𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓

Chapter 37: I Hoped

Damian

"Where the fuck is Valerie!" Elias shouts, trying to jump from his seat, the fucker already broken one from how irritated he was by his so-called daughter not being in the same room as him. "She's fine," I roll my eyes, tossing a knife beside his head. The shithead doesn't even flinch but glares me through dark eyes and heavy breaths.

"Why the fuck did you separate us?" He said through gritted teeth, rolling my eyes I sighed stalking toward him, "Celeste asked me to" His glare softened turning into confusion, after Davin told me his plan, I a hundred percent agreed.

What would be better than seeing his feelings get him killed? "Wondering why? Neither do I, so I guess both of us have something to worry about." He might think I'm lying, but at least I'll give him something to overthink. He could either think Valerie's in trouble, or he is.

❦

Twisting the door handle, I enter our bedroom. My gaze instantly lands on Celeste, putting her hair up in a messy bun. Celeste and I have been through ups and downs. We've barely spoken as much, and the only time we have a conversation is in the meeting room.

After Elias and the crash happened, I've known she's been upset, by the way she can barely look at me, her body language, but most of all her eyes speak to me, she doesn't feel as comfortable as she used to be with me.

It could be because Elias is under our roof or because she saw the real me the day of the crash. Just as Elias said, "She'll leave as soon as she sees the real you."

I sighed when she flinched and turned to face me. "Hey," she nervously said before turning back to the mirror before her. "Hey," I replied.

Without my permission, my blood starts boiling beneath my skin as I remove my coat and slide my walk-in closet door open. The air between us has always been tense, but not like this.

It's desperately wanting for one of us to break the silence, the more time I spent without hearing her voice...feeling her beside me.

It's driving me mentally insane. I hate having to hold back, I...

I want her. I need her. Elias is in my basement, tied up and waiting for a bullet to hit his fucking skull; he can't stop me from keeping her; he won't stop me from chasing what I want.

I've always pursued what I want and have always received it. Why the hell is he stopping me now?

"Celeste," my voice came out harsher than I meant for it, and when I paced back into the room, I caught her back still facing me. "Yes?" she asks. "I don't want to hold back anymore." Her body stills, and slowly, she faces me, her eyes slightly narrowed and confused.

Taking a step closer, I am still a few inches away, "I don't want Elias to be the reason I'm afraid of keeping you. I've tried so hard to be a dick to you, to push you away, but all it does is dig a knife deeper into my heart" To my shock, she takes a step forward.

Her eyes round in shock as I continue, "I miss you so much, Princesa, I want you so fucking badly, baby. I would let you hurt me over and over again-"

Before I could finish my sentence, Celeste slammed her lips against me, her hands gripping my neck, dragging me deeper into her kiss as I grasped her waist, pulling her into me, "You want me?" She breathes with a smile, nodding desperately she forces me into the bed, crawling over my lap I grind herself against me.

"I want you," I groan, feeling my cock harden with thrill. She breaths heavily, sending shivers across my body as she sways her hips back and forth against me, "Princesa," I say, tugging at her mouth when she suddenly releases me, "Let me hold you tonight" She frowns at first, confused by what I meant. The silence becomes thicker again, but she eventually nods; tugging my shirt off, I toss it to the corner. At the same time, she crawled to her side of the bed.

Laying beside her, I tug the blanket over us. My arm reaches for her, and instantly, she is cradled into a ball as she allows me to embrace her. Her hand grips mine tightly as her warmth devours me whole, and all my worries and tension disappear from my shoulders once I feel her.

"Promise me you won't fall for him," I whisper into her ear, "What?"
"Elias...the mission-"
"I would never fall for a man like him, Damian, never," she whispered back, feeling her body get comfortable against mine. My heart beat steadily, "I know you wouldn't."

Being able to feel, see, touch, and kiss her makes my day ten times better. I never expected to feel this way, especially for a woman like Celeste Dolores.

She has a power over me that no one has been able to hold. When I see her, my heart starts racing, my palms get sweaty, and as much as I try to maintain a straight face, a smile tries to creep out. Her eyes are what I've dreamed of my kids having. She's perfect to me.

She's perfect for me. As much as I regret my past and everything I did, I have to tell her one day, and I just hope she'll be able to keep me. I hope she'll be able to see me in the eyes and know I am not that man anymore.

That cruel fucking man. I lied to her, telling her I didn't do anything when, in fact, I did hurt Elias. I thought hurting him would make me feel better for him hurting me, but all it did was bring me pain instead of him.

I nearly killed my brother, and I didn't regret it that day. My father never saw him as a perfect son, so he chose me as his heir that day at the ring.

The day father held a whip, the day I didn't stop him, the day everything fell apart, and the day my mother was horrified to see what me and father did to her oldest son.

If I could go back and change everything, I would. If I could have stopped the power my so-called father had over me, I would have. If I could have treated my brother with respect and made him feel worthy, I would have.

But now it's too late; my brother wants me dead, and secretly, I do too, but all I ever wanted was a brother; I want him by my side. I want the brother's love, I wish I could have killed father with him.

A tear slips my eye before I can control it, Celeste snores keeping me at peace, holding her extra tightly I place a soft behind her neck, "I... I love you, princess." I breathe, and by her little snores, I am still even. I knew she didn't hear me. "I've always secretly loved you," I whisper. I can barely hear it myself, "I'm sorry," I whisper clearer this time before placing my head on the pillow and shutting my eyes.

Celeste

Fuck Me.