough shit, right? Come on baby, you can tell me, I’ll keep your dirty secret,” he taunts as he pulls me farther along.
I panic and dig both of my heeled boots into the snow while yelling at the top of my lungs, “I said, let me go!”
I sense someone closing in on us. It’s the Asian busboy, a lit cigarette still burning in his hand.
“The lady said to let her go mister,” he tells Damon in a confident tone.
Let’s hope this guy knows karate or something if Damon can’t get himself together. Geez, what’s come over him?
With a look of disgust, Damon releases his tight hold on my arm. I immediately race back inside without a backward glance.
I’m shaking as I furiously punch the numbers on my cell, knowing that the punishment I’ll receive for this little misstep will be much more severe than the light play I’ve gotten so far. I only have to wait two rings before I hear his deep rumble. “Hey, angel.”
“Luke.” I can’t keep my voice from trembling.
Unfortunately, he notices. “What the fuck happened. Are you all right?”
“I am now. I’m at Sushi Koi. Can you please come and get me?”
“I’ll be right there, don’t move.” And then the line goes dead.
Ten minutes later he walks in with a murderous look marring his chiseled features. Hugging me possessively, he pauses to study my face. “You all right, Violet? What the hell happened?”
“Can we go to your place now, Luke? I really want to stay with you tonight. I’ll tell you all about it in the truck.”
He thankfully agrees with no interrogation and opens the door for me to exit before him. “Let’s go.”
* * *
As we start to drive up the mountain, I turn to him. “Please, Luke, let me talk before you get upset. I had dinner with Damon tonight, but only to tell him that you and I are serious and he needs to stop pursuing me. I conveyed that message loud and clear, and let’s just say it didn’t go over very well.”
The rage in his voice is barely contained. “Why not?”
“He was just incensed that you and I are an item and that he’s out of the picture. Ugh! This is so frustrating!”
“I’m glad that you called me, Violet. Now tell me the truth, did he put his hands on you in any way tonight?”
Oh no. I want to be honest, but I know the truth will rile him up even more.
I mutter, “Yes, he grabbed my arm and attempted to drag me to his car, but a busboy stopped him.”
“Motherfucker! I’m going to kick his ass, again,” Luke bellows, his grip tightening on the steering wheel to the point I think it may snap.
Touching his arm in an attempt to calm him I say, “Luke, nothing happened. I’m with you and everything’s fine. Let’s just relax at your place tonight and forget about all of this mess.”
After a silent moment he gives an uneasy nod. It isn’t long before we arrive at his cabin.
He steers me through the living room to the glass doors that lead to the back deck of the house, snatching a throw blanket off of the sofa as we pass by. I can see steam rising from the large hot tub that’s surrounded by fluffy piles of moonlit snow.
“Wait here,” he commands. In a minute he returns from upstairs, holding a set of black leather cuffs with a delicate chain in between.
“Let’s just get you naked with these on in front. You know how I love you being helpless in my grasp, angel.”
A shiver of delight rolls through me as I stand before this warrior of a man. He knows exactly how to tap effortlessly into my emotions, my desires. I realize that with Damon, there was always a cold, emotional distance.
I’m swiftly stripped and cuffed. Luke wraps m
e tightly in the ivory blanket before swooping me up in his arms and stepping through the glass doors into the frigid night air. He removes the throw and settles me into the hot tub, which feels heavenly. I finally feel myself beginning to relax.
I look up to see him step back inside for something that I can see now is a bottle of White Star.
“Champagne, baby?”
I beam at him and coo, “Oooh yes, my very favorite!”
He smiles, lowers himself into the swirling water, and opens the bottle with a loud pop as the cork goes sailing off into the black night.
My cuffed wrists are placed over his head and rest on his thick neck as he tilts the bottle up to meet my lips. The champagne is crisp and delicious. I can’t hold back—his slick skin is too tempting—and I lean forward to delicately run my tongue up his perfect neck.
Luke traces his fingers softly along the red marks that have blossomed on my upper arm. “Fucking punk, putting his hands on my girl. He’s done for.”
I distract him by lightly breathing in his ear while my hand trails slowly down his neck.
“Jesus Christ, angel. I can’t wait to be buried inside you. Just seeing you in that sexy dress tonight nearly made me come in my jeans. You’re smoking hot. You know that?”
I merely smile and continue my version of seduction on him as I trail wet kisses slowly back to his full lips. I’m immediately pushed back against one of the jets as he covers my body with his and takes control of our kiss.
Within moments our gentle champagne-laced kisses become wild and frenzied. I’m nearly begging him to enter me as the jet pounding between my pussy lips is too much to bear.
“I’m sorry for asking,” I whimper in distress, “but Master, please take me.”
He pulls back from me a few inches. “Only if you first apologize for your fuck-up and promise me that you’ll never go near Damon again, Violet. I won’t have it. He’s dangerous.”
God, he is so intense with that authoritative tone.
“I’m genuinely sorry. I didn’t know that my actions would cause this big of an issue. And yes, of course, I won’t go near him again.” I hold his gaze so he can see the truth of my words.
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