“You will have two households to run, so believe me you will earn your keep.”
“Are you sure you are not fighting? It sounds pretty much like fighting to me, Dad!”
“Let’s say we are having a discussion where we need to come to an agreement. Sooner rather than later.” She frowned at him, but went back to floating on her back in the middle of the pool.
“Who is going to take charge then?”
“Ashton. He now owns twenty five percent shares in the Company and your Dad has decided to retire anyway. It is the only reason Ashton never worked there. Their views clashed too much.”
“You sold the shares to him?”
“No.”
“It’s my Dad’s shares?”
“No.”
“Do I really have to drag this out of you?”
“I gave it to him.”
“So my debt to you just increases by the minute! You truly wrapped your tentacles tight around me, haven’t you?”
“It cost me a lot of money to get to this point, Amber. Even if your Dad did not get sick, I would have found a way to get you here, even if I had to spend another hundred million dollars in the process.”
She gasped and her eyes widened.
“You … you spent a hundred million to … save Dad’s Company?”
“And then some.”
Amber could not breathe. This was just getting worse by the minute. He kept looking at her, identifying the emotions flashing over her face. His smile was sardonic.
“Why? Why Damien? Eleven years! How much longer would you have kept looking?”
“I stopped looking after you disappeared in Cleveland, Amber. Then I set everything in motion that brought us here.”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you really think I would just have one safeguard in place? Amber? I didn’t save your Dad’s company. I am the one that destroyed it in the first place. It took me two years to run it into bankruptcy and then I won their confidence and built it back up. Their house belongs to me, every piece of furniture, cars, boats, you name it. It belongs to me.”
“How could you? They were innocent in all of this!”
“And then there is Ashton.”
“Oh Lord no! Not him too!”
“Are you getting the picture yet, Amber?”
She was devastated. He had her just where he wanted her. In his grasp, totally defenseless, like a puppet on a string, and her family were the strings! If she did not do what he wanted, he would destroy them!
“I see that you do. There is just one thing I did not factor in my vengeance preparation … Zoey.”
“Oh God no! Leave her be!”
He glowered at her.
“She is my daughter and I would never use or hurt her in any way. But be warned, Amber, I will not hesitate to take her away and out of your life, should I have even the slightest notion that you are trying to do me in again!”
The remaining week and a half flew by. Even at ten years of age Zoey was a real entrepreneur and planned and negotiated like a pro. She obviously took after Damien in that she was one of the few people with a well above average IQ. With that came maturity and she acted and thought like a young adult. It was little wonder she was so frustrated with their lives in Sitka.
Of course, no cost was spared. No matter how hard she tried to cut back on everything, she was ignored by everyone. The wedding turned into the planned social event of the year with a guest list of nearly three hundred people.
Amber nearly had a heart attack when they went for their final dress fittings with Eva and were swarmed by journalists. She refused to answer any questions, but was relieved that she took time to get dressed that morning. At least she would not be guilty of putting Damien to shame with a shabby appearance on photographs in the newspapers.
Eva very eloquently informed them that Damien has already issued a press release which would appear the following day. Should they have any further questions, they should contact his PR Manager at the Airline.
As soon as they were dispersed, she quickly phoned Damien and informed him of what happened and his immediate concern was for Zoey and Amber.
“Get them out of there, Mom and take them home with you. I don’t want them to follow her to her parents’ house and hound them there. I’ll pick them up by boat in two hours.”
“I guess it is something we should get used to.”
“Damien has never allowed the tabloid stories to affect him. They will always write what makes copies sell, no matter how much they have to twist and turn the truth. But he will not allow them to endanger his family in any way. The two of you are his family now, so he will ensure you are not bothered anymore.”
It was already quite late by the time Damien docked his boat at her parents’ jetty. Zoey had fallen asleep on one of the benches and Damien carried her up to her room. Her parents were already in bed and she went directly to the kitchen and made them some tea.
She had her back to the door and was startled when strong hard arms went around her from behind and hugged her back against his chest. He pulled her hair out of the way and nibbled her neck and swirled his tongue around her earlobe. His one hand slowly moved higher over her arm and folded around her throat to tilt her head back. Their eyes met and his burned with a low shimmering fire.
“I want to kiss you, beautiful. Will you allow me one kiss?”
He stroked the soft skin below her other ear and she shivered. He caressed her stomach with hot circular movements of his fingers and her panties flushed with liquid heat. She caught her breath and turned in his arms. She did not question him asking permission for a kiss, when till now he has only taken. All she knew was that her lips already tingled in anticipation and her tongue salivated for his taste in her mouth.
Her soft, full lips were slightly parted and her tongue peeked out to swipe over their surface. He groaned and lowered his head, slowly pulling her tighter against his body.
She gasped when she felt his searing hard shaft pressing against her stomach. Then there was bliss. Total bliss and intoxicating passion. Heat swirled in her veins, her skin tingled and she pressed deeper into him. He kissed her with sensual intensity and her arms wrapped around his neck to pull him closer. He went deeper then, feeding hungrily from the nectar of her lips. Then suddenly he was gone. He jerked away from her and went to stand on the other side of the kitchen, his back to her with his hands in his pockets, his breathing hard.
“This goddamned wedding can’t come quick enough!”
Amber could not agree more. She turned back to the counter and finished their tea. She carried it to the table and sat down trying to get her emotions under control. He sat down across the table and sipped his tea.
“I want Zoey and you to come and stay on the Island so long. All the arrangements are done and I would feel better if you are out of range of the reporters.”
“Or make sure I don’t run?”
He chuckled. “No Amber that is the one thing I don’t need to worry about ever. In case you are under any misconception, let me clarify it for you. I will destroy your family if you run again. I will pick you up around eleven in the morning. I have an early morning meeting first. I don’t plan going in to the office for the following two weeks.”
Amber still sat at the kitchen table when Ashton walked in an hour later.
“Hi Ash. Had a nice evening?”
“So-so. What are you still doing up.”
She shrugged and smiled at him.
“Just thinking. I realized I have not bought Damien a wedding band yet. I’ll have to go early morning. I have another errand I need to run as well. Would you mind staying a little later tomorrow morning? I don’t want Zoey to bother Mom.”
“Sure. Have you told him yet, Amber?”
“No, nor do I intent to. You have to understand what his parents went through, Ash. I can’t destroy their memory of their son. Damien … he won’t believe me and it would only infuse his hatred higher.”
“I did keep his child from him for ten years, Ash. Nothing is going to change that.”
“It’s not fair, Amber!”
“Life is not fair, brother dear! So, did you manage to deliver the wedding cake in one piece to the caterers?”
“Yes and they were totally bowled over. How you managed to finish it in so little time is beyond me! All those sugar flowers, the intricate piping and lace work … how much sleep did you get over the past week?”
“Not much, so I intend to go to bed right this minute and get at least a good six hours tonight. You won’t forget to pick Mia up from the airport tomorrow evening?”
“Hell no! I’d be too scared! She’s likely to clobber me to death if I do! Do I bring her to Indian Creek then?”
“If you don’t mind, but only on Friday morning. She’s spending tomorrow at her parent’s place. She is my maid of honor and have to help me dress and keep me sane for this wedding, of which I hardly know any of the guests!”
“Now you’re exaggerating. All our aunts, uncles and their kids will be there. Damien was adamant that we keep the guests to family and friends, there are very few Business associates invited. Do you have so little interest in the wedding that you did not even check the guest list?”
“I have been busy with the cake and tried to keep Zoey from going totally overboard. I did not want my wedding to turn into a circus!”
Chapter Ten
Amber’s errant took longer than anticipated and it was already half past eleven by the time she parked her Dad’s SUV in the garage. She was still busy unloading her shopping when Damien stomped closer. She looked up and sighed. He was angry again.
“Where were you?”
“I had a few errands to run and one of them took longer than I thought. I am sorry you had to wait.”
“You cut your hair!”
“Very observant, Damien. Oh, stop glaring at me! I never wear my hair as long as it grew this time. Besides they hardly cut ten centimeters off!”
“Which is eight too many! I like your long hair. Zoey says you left before eight already, what else took so long?”
The distrust was clear in his eyes and she threw her hair over her shoulder and returned his glare with one of her own.
“Do you require a rundown of every minute of my time from now on, Damien? You clearly don’t trust me. What do you think I did?”
The emotion in his eyes flashed his thought and she sputtered.
“You think I have been on some secret tryst? Good Lord, we’ve only been back four weeks! Where would I even have found the time to meet anyone? You have been watching me like a hawk!”
“Your track record speaks for itself, Amber.”
“Yes, it does. But it is a track record you know nothing about, apart from Paul … which is a one sided version and construed to hurt you!”
He paled and she cursed herself. She did not intend bringing him up ever again and at the littlest provocation she blurted his name out.
“Convenient, isn’t it. He is not here to defend himself!”
“More so is the pity! Why don’t you ask Zoey then? I am sure she would be able to name each and every man that walked through our door over the years!”
His lips flattened into a thin line and he grabbed the bags from her hands and stormed into the house.
Good Lord, but the man was infuriating. No marriage would withstand such mistrust! Yet... in his mind, he had due cause.
All the luggage was already loaded on Damien’s boat and he carried her shopping bags directly there. He stood steaming on the jetty and strode back and forth like a caged animal. He hated the feeling of despair that flushed his mind the moment he walked through the door and she was not there. Yet at the same time he knew she would not disappear without Zoey, but he could not curb the anger boiling inside him all the time they waited for her to arrive.
“I went to buy you a wedding band and a wedding gift, Damien.”
Her voice was soft behind him and he froze. Her small hand closing over his arm, burned his skin and he turned around.
“Ashton upheld an investment portfolio for me that we started when I was sixteen and it came to maturity last week. So I bought it with my own money, not yours through any of them, in case you’re wondering!”
“I wasn’t. You did not have to do that, Amber.”
“I will have a ring to place on your finger during the ceremony, Damien. If you choose not to wear it from that point forward is obviously your choice. We both know you don’t really want this marriage, so I won’t insist on you wearing it.”
“How very noble of you! Will you then be the one to explain to our daughter why her father is not wearing a wedding band?”
She sighed and just shook her head.
“I am not going to become a meek little yes love, no love type of wife, Damien. No matter what type of vengeance you have in mind! I acknowledge I made a mistake, but I will not be your willing punch bag. I am not going to give you a minute by minute log on my time every day either!”
“Then give me your promise you won’t run away again.”
She gaped at him. It would take as little as that for him to trust her? He noticed her look and shrugged his shoulders, but he waited for her to respond.
“You don’t trust me as far as you can see me, why would my promise mean anything to you?”
“Because in that I believe you to be honorable. And I did not refer to the wedding band, Amber. I meant the gift. I have always believed myself to be a man of honor and integrity. I have every intention of honoring the bonds of marriage. At least with a ring on my finger it might keep those unwanted advances at bay.”
He looked up when Zoey and the rest of the family walked down the stairs towards them. He kept his eyes on them, but forced the words past his angry lips.
“Your promise, Amber.”
“I won’t run away again. I promise, Damien.”
He nodded and opened his arms for Zoey that ran towards them and then with a shriek jumped into his arms. His strong legs not even moving when he caught her flying into his arms from a meter away.
They started saying their goodbyes and Zoey hugged and kissed her grandparents as if she would not be seeing them again in two days. She frowned and then smiled broadly.
“I just remembered! Mom, you and Dad are getting married on your birthday! Oh, this is sooo exciting! Did you know, Dad?”
“Yes, darling. I did.”
Amber froze and their eyes met. The message very clear in his. He deliberately chose her birthday! The same day she became his eleven years ago!
“And very, clever. Now you only have to remember one date every year!” Parker laughed.
“Oh no, Gramps! He will still spoil her for both! I will make sure of it!”
Everyone laughed at Zoey’s indignant response and soon they were on their way to their new home on Indian Creek. Damien told them on the way there that he also owned a private Island in the Florida Keys, by name of Russell Key and they would spend regular weekends there. Due to Indian Creek on Miami Beach being much closer than that, they would permanently reside there so that Zoey could be a daily student at Mass Academy.
“Why the house in Lauderdale then as well?”
“It was the first one I bought and stayed there until I bought this one on Indian Creek. I guess we could sell it now, though. I’ve rarely used it since I moved to Indian Creek.”
The house that he moored in front of, took their breaths away. It was an ultra-modern three story home with massive windows facing the ocean.
Situated on a private island off of Miami Beach, the 2-acre, 30,000-square foot compound looked more like a private, contemporary resort.
“This … is our home? Really Dad? For real?”
“Yes, precious. This is our home.”
Zoey gaped with an open mouth throughout the house tour and so did Amb
er. It was luxurious and exclusive, yet homey at the same time. The pavilions included a main pavilion, a guest pavilion, a media pavilion, a spa pavilion with everything from a massage room to chromo therapy, and a gym pavilion with a second-story "sky" bar, lounge area and 8-person Jacuzzi. The estate's main pavilion housed a kitchen, an additional catering kitchen, a living room, a dining room, a wet bar, six en-suite bedrooms, a wine cellar and a library. The pavilions were constructed using limestone for the walls running east to west and glass and wood framing for walls running north to south. The result was sun constantly running through the house, which was what Damien wanted.
The grounds included waterfalls, a Zen-like water garden, indoor and outdoor reflection pools and a koi pond. The 100-foot infinity-edge swimming pool was fitted with underwater speakers. The beach beyond comprised of pink sand imported from the Bahamas. The courtyard between pavilions hosted a "living wall," or vertical garden, of 50 plant species that a computerized system fed and watered. The media pavilion included a 3D projector studio in which the concrete walls did not touch the rooms' "floating" paneling. A lighting architect was hired to fit the entire compound, including the 150 year old banyan tree at the gated entrance, with LED lighting for a bright night time glow.
“Wow Mom! We have our very own movie theatre! Isn’t that cool! Our whole apartment at Sitka would fit into this kitchen!”
“With some room to spare, yes.”
They laughed together but Amber sobered at the look of anger on Damien’s face.
She walked to him and took his hands in hers. She decided she was going to put a concerted effort in to make him believe and trust in her again.
“Damien, I know you’re angry with me, but our lives were what they were and it was not all bad. Apart from hating Sitka, Zoey was a happy child and never wanted for anything.”
She grinned wryly and smiled, looking back towards her.
“Apart from branded clothing! I could not afford that, apart for her birthday. You can’t close up and resent me even more every time someone makes a reference to that time of our lives.”
His fingers tightened around hers, until she gasped and winced with pain. His grip loosened immediately and he lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them sensually.
His Vengeance, Marriage and a Baby: He hated her for cockolding him with his brother. Now he wanted vengeance. Page 9