Damaged

by Nina D'Angelo

  He’d known she was interested in him from the moment she’d walked into Outlaws. He’d already become jaded with the single scene, and was looking to settle down. Sandra seemed like the perfect choice. She was beautiful, smart and good in bed. He’d told her straight out he wasn’t looking for any kind of long-term commitment with her, and she’d agreed.

  He snorted. Ever since they’d started dating, she’d tried to make their relationship more serious than it really was. He’d been so focused on finding locations so he could branch out with Outlaws as a franchise, that he’d ignored all the signs. He’d had business on his mind, not their relationship. It had only been a month ago when he’d realized just how clingy she’d become.

  Grimacing, he shook his head. He hadn’t discouraged her either. He should have, but he’d been so damn busy with his career that he hadn’t seen the signs until it was too late.

  Their breakup was not going to be pretty. Sandra was jealous, slightly obsessive and had one hell of a temper. If she knew Stephanie were in the picture, she’d make her life a living hell, and Dominic wouldn’t allow that.

  “Christ, what’s she doing here?” he muttered to Tyler, who was sitting at the bar. Scowling when Tyler laughed huskily, he picked up two shot glasses, slammed them down on the counter, and reached for a bottle of Jose Cuervo.

  Pouring both Tyler and himself a shot, he handed one to his best friend and quickly downed the other. He breathed deeply as the fiery liquid slid down his throat and hit his stomach, warming him.

  Tyler arched an eyebrow, downing his own shot before turning his head towards the girls. “While you’re dealing with your girlfriend, I think I’ll introduce myself to Stephanie.”

  Dominic glared at him, growling, “Hands off.”

  “Relax, I just want to meet the lady who has brought you to your knees, and I figure it might be safer if I’m at the table while you deal with Sandra. I’ll protect Stephanie,” Tyler said, grinning when Jax snorted with laughter.

  Dominic nodded, his grip on the tequila bottle tightening. Pouring another shot, he lifted it to his mouth, pausing to salute both Jax and Tyler. “Wish me luck. God knows, I’m going to need it.”

  Jax laughed out loud, clamping his hand on Dominic’s shoulder. “Dom, you’re going to need more than luck to deal with Sandra Barton. That bitch is crazy; but good luck, anyway.”

  Dominic nodded, watching Tyler silently slide off the bar stool and head towards Stephanie’s table, scowling in annoyance. He knew Tyler well enough to know he wouldn’t cross the line with Stephanie, but that didn’t change the fact that women tended to fall at the feet of Tyler Carlisle. They always had. His best friend was as smooth as he was, and didn’t have to try hard to get a woman into his bed.

  He watched Tyler take Stephanie’s hand in his own, lean over and kiss her cheek. Dominic had to resist the urge to jump over the bar, stride across the room and beat his best friend into a bloody pulp.

  His hands curled into fists by his side, and he actually took a step towards where Tyler stood, forcing himself to stop when Stephanie turned her head towards him. His expression softened when she saw him, and she smiled brightly at him. Forcing himself to back down, he shook his head. These feelings of jealousy and possessiveness were foreign to him. He’d never felt them for anyone before, and he wasn’t sure he liked them.

  Unable to tear his eyes off Stephanie, he chuckled when she blew him a kiss. The tension in his stomach uncoiled when she turned her attention back to Tyler, her expression a polite mask. He knew that look. It meant she had switched off. The chameleon was back.

  Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly moved out from behind the bar to greet Sandra.

  SANDRA BARTON WALKED into Outlaws, immediately scanning the bar for Dominic. Spotting him standing behind the bar talking to Jax and Tyler, she wrinkled her nose in annoyance. Tyler Carlisle loathed her. He didn’t even have the decency to hide his contempt. She smirked. It didn’t matter. Once she was married to Dominic, she would actively encourage him to find a new set of friends.

  Dominic met her gaze, his smile disappearing as he picked up a shot glass and downed its contents. With a thundering heart, she recognized the expression on his face. She’d seen it a million times before as she’d watched Dominic swiftly put an end to countless of relationships. It was a look she’d sworn he would never give her.

  Tossing her blonde hair, she added an extra sway to her hips as she walked towards him. She was well aware of how good she looked tonight. In a tiny button-down, denim mini-dress, she was the epitome of the California girl with her blonde hair, tanned long legs and curves. She knew how much Dominic loved her in this dress. Whenever she wore it, the night always ended with her on her back and him buried deep inside of her. And that’s how tonight will end.

  She stopped in the middle of the bar, waiting for him to meet her. Her smile fell away when he reached her, and growled, “What are you doing here, Sandra?”

  “I swapped my shift so we could spend the night together,” she said coyly, linking her arms around his neck and pressing into his body.

  Feeling him stiffen, she fought down her frustration. The urge to scream clawed at her insides when she realized he didn’t want her here. It was written all over his face, and she could feel the tension vibrating through his body.

  “I’m your girlfriend, Dominic. I know a dozen guys who would jump at the chance to spend time with me.” Sliding one arm from around his neck, she trailed her red-coated fingernails down his chest.

  Dominic roughly unlinked her arms from around his neck. “I’m not most guys,” he snapped. His gaze involuntarily moved to where Stephanie sat, laughing with her friends. As if she had a sixth sense, she turned her head towards him; the smile on her lips disappeared, and pain flashed in her eyes before she carefully hid it. He watched as her face became a mask of control, and her stance became one of nonchalant indifference.

  Sandra scowled, conscious that she no longer had Dominic’s attention. Turning her head, her eyes narrowed in displeasure when she saw who held him captivated. She clenched her fists tightly, and gritted her teeth at the sight of Stephanie sitting at a table in the corner. She fought down the urge to cross the room and drag the redhead out of the bar by her hair.

  Turning back to look at Dominic, she swallowed hard. This woman was different. She was dangerous. The knowledge that Dominic’s attention was focused solely on the beautiful redhead sitting with her friends made Sandra grasp his arm tightly, her fingernails digging into his wrist.

  “Babe, I came here especially to see you,” she cooed, pressing her breasts against his arm, and pasting a fake smile on her lips. “I even wore your favorite dress.”

  Dominic reluctantly turned his attention from Stephanie back to Sandra. Barely hearing her words, he flicked his gaze over her. He felt nothing when he looked at her: no stirrings, no desire to make passionate love her to her, nothing. If anything, he couldn’t wait to get away from her and be back where he belonged, next to Stephanie.

  Noticing her displeasure, he growled, “We need to talk.”

  Not waiting for her to respond, he took her hand and half-dragged her towards his private office.

  STEPHANIE WATCHED THE leggy blonde throw her arms around Dominic’s neck, and saw his immediate distaste as he pushed the blonde’s arms away from around his neck. His gaze clashed with hers, and she swallowed hard, refusing to let him see how much it hurt to see him with someone else.

  She jumped slightly when Tyler leaned into her, whispering, “That’s Sandra Barton. She’s Dominic’s soon to be ex-girlfriend. She’s also certifiably crazy.”

  Seeing the flash of wariness in her eyes before she carefully guarded her expression, he reached out to touch her hand with his own, linking their fingers together and squeezing tightly. “Trust me, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Dominic doesn’t give a damn about Sandra.”

  “He must have at one time. She’s his girlfriend,” Stephanie said, gripping th
e stem of her cocktail glass tightly and lifting it to her lips. Taking a deep sip, she couldn’t help but compare herself to Sandra Barton. The woman was beautiful, collected and had the kind of sophistication she would never have. She was exactly the kind of woman she’d envisioned Dominic dating. She was nothing like her. Sandra wasn’t damaged. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. I don’t own Dominic. We’re just friends.”

  “Darlin’, you and Dominic are many things. Friends is not one of them,” Tyler drawled, reaching out to cup her chin in his hand and turn her head towards him. Her amber eyes met his, and he smiled regretfully. He could see why Dominic was completely captivated with Stephanie. She was different. Staring into her eyes, he saw someone he could relate to.

  She was an old soul; someone who had seen the same brutalities of the world he had—or worse—and survived whatever it had thrown her way. She was a survivor. She was strong enough to take on the world and kick it in the ass.

  Her eyes held him captive, revealing every emotion swirling inside of her and so much more. She loved Dominic. They’d only known each other briefly, but Tyler could see how important Dominic was to her already. The look on her face, and the raw emotions in her eyes when she looked past him to where Dominic stood, made him wish he’d met her first. Stephanie loved deeply and passionately.

  Turning his own head to where Dominic stood watching them, his jaw clenched in anger, he thought his friend was one of the luckiest guys on earth.

  TYLER WAS STARTLED out of his reverie when Stephanie turned her head away from Dominic and Sandra, her face one of complete control. If he hadn’t seen her reaction, he would never have known how she really felt about Dominic. She wore a mask of indifference, not revealing any of her emotions to anyone. For one brief second, that mask had fallen away, and her feelings for Dominic had been openly displayed for everyone to see, but just as quickly they were gone.

  She was a chameleon. She switched her emotions off so completely, so beautifully that he couldn’t help but be fascinated by her. Never had he met someone in such complete control. It was an admirable feat, and it was a dangerous one. What made her so determined to shield herself and her every thought from the world, and the people closest to her?

  “Darlin’, Sandra may be his girlfriend, but it’s an honorary title at best. For the past six months, Dominic has barely been around. He’s been scouting new locations for Outlaws, and I think Sandra was just a convenience for him. Usually Dom’s got girls chasing him left, right and center, but darlin’, you have him chasing you hard. You’ve got him so wrapped up in knots I’m not sure he knows if he is coming or going. He’s crazy about you,” Tyler continued, giving her a reassuring smile. “Trust me on this. You have nothing to worry about with Sandra. She was history from the moment you walked into Outlaws.”

  His speech was met with stony silence and Tyler swallowed, feeling the tension in the air. Stephanie reached out and picked up the wine menu, pretending to study it. Scanning the bar, she looked at the crowds without really seeing them, her eyes drawn towards Dominic and the beautiful blonde. Watching him take her hand in his own and lead her towards his office, she fought down the tears clogging her throat. She didn’t do this. She didn’t lose control, not in front of people. She didn’t let anyone ever see her fall apart. She didn’t fall apart, period. Not for anyone. And certainly never over a guy.

  Slowly counting to ten, she dropped the wine menu back onto the table, feeling tears start to prick at the edges of her eyes. “I don’t want to be the reason Dominic breaks another girl’s heart. I don’t want to be the other woman,” she rasped, ducking her head and hiding her face behind a fiery curtain of red hair. “Please, let me out.”

  Stephanie waited for Tyler to slide out from where he sat beside her, then scrambled out. Grabbing her purse, she quickly headed towards the restrooms, not looking back. Tyler stood, helplessly watching as she weaved through the crowds before she disappeared into the throes.

  Turning back to her friends sitting at the table, he was surprised to find none of them had got up to follow her. “Aren’t you going to go after her?”

  “Stephanie’s a big girl. She can take care of herself,” Angel said, grinning at his slack-mouthed disbelief as he sat down angrily. Before he could open his mouth to argue, she leaned over and gripped his arm tightly. “Listen, I’ve known Stephanie for more than nine months, and I know well enough when to leave her alone. Tell me, even though you’ve just met her, does she look like the type of girl who wants friends chasing after her to see if she’s okay?”

  When he silently shook her head, she dropped her hand from his arm and leaned back in her chair. “Trust me, Stephanie’s not overly big on PDA. She doesn’t like sharing her feelings. If she wants to talk to one of us, she’ll message us.”

  Tyler chuckled softly. “You could have fooled me with the way she kissed Dominic earlier.”

  “That’s new,” Gena mused, picking up her drink and taking a tentative sip. “I’ve never seen her kiss anyone like that. Not publicly, anyway. She’s certainly never let Ben kiss her that way in public. She’s usually too in control for that.”

  “Ben? That’s her boyfriend, right?”

  “Yeah, he is. Ben’s a great guy. He’s just not the right one for Stephanie. He never was,” Lyn said, shrugging nonchalantly and smiling brilliantly when Gena and Angel nodded in agreement.

  “Lyn’s right. Stephanie needs a guy who will take control of their relationship, and who will take her head on. She needs someone to put her in her place when she’s getting too wild. Ben won’t do that with her,” Angel said, shaking her head in disgust. “He’s too much of the boy-next-door type.”

  “Dominic will,” Tyler said, smirking. “This Ben sounds like a pushover.”

  Gena took another sip of her mock margarita, wrinkling her nose at the sharp, tangy aftertaste. “Ben’s not a pushover. He’s just not as strong as your friend Dominic. He knows what Stephanie’s like, and he’s well aware of how stubborn she is. His approach is less of a take-control one, and more of a let-her-do-what-the-hell-she-wants-and-just-be-there-for-her one. He’s an amazing guy, who pretty much ticks off every check box a girl has regarding her ideal boyfriend. He’s pretty damn perfect, and he loves Stephanie. The problem is, while he loves her, she doesn’t love him. She never will.”

  Pausing, she said softly, “To be honest, I didn’t think Stephanie was capable of truly ever loving anyone. She’s broken inside. It’s why she shuts herself away from everyone. Why she is the way she is, I don’t know. I don’t know what happened to her.”

  Taking another sip of her drink, she nodded her head towards Lyn and Angel. “Although, I have the feeling my two friends here know some of it. Whatever it was it was bad, really bad. So bad, she disconnected herself from everyone, and from feeling anything inside. Dominic has broken through her walls. Walls that I was pretty sure were impenetrable. I’m not sure how he’s done it, but it’s a first. She’s let him in. He’s seen the real her, or as much of the real her as anyone's really seen, and I think that scares the hell out of her.”

  STEPHANIE PRESSED HER forehead against the bathroom stall door, her breathing ragged. Taking large gulps of air, she fought for control. Seeing Dominic’s girlfriend tonight had made everything so real to her. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for this. She wasn’t sure she was prepared to throw away her beautifully constructed life, and what she had with Ben. She wasn’t sure she was willing to take a risk on Dominic. Loving him would be the biggest gamble of her life, and if she lost, she didn't know if she’d survive it.

  He made her feel things she’d never thought she’d feel for anyone. For so long, she’d been running on empty, going through the motions of living without really living. The last time she’d felt anything for anyone had been with Katrina. She’d felt a kinship with her, an overwhelming desire to protect her from the world and everything awful in it, and she’d failed.

  When Katrina died, a piece of her had dissipated as we
ll. Her friends were her family, or the closest things she had to it left, unless you counted Kerri Murphy, her aunt—and she didn’t. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, pressing one of her palms against the door. She didn’t want to think about Kerri. Six months ago, she’d made the mistake of believing her aunt might give a damn about her. When she’d been asked who her next of kin was, she’d stupidly written her aunt’s name and telephone number down. She didn’t know why she’d given the hospital staff Kerri's name. If anything, her aunt would have rejoiced in her death. God knows, she’d told her enough times that she was the devil’s spawn.

  Stepping away from the door, a shiver of terror trickled down her spine. He was out there still; waiting and watching. The game had just begun. She prayed to hell that it was only her he was focused on. Swallowing down her fear, she lifted her head and wiped her eyes with her arm, then stepped back and leaned against the stall wall.

  Collecting her thoughts, she knew she shouldn’t risk anything. Not when he was watching her again. Not when she knew what he was capable of. Not when she knew what he had done. Not when she had so much more to lose now.

  She had lost one friend, and she’d be damned if she’d let him take another. A wave of nausea overwhelmed her as she thought of Dominic. She had so much more to lose.

  Opening her eyes, she let her head drop wearily. She should walk away from Dominic, but she was selfish. She didn’t want to walk away. Dominic didn’t just make her feel things she didn’t think she’d ever feel; he made her feel, period.

  Hearing her phone buzz in her bag, she pulled it out, staring at the name on her screen: Ben. She laughed shakily. She had to end it with Ben tonight, before she hurt him any more than she already had. He loved her, but she would never love him. She didn’t think she’d ever be able to love anyone, until Dominic had crept into her heart. Now, she couldn’t imagine loving anyone else.