His Vengeance, Marriage and a Baby: He hated her for cockolding him with his brother. Now he wanted vengeance.

by Sabel Simmons

  “I have to, Ash. He is so angry and hurt, he is prepared to take Zoey away from me. I can’t afford to lose her! Maybe one day he would get over it.”

  “Does he know there is a possibility that she could be Paul’s?”

  “He believes she is his. Seeing them together, oh Ash … so do I!”

  “Does he know what Paul did to you?”

  Amber shook her head and started making the pancakes.

  “He doesn’t want to give me the opportunity to tell him. Apart from saying he is not interested in more lies. Besides Ash, he is dead. Who is going to corroborate my story?”

  “His friends were there! Surely they will talk after all these years!”

  Amber glanced at him, a shimmer of hope in her eyes.

  “Maybe you’re right. Maybe there is a chance that I can find out what really happened. I only have his word that he … you know … and we both know he wanted to hurt Damien. It had nothing to do with his bruised ego because I refused to go out with him. It was pure sibling jealousy!”

  “Who was jealous of whom, Mom?”

  Zoey mumbled around a yawn and promptly sat down on her uncle’s lap. He hugged her and she leaned against him with her head on his shoulder.

  “Oh, we’re just talking about old school friends.”

  “What time is Dad picking us up to go to my other Gramps?”

  “Elevenish.”

  “Ooh … I am sooo excited. We are going to discuss Mom’s dress with the dressmaker! Have you got an idea what it should look like, Mom?”

  “Yes. I just wish Damien did not have to pay for it. I wanted to …” She sighed and finished with the pancakes.

  “Sis, I want to pay for your dress, please. You never allowed me to do anything for you and I really want to do this. Would you please let me?”

  She walked over to him and hugged him and kissed his forehead. He has been her rock over the past eleven years and he meant the world to her.

  “You are the best brother a sister can ever ask for! Yes, Ash … and thank you.”

  “One more thing. Remember those investments I made for you when you were still at school?”

  She nodded. “Well, I slowly built it into a proper investment portfolio for you. It has grown substantially over the past thirteen years and has now reached maturity. It is just over four hundred thousand Dollars.”

  Zoey’s eye bulged and Amber felt her heart contract. If she had that money … it would not have made a difference. Damien found a way to control her life. Considering running now was not even an option. She smiled and hugged her brother. They arranged to finalize the release documentation in the morning and the money should be available within forty eight hours thereafter.

  Ellie walked in and sniffed the air.

  “I smell blueberry pancakes! Hmm, they look absolutely divine.”

  She looked at Amber with a frown. “Are you supposed to be out of bed?”

  She snorted and placed the plate heaped with pancakes in the middle of the table and poured coffee for everyone.

  “If anyone as much as mention a bed to me again I am going to scream! I have been fine for more than a day already.”

  “Just making sure. Damien stopped outside a few minutes ago so I did not want you to get into trouble.”

  “What is he doing here so early? He said he is picking us up at eleven.”

  “Well, I decided I wanted to join my future family for breakfast.”

  “Dad!”

  Zoey nearly bumped Ashton from the chair she got up so quickly and ran into Damien’s arms.

  “Hmm, at least one of you is happy to see me.” He kissed her on her hair and his eyes searched Amber’s.

  “How do you feel this morning?”

  “I am fine and don’t you dare tell me to go back to bed!”

  The look in his eyes told her he would dare more than that and her eyes fell from his.

  “Zoey, please set another plate for Damien and get him some coffee too. Strong and black with one sugar.”

  His eyes rose at her for still remembering how he took his coffee and she blushed. Little did he know, she still remembered every detail about his likes and dislikes. She turned to her mother and soon the discussion was all about wedding arrangements. Zoey being the driver of the topic.

  Amber watched him covertly. She was surprised at his easy acceptance and tolerance for the upcoming marriage. The very last thing she was sure he actually wanted from her.

  Watching him enjoy the pancakes her eyes misted over at the instant memory. Of another time. A happy and loving time, when she also made blueberry pancakes for breakfast, which they ended up feeding each other. Between kisses and making love. He looked up and noticed the look in her eyes and she recognized the same flash of memory in his. He stiffened and his lips tightened, refusing to be drawn in by a sweet memory and a beautiful alluring woman!

  “One thing you can be assured of, future brother in law, is that you are marrying one amazing cook. This sister of mine can do magic in the kitchen.”

  “Yes Dad, it’s true! Mom, you must promise to make Dad your famous mac and cheese. No one makes mac and cheese like Mom! It is to die for!”

  Damien watched Amber’s indulgent smile at her daughter’s praise. She was casually dressed in a white short and tee-shirt. Her hair hung loose down her back and she was barefoot. She hardly looked a day older than the morning he waved her goodbye years ago, at the Lodge where they spent their week together. He noticed the blush on her cheeks and grinned.

  “I can hardly wait.”

  “The cake! The wedding cake! Who is going to make it? Oh Mom, you have to do it! You just have to!”

  “Zoey, it is too much work. Your Mom still needs to rest.” Ellie tried to intercede gently noticing the look on Amber’s face.

  “You have to Mom! That design you worked on last month! It was the best you’ve ever done! We’ll all help! Grams, Uncle Ash and me!”

  Amber sighed and rubbed her temples wearily.

  “Do you have a headache again?” Damien asked watching her closely.

  “Yes and her name is Zoey.”

  “Moooom! I know you! You won’t be satisfied with anything anyone else makes!”

  “Oh Lord, I know I am going to regret this!”

  “Yippee! And make the layers in all our favorites. Yours are boring Vanilla … ugh … Uncle Ash and Grams are Chocolate, Gramps is carrot … what’s yours, Dad.”

  “Red velvet.”

  Amber whispered before he could and Zoey looped her arms around Damien from behind and leaned her chin on his head.

  “Mine too! Wow! What about bananas, Dad?”

  “Hate them.”

  “Me too! And strawberries?”

  “Love them.”

  “Me too! What about potatoes?

  “My staple food.”

  “Mine too! And nuts?”

  “Allergic.”

  “Me too! Oh wow, wow, wow!’

  Amber sat frozen, enraptured by the picture in front of her. Damien had his large hand wrapped around both Zoey’s clasped around his neck. His head tucked in below hers. And even though in looks she took after Amber, it was clear she was his daughter. The pull of their lips, the twitch of their noses, the twinkle in their eyes, the way their perfect almond shape narrowed just so and the identical expressions … every single one of them, a mirror of the other.

  A flash of a camera pulled her from her musings. Ellie snapped two more photos of the two laughing and hugging each other. The emotions swirling inside Amber overcame her and she dashed to her room with a muffled excuse. She locked the door behind her and ran into the bathroom, closing the door as well.

  She sank down against the cool tiles and pulled her legs up against her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She clamped her lips tight together, desperate to keep the sobs back and leaned her head against the wall.

  “Oh God, she IS his!”

  Her voice sounded hoarse in the quietness around her an
d her sobs broke through, tears wetting her cheeks.

  “For all these years I so, so needed her to be his … and she is! She is … ours … our baby!”

  She pressed her face in her knees and sobbed. Relief and years of grief and loneliness poured from her and she could not hold back the sobs racking her body.

  She did not hear the thumping and shouting outside her door, nor the fists and not even the crash when the door was kicked open. She only became aware she was not alone when strong arms picked her up and carried her to the wingback chair in the corner of the room. Damien sat down and held her close, rocking her until the tears dried up and kissing her tenderly on her brow, over and over.

  Amber wrapped her arms around him and just held him close. Just needing his strength and comfort for this short time. Before he remembered how angry he was and demanded his vengeance.

  He stroked her back and leaned his chin on her head.

  “What was that all about, Amber?”

  She shook her head and snuggled deeper into his arms. He sighed and kept drawing circles on her back.

  “No one cries so heartbrokenly over nothing. What is wrong?”

  “You … and Zoey. I … prayed every day of my pregnancy … I prayed that she was yours. Every day since her birth … every day for the past ten and a half years … I needed her to be yours.”

  “She is mine, Amber!”

  He pushed her from his lap and got up. He stormed to the door and just as quickly stood in front of her again. His hands wrapped around her shoulders and he shook her.

  “If you so badly needed her to be mine, why the bloody hell did you whore yourself with my brother! Tell me Amber! What did he give you that I didn’t?”

  “I never gave myself to him! I swear, Damien! I never slept with Paul!”

  “Oh, I know you didn’t. You were not interested in sleeping with him! All you wanted to do was fu …. Arghh!”

  He flung her away from him and stormed out of the room. She heard him pound down the stairs. She sat down on the carpet and covered her mouth with her hands, desperate not to start crying again.

  It was useless! He would never believe me! I have nothing to prove to him that I did not have sex with his brother … not the way he believes! The way Paul made him believe! Oh, the bastard! How I hate him. Still to this day even with him being dead for eleven years!

  “Mom … are you okay?”

  Amber cleared her throat and smiled at Zoey. She slowly ambled closer and sank down on her knees next to Amber, stroking her hair softly.

  “You look so tired, Mommy. Why are you so sad?”

  “It’s just … some ghosts of the past hounding me. Don’t worry, poppet. I am fine.”

  “You’re not … you and Dad are not angry with each other? I just found him Mom, I don’t want to lose him!”

  “No Zoey! Never worry about that! He would never allow anything to come between you.”

  “It’s just … I don’t know how to explain it, but he’s in my heart, Mom. From when I saw him standing next to Grams’ bed, he was there, right next to you … as if … as if he’s always been there, and just waited for us to meet! He … he’s not even a stranger and to me … it feels as if he has been in my life for always. How weird is that, Mom? But also … how wonderful!”

  Amber hardly heard a word she said. She could not take her eyes from the man standing in the door. His heart in his eyes, his cheeks wet with his tears. Their eyes met and for moments time stood still, then his eyes hardened and his jaw became rigid.

  “She IS mine. Amber! Don’t you ever doubt that again!”

  Zoey swung around and ran to him. She hid her face in his chest and clutched him tight around his waist. He in turn bent over to hug her and rested his cheek against hers.

  “I love you, my precious daughter! From the moment I laid eyes on you. I will always be here for you. Never, ever doubt that!”

  “I love you too, Daddy!”

  He ruffled her hair and they smiled at each other.

  “I thought you might need some technology to assist you with the wedding plans and budgets. Uncle Ashton is already setting it up for you.”

  “What? What did you get me?” Her eyes shone with excitement.

  “An iPad and an iPhone.”

  “IPa … Iph … you got me both?”

  He nodded and she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely. She sobered and turned to Amber, still sitting quietly on the floor.

  “Mom … is it okay if I accept Dad’s gifts?”

  Amber smiled wryly, knowing she would never have been able to do this for her. She could not deny Damien the pleasures of giving to his daughter. She nodded.

  “Of course, my darling.”

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Her excited shrieks echoed to them as she charged downstairs in search of Ashton.

  Amber rubbed her eyes and waited for his next onslaught. When he did not say anything, she looked up at him wearily. His expression was inscrutable. He stood tall and straight with his hands in his jean pockets.

  “I want what you denied me for ten years, Amber.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I want to be there when Rory tells you we are pregnant. I want to be there when he does the first sonar and every scan. I want to see my child grow inside your belly and I want to feel the first kick against my hand. I want to see you pick up weight and rub your back at night. I want to be there when our child takes his first breath and most of all. I want to be there every day of his life!”

  “Damien … “

  “I want another child from you, Amber. I want another baby. And on this … I will not budge. You will give me what I want … what I need! Because YOU denied me all those things with the most precious thing I now have in my life!”

  Chapter Eight

  Amber sat wringing her hands all the way to Damien’s parents. Zoey was in seventh heaven and screamed in excitement when she noticed the speedboat he picked them up with, moored at the jetty behind her parent’s house. Eva and Nolan Jordan lived in an exclusive area at the Sea Branch Lake. With the boat they would be there in no time.

  Damien was aware of Amber’s state of mind, but had to concentrate handling the boat in the canal that ran all the way from their house to Lake Mabel where you had access to the sea. His parent’s house were a few miles from Amber’s parent’s and his own not that much farther at Sunrise Bay. He intended taking them there after lunch as well.

  Zoey stood in front of him and he allowed her to drive the boat, but made sure the speed was kept relatively low. If he had not been her hero already, he was after this.

  “Come join us here, Amber.”

  Damien held his hand out to her and she clenched her teeth. She did not want to be near him, least of all touch him. He just had too much of an effect on her libido and she found it increasingly difficult to hide her body’s reaction to his slightest touch.

  She has brooded over her uncontrolled reaction when he took her so ruthlessly and filtered it away from the pain. It left her realizing it was an orgasm like she has never experienced. Squirting was foreign to her and she never really believed it was possible. Having been celibate for so long probably was why it happened and every time she thought back on it, her insides clenched and her clit tingled.

  She snorted in her mind. Clearly it was not a foreign concept to Damien. He’s had his fair share … gmphf … overindulgence is more like it, of sexual partners over the years. The tabloids and news over the years loved reporting on all his pursuits!

  “Amber.”

  She sighed and rose to step forward, but she slid into the seat next to them, rather than stand with him. He speared her an annoyed look.

  “Come over here, honey and give me a kiss. You never said morning properly.”

  She glared at him, but his smirk told her he would not back down. The jerk knew she would not refuse because of Zoey and the roles they played for her sake. She walked up to him reluct
antly. He turned towards her and drew her flush against his chest and lowered his head to capture her lips. He started by stroking hers lightly, teasing them with sensual swipes of his tongue. Her skin started to tingle and her arms wrapped around his waist. She leaned into the kiss and his tongue lazily swirled past her lips to drink deep from her honeyed sweetness. The kiss was slow, warm and drenched in passion.

  “Dad, how much f … ugh … newsflash! Innocent child in the immediate vicinity! I should not be exposed to this type of kissing! “Dad … Mom! HEY!”

  Damien ended the kiss leisurely and looked deep into Amber’s eyes, before he turned to Zoey, keeping her tucked tight under his arm.

  “Just ahead, precious. I better take over though. There are some turns you would not be able to maneuver as yet.”

  Amber went to sit down again and Zoey stood behind Damien with her arms around his waist. Amber brought her camera with and it was a moment she could not resist capturing. All too soon the boat was docked next to the very neat and sturdy jetty and Damien helped Zoey out of the boat. He held out his hand to Amber and noticed her biting her bottom lip. A shout from behind him had him turn around and he smiled as his mom and dad came rushing down the stairs leading to the jetty. Their excitement to meet their only grandchild too much to contain.

  “Come on, Mom!”

  Zoey itched to run to the distinguished blonde woman and giant of a man that looked like an older version of Damien. Damien turned to her and frowned at her hesitation.

  “Amber, you survived facing me. I promise you their anger simmered down a long time ago. Hearing about Zoey destroyed it totally.”

  “Probably because your mother thinks she is Paul’s.”

  His demeanor became rigid and rage flashed in his eyes.

  “I am becoming extremely annoyed at your constant insistence that Zoey might be his child.”

  “I did not …”

  “I will do the damn paternity test, but it really makes we wonder about your honesty, Amber. You keep telling me how innocent you were … and yet on the other hand …”

  “No … it is not necessary. I know she is yours. It’s just … the last time I faced them …”

  “Was eleven years ago. They were emotional, torn apart with grief and needed to blame someone. You were an easy target. They do not blame you for his death, Amber. They haven’t since a month after the funeral.”