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

by Sabel Simmons

  “Yet, you still do.”

  “Yes, because he told me and them two different stories. Theirs were a lie … mine … let’s just say there were details only someone who were intimate with you would know.”

  “MOM … DAD!”

  He reached over and yanked her from the seat to pick her up and jumped on the jetty with her in his arms. He lowered her slowly, keeping her against his side and ruffled Zoey’s hair.

  “Is that quick enough, scamp?”

  She giggled and took his hand in hers. Eva and Nolan Jordan came to a stop a few steps from them. Both had tears in their eyes when they looked at Zoey.

  “Zoey, this is your grandparents, Eva and Nolan. Mom, Dad, this is Zoey. You of course remember Amber.”

  They both smiled and greeted Amber and then their eyes zeroed in on Zoey. Eva walked closer and took her face between her hands. She stroked her eyebrows and then her hair, the smile on her face blinding.

  “You are so beautiful! You look just like your mother. But Nolan … just look! She has the Jordan eyes … and her features … she is …”

  Eva looked at Damien and he read the acceptance in hers. If she had any belief that Zoey might be Paul’s, it just died. She knew she was his.

  “She has the same strength and determination in her eyes you did from when you were a little boy. Your Dad always said it is in the genes and can’t be taught!”

  She smiled at Zoey and asked softly.

  “May I hug you, Zoey?”

  As answer Zoey stepped into her and she hugged her. Eva smiled through her tears. She looked at Nolan who stepped closer and wrapped his arms around them both. Maybe now they would find peace in this young child. Peace for their souls and the injustice they did to their eldest son.

  Nolan ushered them all up to the house and they settled on the porch overlooking the canal where Eva had some iced tea waiting for them.

  They bombarded Zoey with questions and she bloomed under their love and attention. Amber relaxed slowly and even managed to smile at her daughter’s exuberance. When the topic changed to the wedding arrangements, she stiffened again and looked down at her hands in her lap.

  Damien leaned over and took her one hand in his and placed it on his leg, covering it with his own. His eyes remained on his parents and Zoey. He realized she did not participate in any of the discussions and drew her up with him, excusing them firmly. He stalked down the stairs and around the side of the house to a secluded gazebo. Amber had to run to keep up with his long, angry strides.

  He dropped her hand and stared out to the sea with his back to her. He pulled his hand through his hair. His back was rigid and he took deep breaths to calm his once again angry emotions before he turned to face her.

  “Did you change your mind, Amber?”

  “About what?”

  “The marriage.”

  She stared at him, a flashing thought that she did not really have a choice and suppressed immediately, knowing it was a lie. Even if there was no threat that he would take Zoey away from her, she would still have jumped at the chance to marry him.

  “No.”

  He threw his hands in the air and pinned her with an annoyed glare.

  “Then what is your problem?”

  She looked down and he cursed.

  “That habit of yours is becoming bloody annoying! Look at me!”

  She breathed in and glared up at him and he relaxed. He could deal with her if she was feisty and fought back. When she became meek and timid he wanted to shake her. His eyebrow rose upward and she felt resentment shimmer inside her.

  He was so damn self-assured and high and mighty I can scream.

  “This marriage of ours … how … ehm … committed are you going to be to it?”

  He frowned and slammed his fists in his sides.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, the tabloids are full of you and all your … lovers.”

  His eyebrow rose higher and he folded his arms over his chest, waiting.

  “Dammit Damien, are you planning on carrying on your trysts with them?”

  Her violet eyes glimmered like amethyst stones and her long hair fell forward when she planted her fists on her hips. Her lips compressed into a thin line when his eyes insolently moved down her body and back up to hesitate on her shriveling nipples. The look he gave her was lusty and lewd.

  “Well, beautiful, that will depend.”

  “On what?”

  “As you might have learned during that one week we spent together, I have a mighty strong sexual appetite. Which has not diminished over the years.”

  “That much I’ve noticed!” Amber mumbled under her breath and he grinned.

  “So, my dear future wife, if you meet all my sexual needs, I doubt it would be necessary for me to find release elsewhere.”

  “Are you sure you won’t become too bored with just little old me! I am slightly older than the … women you’ve been dating, nor do I … pop out of my dresses.”

  He burst out laughing and enjoyed the angry flush on her cheeks.

  “Well, again, that is up to you, my love. A little inventiveness here and there in the bedroom might go a long way. And you … pop exactly to my liking!”

  At this point she was so angry she could slap him. If he really thought she would share her bed with others, he had another thing coming!

  “Were you at least responsible enough to wear protection or do I have something to worry about?”

  He sobered and glared at her.

  “I am not an idiot, Amber. For the record, the only woman I have ever made love to unprotected, was you.”

  “Gmphf … made love to … or had sex with? There is a difference you know.”

  “Oh, I know … you and Paul taught me that lesson years ago.”

  She paled. Defeated. Her shoulders slumped visibly. She spun away and stomped back to the porch. Damien allowed her to walk away and stared pensively after her. Try as he might, since she arrived back, the vision of her writhing wildly beneath his brother in sexual need hounded him constantly.

  He rubbed his eyes and remembered how she thrashed uncontrollably against him not so long ago, even though in pain. When her orgasm culminated into squirting the sensations that exploded through him was absolutely exquisite. The feeling of her warm liquid soaking him over and over, whilst her inner muscles clamped around him like a vice, was something he has never experienced. Never had the need or desire, to make any of the woman he had sex with over the years, lose control so completely. Except her … eleven years ago when he took her virginity, he wanted that from her already, but knew it was too soon.

  He joined them on the porch when lunch was served and not too long after, the dressmaker arrived. Eva’s eyes shone with excitement as she and Zoey led the way to the den. Once there she noticed Amber was quiet and reserved and took her by her arm.

  “Amber, I know I said some hurtful things to you at Paul’s funeral, but I realized soon after, I needed someone to blame for his death. You were the obvious target. He told us how much he loved you and you just used him. He ran off and had the accident directly after. I … Nolan told me it was all a lie a month later. I am sorry. If not for that …”

  “What do you mean Uncle Nolan told you it was a lie?”

  Eva looked away, her eyes sad.

  “We know that he lied about the two of you having had a relationship. He only did it to spite Damien. Somehow he found out you and he dated secretly. Paul was always jealous of his older brother. I broke down after his death. I could not accept my little boy was gone. I … became an alcoholic and didn’t see how much Nolan and Damien suffered. Nolan could not hold up the fort at the Airline because of his concern for me and Damien had to take over. God … he was still so young! I never realized what drove him during those first five years … not until he found you in Cleveland. I was devastated that we were not there for him. That we did not stand by him and tried to understand what he was going though. Hate … pure hate …
he fed on it.”

  Amber blanched and closed her eyes briefly.

  “That was when I realized how much my son needed me … needed us. Nolan and I pulled ourselves out of the slump we fell in. It took us years to build up our relationship with him again. I will always regret that I did that to him. At least he forgave us and he is once again the man we knew him to be. Just more … so much more.”

  Eva hugged her briefly and smiled sadly at her.

  “The two of you make a beautiful couple and with Zoey … a family. I know all is not what it should be between you, but be patient. Just love him for the man you know him to be, not the man he allows you to see. His hate and hurt will diminish. It will be up to you how fast and to what extent.”

  She nodded and hugged Eva back, feeling relaxed for the first time since they arrived. Zoey called them and rolled her eyes at them for their delay. Since entrusted with the wedding arrangements she has become a real miss control freak.

  “No. Mom you can’t be serious. That is not a wedding dress. It is a … a … sheet with holes in! You can’t marry Dad wearing that!”

  “Zoey, I am not a young girl anymore. I am twenty nine years old. Besides, we’re getting married on an island.”

  Eva laughed gaily, watching Zoey storm outside.

  “You have clearly never been there Amber. The house looks like a luxury boutique hotel and the wedding will be on the front lawn overlooking the ocean.”

  Zoey came back dragging Damien with her and Amber groaned aloud.

  “Look at this, Daddy and then tell me if you think this is a wedding dress!”

  He duly looked at the simple straight sheath dress that Zoey pointed to. His mouth flattened and he glowered at Amber.

  “You chose this dress?”

  Amber rubbed her temples and Eva looked at her worriedly.

  “Are you okay, love? Do you have a headache?”

  “Yes … a double one this time!”

  “Will you all give us a moment please?” Damien asked politely.

  “Okay, alright!”

  She grabbed the photo album from the table and started paging through it furiously and stopped at the first dress she knew would satisfy Zoey. She looked up and Damien still glowered at her. He snarled through his teeth.

  “Either you want to do this, Amber and you do it properly, or I want those signed documents when I take you home!”

  Zoey glanced between them with confusion and worry in her eyes. Eva hugged her and shook her head, mouthing at her not to worry.

  “You are such a …”

  She swallowed her words when his eyes glittered warningly. She sighed and turned to the dressmaker.

  “Do you have some drawing paper and a pencil?”

  She eagerly went to fetch it from her case and sat down, waiting for direction. Amber held her hand out and took it from her. She glanced at Damien.

  “You can go now, Damien. I will knock your damn socks off with this dress!”

  He grinned at her sassiness, then told the dressmaker to spare no cost.

  “No. Ashton is paying for my dress, Damien.”

  He clenched his teeth, clearly not happy with that piece of information, but nodded and turned on his heel to join his father back on the porch. He hesitated and said over his shoulder.

  “I’ve asked Rory to be my best man. If you have anyone we need to fly here as your maid of honor, let me know and I will arrange it. You need to choose a dress for her too.”

  “Aunt Mia! It has to be Aunt Mia, Mom.”

  “Of course, poppet.”

  “I think Aunt Mia and uncle Rory would like each other. What do you think, Mom? Oh wow! Grams, come see the dress Mom is drawing!”

  Even the dress designer was impressed and they spent another half an hour finalizing the design and decided on the material, crystals and lace.

  “Come scamp. You choose Aunt Mia’s dress.”

  “Me? I can’t!”

  “Well, you surely gave me a hard time, so you better!”

  Chapter Nine

  Damien watched Zoey lazily float in the pool. They were at his house on Sunset cove. He would like nothing better for them to stay here with him until the wedding, but he did not want to force it on Amber. His guilt over how he treated her when he found out about Zoey has been riding him non-stop.

  It was not in his nature to be violent and cruel. Now that the initial rage receded, the full impact of what he could have done to her, hit him. He rubbed his eyes and got up from the lounger, kicked his sneakers off and walked over to lower himself on the edge of the pool next to Amber. She sat swinging her legs in the water. He swirled the water with his feet and noticed with a grim smile that she ignored him.

  “There is something I have to say to you. But, you have to realize it does not change how I feel or that I have lost my desire for claiming retribution from you.”

  She stiffened and her legs stilled. She waited, keeping her eyes on Zoey.

  “Why is it always so hard for you to look me in the eyes, Amber? What more are you hiding from me?”

  She lifted her eyes to his, the violet stinging in their clarity.

  “Why do you always believe I have more to hide? What is it, Damien?”

  She sighed, not wanting to bring Paul into the discussion again.

  “What I did to you was violent and wrong and I regret it. I could have hurt you really badly and I should have known better … God, I do know better!”

  “That was the point though, was it not? To hurt me?”

  “Yes, but there are other ways to extract pain that does not include physical pain, especially not what I did. I promise you, Amber, I will never hurt you in such a way ever again. I am sorry.”

  They stared at each other and she nodded. Amber tried to decipher the emotions swirling inside her. It has been eleven years since they’ve been together and fell in love. Could love have withstood the test of time? His, most definitely not, but hers? Her heart beat with warmth every time he was near. She just was not sure whether it was fear or something more that filled her.

  She immediately said yes to marriage, but now she was not sure if such a marriage would ever survive the hurt, hate and resentment he felt for her. She could so easily change it. Was it worth it though to tell him what his brother really did and totally destroy his parents from anew? Him not believing her, due to his loyalty to his deceased brother and perhaps only expounding his hate for her?

  “As I said, it changes nothing. You cuckolded me with my brother, you took my child from me and because of that I transformed into the man I became. I want vengeance and I want my baby. None of that changes.”

  “We can’t bring a child into the world under these circumstances, Damien. You hate me!”

  “But I would love your child!”

  Amber sighed and shook her head.

  “Children can feel when there is something wrong between their parents, Damien. Every child deserves to be part of a loving family.”

  “Yes they do. Yet you do not practice what you preach, my love. You withheld our daughter’s right to just that for ten years.”

  “Damien, what do you want me to say? I was scared, you clearly hated me. You and your parents made it very clear to me at the funeral. You promised then to destroy me! How else could I have protected my baby from you but to leave?”

  “That is just the point, Amber. You did not protect your baby, you protected yourself. It was all about you and your needs, not Zoey’s and most definitely not mine! If you do not want this life with me … you can always leave after the baby is born.”

  “You … you would let me go?”

  “Alone Amber. When you leave, you will leave alone. You will not take any of my children away from me again!”

  Zoey noticed him sitting with Amber and swam closer. She frowned at them.

  “Are you fighting again?”

  “No, precious, we’re not. I have some good news though. I used to be head boy at Mast Academy and have been a
contributor to their funds for years. Your application has been approved.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. You need to decide if you want to join the day academy or the live-in academy. Our Island home is not that far from there, so you don’t have to live-in.”

  “If I don’t have to, I’d rather stay at home. I just found you, Dad. I don’t want to live away from you so soon again. I don’t know why we can’t move in now already. Dad? Don’t you want us close?”

  Damien looked at his daughter, his heart filled with warmth. No matter how hard he tried, and God knows he did, he could not believe for even a moment that she was not his own flesh and blood. He looked at Amber and she glanced at him, her eyes shuttered.

  “I did not want to appear to be too demanding, darling. I would love you to move in already, but I will leave that decision to your mother.”

  Amber sighed and shook her head. Zoey immediately sulked.

  “Now Zoey, none of that. Gramps will be released from hospital in two days and I have to be there to help Grams. When does school start?”

  “The Monday after the wedding. What do you say we go and buy all your school requirements and uniform tomorrow?”

  “Uniform?”

  “Hm hmm. They wear uniforms. That reminds me. When do you want to go and choose my wedding suit, Amber?”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you. I don’t know too much about weddings, but my mother claims there should be ‘harmony’ between the bride and grooms attire.”

  “I suppose that depends on when I am starting at the company.”

  He shook his head. “You’re not.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It would have been the ideal solution if you needed a job, Amber. You don’t anymore.”

  “Damien I can’t be dependent on you!”

  “Why not? You’ll be my wife and my responsibility. Besides, you can now at long last spend proper time with our daughter. Something you never did with the jobs you kept!”

  She searched his eyes, desperate for some sign of compassion, yet she found none.