by Reana Malori
She looked over at the man and frowned at the smirk on his face. “No fucking way.”
“Watch your mouth, girl. Remember who you’re talking to,” her father’s harsh voice snapped into the phone.
Yeah, that was a total slip. “Sorry, Dad,” she mumbled.
Taking a deep breath, she turned her back to the man her dad claimed to be Damian…THE Damian Blake. Her childhood crush and first love. There was no fucking way this was him. “Dad, please be serious.”
“I am. Ask him. He looks different, but that’s him.”
She lowered her voice. “How…Why…I thought he’d moved back to the west coast.” Closing her eyes, she prayed a hole would open beneath her.
“I kept in touch with his father and by default, with him. I knew how much the two of you meant to each other, even if you weren’t willing to admit it. After his stint in the military, he moved back east, sort of.”
“I thought…”
“I know what you thought. You were wrong,” he finished, taking a deep breath. “Now confirm his name and quit ignoring him.
Turning back to the group, she noticed the questions in the eyes of her friends. Shaking her head to let them know she’d explain later, she focused on the man standing in front of her.
Could this really be him? If it was, then time and distance had been very good to her childhood friend. “What’s your name?”
“Damian Blake.” His voice was velvety smooth. His gaze tracked along her body from the bottom of her shoes to her eyes, capturing her gaze once again. Her stomach turned topsy-turvy at the look he gave her.
Turning back to the conversation, she said, “Okay, the name matches, but I’m not convinced.”
Her dad mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, “Stubborn. Just like your crazy-ass momma.”
“What was that, Daddy?” She heard him clear enough, but she knew he wasn’t going to repeat the words. Not when she had her momma’s number on speed dial.
“Nothing, girl. Damn. He’s a big-ass white dude. Probably six feet five inches at the least. Dark hair, blue eyes. Just hold on a second. Let me send you a picture.” She could hear him mumbling and fumbling on his phone. “It’s on the way. The picture will show you if he’s the right guy.”
Rolling her eyes, she held herself back from asking why he hadn’t sent the picture when he first told her about this guy showing up. It wouldn’t do any good to question her dad about his ways. He seemed to work at things in his own unique way.
Her phone buzzed as a photo came through. “Hold on a sec, Dad. It just came through.”
Glancing at the photo of the man standing in front of her, she couldn’t help but be drawn to him even more. His harsh features told a story all their own. Whether in an expensive suit or in casual wear like he was in the photo, he commanded everything around him. His gaze was direct and within his eyes, she saw something that connected her to him. Those eyes had seen more than their fair share of this harsh world. Her mind tried to associate the young boy she knew with the man standing in front of her.
From the time she was eleven years old until he moved away when she was thirteen, Damian had been her best friend, her running partner, and the only other person—besides her parents—she shared her dreams with. When his parents had to leave Philadelphia, it had broken her heart. It took her three months to regain some sense of normalcy. Even then, they’d tried to stay in contact, but it had been difficult since this was before emails and texts and social media became the norm.
The Damian Blake standing in front of her was no longer a child. And he sure as shit didn’t appear to have an ounce of sweetness in his body. No, this Damian Blake was all man and he was not someone to be trifled with. She could see it in his eyes and suddenly she knew. It was him. Her Damian.
Goddamn it.
Sighing, she raised one hand to her brow and tried to figure out how to handle this situation. Leave it to her father to send her a fucking mercenary. A mercenary who just so happened to be her first love; the one she’d promised her teenage heart to all those years ago.
Emmaline’s voice broke through the standoff. “He good, Terra?”
Looking up from her phone, she said goodbye to her dad and hung up. She’d deal with him and his meddling ways later.
“Yeah, he’s good, Emma. Dad sent him to us.” Nodding her head to Dylan and Dredd in the universal sign of ‘it’s all good,’ she put her phone away.
Finally resting her eyes on his face again, she turned away. “Come on, Mr. Blake. You came here to talk, so let’s talk.”
CHAPTER THREE
Damian hid a smile as he turned to walk behind Terra. These women were fucking batshit crazy. But damn it, they were his kind of people. He could see them holding their own in any situation.
Climbing up the stairs behind the curvy and sophisticated Terra Dupree, he couldn’t help but stare at her hips swaying from side to side. A sudden need to know what she looked like without that tailored suit covering her body came over him. He licked his lips as he pictured his hands holding her beneath him as he slid his thick cock inside her.
It had shocked him that she didn’t recognize him when she’d first seen him. As soon as he saw her standing above him on the next level, his mind conjured up all the times they’d laid out in her parents’ backyard looking at the stars and planning their future.
Damn, he was just a kid back then. He no longer believed in fairytales and wishing upon shooting stars. But once, a long, long time ago, he had. And Terra Dupree had been the center of his world.
They’d only spoken a few words to each other, but the vision of the two of them tangled in bedsheets wouldn’t go away. Nor did he want it to. Not one to lose his head over a woman, he also appreciated that the right woman could make a man want more than just one night between the sheets. After one look at Terra after all these years, he knew she was that type of woman.
As the thoughts continued to swirl in his head, his cock thickened in his slacks. Adjusting himself, he moved his dick over to the side of his leg and kept walking. An old fable entered his head and he smiled. She was like the damn Pied Piper, and he was happy to follow her wherever she led.
“Have a seat, Mr. Blake.” Her dulcet tones called out to him, one hand motioning him toward the leather chair situated in front of her desk. The fact that she continued to call him Mr. Blake instead of Damian annoyed him. She knew who he was now. There was no reason to be so formal.
Glancing around the spacious office, he was surprised to notice it was decorated much like his own. Dark cherrywood desk, black leather executive chair, with a chestnut brown leather couch and chairs in a sitting area to the side. His eyes even caught sight of a decanter of dark liquor situated in a sleek liquor cabinet against the back wall. This was a man’s office. At least that was his first thought as he took in the space.
Looking over at the woman perched against the front of the cherrywood desk, he was even more intrigued at the person she’d become.
Where were the light colors and fluffy pillows? Shouldn’t she have pictures of cats and ballerinas or some shit like that on the walls? Standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, her long legs encased in a navy-blue pin-striped suit with a light blue button-up shirt. Her feet were in a pair of medium brown heels, the color similar to his own shoes.
He held back a groan as he pictured those heels next to his head as he pounded his dick inside her body. Damn, he wondered what she sounded like when she moaned.
“Mr. Blake.” Her voice broke through his X-rated images. Not wanting to appear too eager, he lifted his head slowly, perusing her body from the bottom of her feet to her beautiful hazel eyes. Her face was pulled tight, her brow pulled down into an annoyed frown. Her lips were pursed and her arms were crossed over her bountiful breasts.
Smiling once his gaze caught hers, he couldn’t help egging her on a bit.
“Come now, princess. Are you really going to do that? You know who I am.”
“Terra, you know me and I know you. Probably better than anyone else. Let’s not play this game.”
She turned away from him, looking at the bookcase with the pictures of her family. “I’m not sure why Dad sent you.”
“Because he knew you needed me.”
“I haven’t needed you for years.” Her head swung in his direction and her eyes snapped with anger.
“I was fourteen, Terra. My parents were leaving. I had to leave with them. Now, stop being a petulant child. Cut the Mr. Blake shit. You know we don’t play like that.”
Her gaze sharpened as she glared at him. She shook her head, denying his request. “No.”
“Why not? If we’re going to be working together on your…issue, we might as well be comfortable. I’m not going anywhere.”
He’d never had so much fun egging on a client before, but then again, none of them had been Terra. She was the girl who’d set the bar for all other girls after her. Special didn’t even begin to describe her. Part of him wanted to see what she was made of—how much had she changed—the other half of him was simply having too much fun.
“Be that as it may. Just don’t fuck with me, Damian.”
“Awww, baby, now you know when I left you were too young for that. Now, however, you are absolutely fucking perfect,” he growled, his eyes slowly perusing her body.
“Cut the shit, Damian. Now, if you can stop eye-fucking me for two minutes, we can get down to business.” Her voice held a hint of steel as she called him to task. It didn’t bother him at all. In fact, it intrigued him even more. She still made him smile, a feat not many people could claim. He was not an easy man to get close to.
When her father called him up and said Terra needed his help, he’d dropped everything. Within two hours, he was on a private plane making his way to Bum Fuck, Mississippi. All because the young girl he’d fallen in love with—and never forgot after all these years—needed his help.
“I’d rather eye-fuck you and talk at the same time. I’m a talented man. I can do both.”
He steepled his large hands on the arms of the chair and leaned back. This trip was exactly what he needed. Nothing said he couldn’t have a little fun and take care of business at the same time.
“Get out of my office.” Terra stood abruptly from the desk, her face a mask of rage, her chest heaving. The anger radiated from her, the flames reaching out to scorch him. “You were sent here for a purpose and I don’t think it was to get your dick wet, Damian. At least not by me. If you’re not here to do your fucking job, then get the hell out of my office. I’ll tell my father we couldn’t come to a satisfactory agreement. Maybe he’ll send a real professional next time.” With those words, she circled her desk and stood behind it, as if dismissing him from her presence.
Well, ain’t this some shit? She’d actually struck him silent.
“No. I’m not going anywhere, Terra. I was sent here to do a job and I’m not leaving until I finish it.” Bringing his hands down to his pants legs, he straightened the material and crossed one leg over the other. “That we know each other already and have a history has no bearing. That I still find you so fucking beautiful my heart’s ready to jump out of my chest doesn’t mean I won’t do what I’ve been asked to do. I don’t need to hide behind coy words and stolen looks. I’m not that shy little boy you knew all those years ago. If I want something, I go after it. It’s been almost twenty years, but seeing you in front of me… Yeah, I still want you. Now, more than ever. Hell, back then I had no idea what I was doing. Today’s a different story. Maybe you’re not ready for someone like me. At least not right now. It’s okay. We have plenty of time to get there.”
“This is never going to work,” she mumbled.
“What was that?” His look dared her to repeat herself.
“I said you’re a smug asshole.”
The fire inside of her called to him. He’d never be bored with her by his side, that was for damn sure. Shrugging his shoulders, he captured her gaze with his. “Yes, I am. Hell, sometimes I’m much worse. Can’t be helped.”
She made a noncommittal sound, which he took for agreement with his words. Good. It was best she understood the type of man he’d become.
“I’m also a man who knows how to get shit done. If you want my help, I’m here. If you don’t need me, I can leave. But let’s not pretend it’s something it’s not. Picturing you naked beneath me, moaning my name as I take you to heaven and back, will not stop me from helping you take care of your business.”
Yes, he was crass. His words were bold. But he meant what he said. He wanted her and wasn’t willing to change who he was or how he went after what he wanted. Might as well get shit out in the open and let the chips fall where they may.
The silence following his words was thick with tension. The air between them crackled with the things left unsaid. Her beautiful hazel eyes glared at him. Those succulent lips of hers opened and closed as she fought to find the right words.
Everything in him wanted to stand and walk over to her and taste her lips. Barely restraining himself, he remained in the chair and waited.
That his motives for coming here were less about business, and more about Terra was no surprise. Now that he’d arrived, and she was standing in front of him, he wanted to see how this all played out.
Seconds ticked by as the beautiful vixen facing him came to some type of conclusion about him, and what he’d just laid out to her.
“I think someone’s trying to sabotage our business. I don’t like it.” She looked at him with a hardened gaze. “I want them caught and I want them to pay for what they’ve done.”
Sitting in the chair behind the desk, she clasped her hands together as she spoke. Her eyes were alight with fury, her body vibrating from the intensity of her feelings. “We’ve spent too much money on this place. Everything we had. Now someone’s trying to ruin this for me, for my sisters. I’m not having it and I won’t allow shit to go down like that. So, that’s why you’re here. Fix it.”
“I’m not an errand boy here to do your bidding.” His words were meant to elicit a response.
“Maybe not. But you are here to help. This is my business and if need be, I will handle this on my own. With or without you. Again, if you can’t do the job I need you to do, you’re free to leave,” she snapped.
“That’s the second time you’ve questioned my abilities. I’m not your enemy. Never have been. Just because you’re pissed about something from our childhood doesn’t mean a damn thing to me. Let’s get something straight right from the fucking get-go. You will not speak to me like I’m one of your employees,” he ended in a near yell.
Taking a deep breath, he calmed down and stood up. Walking over to the window near the desk, he looked outside at the parking lot. The view was nothing spectacular, but he was no longer staring temptation in the face. Losing his temper wasn’t going to get him anywhere with her.
Terra had gone on the defensive as soon as she saw him, even after she knew who he was. Not sure why, but she had. If she didn’t want the help, she should have told her father that. Now that he was here, there was no way in hell he was leaving. There was no going back for him now that he had her within his grasp.
Turning his head to look at her, he studied her profile as she stared forward, avoiding his gaze. Yeah, well, he was pissed too. Their first meeting shouldn’t have spiraled down so quickly.
What the fuck was wrong with him?
Squinting his eyes as he continued to focus on her strong profile, he tried to understand why he always reacted to anything dealing with her with such intensity. It had been that way his entire life.
He’d practically stopped talking to his parents for more than a year after they’d moved. They knew how much she’d meant to him and they’d ripped him away from her. He’d even ran away once, trying to go back to see her. He’d gotten all the way to the airport in Philadelphia
when he saw Mr. Dupree waiting for him at the terminal exit. Yeah, that hadn’t been his finest moment.
His brain went stupid when it came to her. Today was no different. Sighing, he began to speak. “Terra, I’m not your enemy. For some reason, we got off on the wrong foot. That’s not how I do business.” His ears picked up her deep sigh and the sound of her body shifting in the chair. “We have a shared goal. To figure out what, if anything, is going on with your business.”
He eyed her and waited. He’d learned patience while in the military special forces, but it was nothing compared to waiting for Terra’s next words.
The low tone of her voice reached across the room to caress his skin. “I don’t like asking for help. I don’t like having someone walk up in my place to dissect everything we’ve done. Questioning every move we’ve made. I know what we’ve done here. We’ve busted our asses every day to make this place a success. Shed blood, sweat, and tears almost every damn day.”
Another sigh escaped and she stood as well, walking over to him. Stopping once she arrived by his side, she looked out the window at the same view. “I can admit that I’m probably on edge. It’s not you. I’m sure you wouldn’t have been asked to come here if you weren’t a trusted…resource. I’m actually quite happy to see you, Damian. It’s been a long time.”
Turning his head to look down at her, his blue-eyed gaze focused on her face, soaking in her features as she spoke. “Even if you were eye-fucking me.”
A hint of a smile touched her lips and his lungs seized up. His brain scrambled to remember how to breathe. This woman was going to be the death of him.
Picking up the conversation again, he smiled down at her. “Yes, I was, and I’ll probably do it again.”
She looked at him in shock and then turned her head away from him to look out the window again, a smile on her lips. His laughter rang out in the room. For the first time in a long while, he was having fun. And it was all due to her.