Page 48 of Fragile Twisted Vows
I know this because Damien Reed is not used to doing nice things for people just as I am not used to receiving nice things from people.
He’s quiet for a while and his silence is answer enough. I want to ask why, but I fear he will just have some short, curt response. Maybe he’ll say it’s to distract me, to keep me out of his hair whilst he lives his life. And I don’t want to hear that. I don’t want to hear that Damien doesn’t like being near me unless he’s starting at my body or fucking it.
Though, I do love it when he does that.
No, I want to continue to be ignorant and believe that Damien did this because he wanted to make me happy. Because he wanted to see me smile. Even though I know that is the furthest thing from the truth.
“Hurry up. We need to be in the garage in two minutes,” he barks out, but there’s a small softness to his words, I can barely detect it, but I know it’s there. I can feel his gaze as it burns through the skin of my back.
But I’m left cold once more when I feel his presence recede and hear the quick click of my door closing.
I smile then, walking away from my new art area to rush to my closet and change quickly. My cheeks hurt from my lips spreading them, but I can’t help it. I know reality will come and crash down on me, but right now, I’m in blissful ignorance. Right now, I have this moment.
He didn’t slam the door.
sixteen
Damien
She approaches me in all black, skin-tight athletic wear with her sports bra peeking out slightly from beneath her form fitting jacket.
Jesus, with the way this outlines her curves, I’m wondering if it’s worse than the skirt. The realization that she can make anything look sexy has me shoving my phone into my pocket aggressively. I punch the button for the garage on the elevator and step inside, not wanting to look at her.
I can’t be distracted by her right now. Even though we just fucked each other to oblivion. Even though I punished her and she seemed to love every goddamn minute of it.
Even though she looked me dead in the eye and told me she wanted to come and watch me dispose of a dead body. One that I killed in front of her. One that I killed for her.
She’s silent the entire way down and I want to peek at her from the corner of my eye. She’s never this quiet, not since she was young actually. I’d like to be pleased that she’s listening to me, but for some stupid reason, it brings me back to a moment I witnessed in the Fairchilds Connecticut home years ago.
“So, Damien, how long have you been in the Marines?” Michael Fairchild asks me from his long, plastic covered, expensive couch.
He holds a glass of scotch in one hand and a lit cigar in the other. I can’t help but eye it and want to laugh at the hypocrisy. They cover their couches but still smoke inside of their beachside mansion?
Fucking rich people.
“Since I was eighteen sir. Nearly twelve years now,” I say as I clear my throat and straighten my uniform, afraid that I might stain their white carpet with my combat boots.
But I am clean, polished. Formal and presentable for the senator, my girlfriend’s father.
“I climbed the ranks fairly quickly. I’ve been head of special forces for quite some time now,” I say, my tone low and confident, but not braggy.
I don’t want to brag to a piece of shit that loves to brag. All politicians do. I’m pretty sure it’s in the handbook or something.
“I wanted to protect this country and our fellow citizens since I was young, and I set out to do so when I graduated high school. I got my masters in Nuclear Engineering during my time there as well,” I say, knowing that only the first part of the sentence was a lie.
I didn’t join because I cared about this country or its people. I joined because I needed an outlet for my rage, because I wanted to make enough money without my father’s help to travel this world and hopefully find my mother. My real mother.
Megan’s small, manicured hand finds my thigh and I want to narrow my eyes at her fingers for creasing my uniform, but I keep my eyes on the senator who is now giving me a wide smile.
“You’re straightforward, Reed. I like that about you. I can see why Megan has taken quite the interest in you, though I’m not sure why she’s kept you away from us for so long.” A puff of his cigar leaves smoke billowing throughout the air. I try not to choke on it.
“Daddy, you know I’m busy with school. Damien works out of the state most of the time.”
That’s partly true.
“It’s hard for me to get alone time with him and also schedule a trip for us out here to meet my family,” she says in a slightly whiny voice, but he does nothing but smile at her.
She is the perfect apple and his eye. Megan could do no wrong, which is one of the many reasons why I’ve decided to propose to her soon.
