Tattooed Emotions Part 21

I grinned to myself and lay back down on the floor to enjoy my last few minutes of peace and quiet before my break was over.

As I slipped myself into the black lace gown that Damien had surprised me with yesterday evening, I found myself counting down the minutes until he arrived for our date. He still hadn't told me what kind of charity it was, but I was excited that he was including me in it.

I'd even matched the floor-length gown with a new black lacy bra and panty set, and I couldn't wait to see the look on Damien's face when he saw them.

My hair was pulled up off my shoulders, leaving my back bare. I'd tried to keep my makeup light, except for a soft smoky look to contrast my green eyes. And I'd added a rosy-pink blush to brighten my unusually pale face.

In truth, I guess I hadn't kept my makeup as bare as I'd intended for it to be, but I'd let tonight be an exception because I felt utterly beautiful wearing it, and I needed the extra color in my cheeks.

I went back into my bedroom to put on a pair of black heels. It made me smile when I realized that I was completely dressed in Damien's favorite color.

The doorbell chimed. I released a nervous breath, but I was equally excited to see the man who consumed all my thoughts these days.

My heels clinked on the floor as I went to the kitchen counter to grab my clutch and keys before heading over to the door to open it.

I immediately lost my breath at the sight of Damien in a black tux with his dark brown hair lightly combed with a light gel or mousse.

He looked...ravishing.

His shoulders filled out his suit perfectly while concealing all his tattoos. Strength, confidence, and s.e.x radiated out of him, nearly knocking me off my feet. He looked just as he had the day when I first met him-only, now, there were no hard edges on his face. There was only heat and adoration for me.

"You look..." Damien trailed off, as if losing his train of thought.

I gazed into the depths of his gray eyes to see them darkening with desire by the second.

"Breathtaking." He stared up at me, and that smile of his that he reserved solely for me was firmly in place. "Absolutely breathtaking, Raelyn," he finished, leaning in for a kiss.

My heart stammered in my chest.

"The same could be said about you," I countered as we parted.

"But it wouldn't carry the same meaning." He shook his head with a clear sign of denial. "I'm going to be fighting off men by the dozen after they all ask you to dance with them tonight."

I lifted a teasing brow and smirked. "Then, you had better dance with me."

"Are you making demands, gorgeous girl?" He drew me into his arms and slid his palm down my bare torso. "Because the odds might be in your favor as long as you're wearing all this black lace."

"I am," I answered swiftly, shivering when he reached the small of my back. I inwardly grinned, knowing there was more lace beneath the dress.

"Then, I guess I'd better oblige and surprise you with more of my moves tonight, so no one has the opportunity to steal you away from me."

I blushed, recalling our night at the bar and the stamp he'd placed on my heart by coming out on the floor to dance with me. "Don't make me swoon too much though, or I might fall on my face."

"I can't make any promises. I have to make your heart skip a beat whenever I get the chance." He laughed softly and pressed his lips to my cheek. "Well, we'd better get going, or we'll be late."

Damien led me out of my apartment. I locked up behind us before we made the short journey down the stairwell of the building and outside. There was a sleek sports car with a man in a suit waiting next to the open back door.

"Wow..." I murmured in awe with my eyes glancing between Damien and the car. "Did you rent this just for tonight?"

"No, it's one of mine that I store in another garage." He smiled down at me. "I only drive it on special occasions. Do you like it?"

I lowered down into the seat, noting the premium leather material under me. It was as if I were sitting on silk. Damien slid in beside me.

"Oh, yes, it's lovely. What kind of car is this?" I asked over the soft noise of the driver closing us in.

"It's an electric Tesla Model S." He grinned boyishly. "It can go from zero to sixty in two-point-eight seconds."

"Whoa."

The driver settled into the front seat, started the car, and pulled out into traffic. I barely felt the movement. It was so smooth that it felt as if we were gliding in air.

As we began to drive through town, Damien linked my fingers with his and caressed the inside of my palm with the tip of his finger where he traced a circular pattern over and over again. His touch was slow and deliberate, the complete opposite of my racing heart, yet I could feel the unease emitting out of him. Something was worrying him.

I wanted nothing more than to bombard him with a list of questions. Afraid I might tip his emotions over the edge, I held myself back. And by the looks of his anxious state, he needed this time to himself. So, instead, I let us travel in silence.

When the Tesla was finally put into park and the pa.s.senger door swung open seconds later, I felt unprepared for the scene unfolding before my eyes.

Blinding bright flashes were fired at Damien and me as a crowd of paparazzi swarmed and shouted at him. Damien rose out of the car, pivoted to face me, and bent at the waist to give me a helping hand. I came to stand next to him on the red carpet lining the pathway up the steps that led to a huge entrance.

He hauled me into his side and wrapped a protective arm around my back while leaning in to put his lips to my ear. "Stay close to me, and don't stop for anyone," he instructed impa.s.sively with his mask firmly in place.

I observed my Damien was gone. The man before me was Damien Heathman, prestigious owner of Heathman Enterprises.

All I could do was nod my head in agreement before the harsh bulbs were aimed at us from every direction while questions were shouted at him.

"Damien, will you donate five billion dollars again this year to AVFK?" a woman asked.

I wondered what the abbreviation stood for.

"Why so much? Is it because this charity is personal for you?"

Our driver came to our rescue and shoved back a man who had stepped in front of our path.

A long pole with a large microphone was dangled in front of our faces from afar. "Mr. Heathman, were you abused as a kid?"

My steps faltered, and Damien shoved the microphone out of our way and gently pulled on my arm to keep us in motion.

"Damien, who is the woman on your arm tonight?"

None of the queries made Damien's steps toward the entrance falter, except for one.

"Mr. Heathman, why did you start this charity for kids? Why not a different one?"

Still maintaining a firm hold on me, Damien whipped his attention over to the short guy, making him shrink back. "Because every kid deserves to have a voice."

More than three-dozen flashes sounded off as the same man stepped forward, waving his microphone. "Does A Voice for Kids have anything to do with your emanc.i.p.ation from your own parents when you were-"

Holy f.u.c.k.

Damien rested his hand on the small of my back and gave me a somewhat firm push forward. The remainder of the man's question faded into the background noise as other paparazzi kept shouting.

I was on the verge of hyperventilating and overflowing with rampant emotions by the time we reached the inside of the building.

Not Damien. Irritation seeped out of his every last pore as he softly veered me off to a secluded hallway.

His hand fell from mine as he leaned forward to brace himself on the wall. "f.u.c.k, I don't know what I was thinking," he growled, slamming his palm into the corner of a doorjamb. "I shouldn't have brought you here."

I cringed, knowing his hand must be throbbing.

I angled my body, so I could see his face that he was hiding from me. I was unaffected by the hostility and rage leaking out of him. I knew it wasn't aimed at me.

My head was swarming with the paparazzi's comments and the information I'd overheard about him. I wanted to be so angry with him for bringing me to this charity without shedding any light on it-but not because of its name, the fact that he was the founder of it, or its personal meaning to him-but I couldn't. None of that mattered right now because I admired his strength for being here and even more so for bringing me with him. It was as if he couldn't tell me his past, but he was letting me in and showing me a glimpse of it.

"Yes, you most certainly should have brought me with you," I countered a.s.sertively, lifting my hand to gingerly and lovingly stroke his face, hoping to instill my confidence in him. "I'm right where I'm supposed to be, Damien, and nothing you or those heartless idiots outside say will change the way I feel."

"There is a great deal in my past that could make you have a change of heart, Raelyn," he admitted, not meeting my eyes. "But I'm determined for you to never see that part of me. It's not who I am-not anymore."

Unease settled over me at his loaded statement, but I tucked it away. "So, you have a past. Everyone does." I brought his face to mine, refusing to let him avoid me for another second. "You can hide from it, or you can continue to face it head-on, just as you did before I was in the picture."

He was quiet for a moment, appearing to be collecting his thoughts, before he drew me into his body until our foreheads were touching. "You've changed the way I see things, Raelyn." His breathing was rough and ragged as he tenderly brushed his knuckles down the side of my face. "My world is no longer hollow with only darkness."

"You've changed me, too," I admitted, barely above a whisper, leaning into his touch. "Now, let's give this charity the voice it deserves and get you out there."

"You never cease to amaze me." He smiled tenderly. "For having such a pet.i.te frame, your heart truly is bigger than the moon."

"I can a.s.sure you, it's not larger than anyone else's, but it knows a worthy cause when it sees one," I said, referring to more than the charity itself.

He was worthy.

Damien had shared a part of himself with me tonight, and I was going to make sure that I would be virtuous enough to stand by his side.

"And that's why I never plan to let you go." He kissed the tip of my nose before reaching for my hand. "Come with me. I'd like to introduce you to some of my friends."

Over the course of the next hour, I held on to Damien's arm as he led me around the room and introduced me to a number of people. A few were personal friends of his, some were coworkers from Heathman Enterprises, and others were guests here on their own. All of them were gathered here to support an exceptional cause, and it was truly remarkable to see.

When Damien approached a gentleman in a gray plaid suit with a purple tie, Damien brought us to a stop and set his hand on the man's elbow to get his attention as he told me, "Raelyn, I'd like you to meet one of my oldest, dearest friends, Oliver Hutchinson."

The man spun to face us with a broad smile in place.

Damien gestured to me. "Oliver, this is my girlfriend, Raelyn Jennings."

"Who are you calling old, son?" Oliver released a belly laugh, holding his champagne gla.s.s out in front of him.

I guessed he was in his late fifties.

His thick accent made a presence as he added, "I still prefer to be called a young lad."

"I wasn't calling you old, Oliver. However, I think using the term young is a bit of a stretch, don't you?" Damien retorted with a teasing voice. "I meant, our friendship has been one of long-standing." He gazed at me and smiled fondly. "I've known Oliver since I was fourteen. He was my neighbor, and he helped me make my first business venture."

I nodded as Oliver set his hand on Damien's shoulder and gave him a pat on the back.

"I'll never be an old man." Oliver chuckled. "But I know what you mean, boy. Rarely does one come across a friendship that lasts a lifetime." He nudged Damien out of the way and came to stand at my side as he added, "Now, let me get a good look at this beautiful lady who has captured your eye."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hutchinson." I smiled kindly, extending my hand.

"Mr. Hutchinson is my father. Please, call me Oliver." He gently shook my hand. "And the pleasure is all mine, dear."

Damien seemed distracted as he glanced around at the roomful of people. Then, he set his hands on either side of my shoulders and affectionately rubbed them. "Would you mind if I stepped away? There is a matter that I need to attend to."

"Not at all." I smiled at him.

"Excuse me for a moment." Damien gave Oliver a stern yet teasing look. "And, you, don't say anything that might scare her away."

Oliver arched a brow. "You mean, don't tell her things like how you TPed my house at the ripe age of fourteen?"

I laughed as Damien rolled his eyes.

"Exactly. Leave those kinds of things out of the conversation until I'm here to defend myself," he mused before leaning in to kiss my temple. "I'll be right back."

My eyes followed Damien as he increased the distance between us. I figured he had something imperative to do with the charity. Each of his strides was made with purpose, as if he owned the room, and in a way, he did. Every person he pa.s.sed seemed to turn their heads to look or smile at him.

"Would you like a gla.s.s of champagne?" Oliver asked, stopping a waitress pa.s.sing by.

She had a large tray over her shoulder filled with gla.s.ses.

"No, thank you," I responded. There was no way I would risk a repeat of my night at FireSide Bar where I had a stomachache and a headache. Water was the thing I'd be drinking tonight.

Oliver swapped out his empty champagne gla.s.s for a new one. He thanked the waitress, and then she walked off.

"I'm delighted Damien brought you tonight," he began warmly. "So, how did you come to meet my boy?"

I was intrigued by how fondly he spoke of Damien, almost fatherly like.

"Work. I own an accounting firm, Adams and Jennings Accounting Services, here in Sarasota with my business partner."

"Ah, I see." Oliver's expression lifted in surprise, and then he frowned. "You're Cale Adam's partner?"

"Yes," I answered evenly, hiding my regret, not wanting to divulge anything more on the subject.

"I'm deeply sorry to hear of your troubles with him. Cale was a good man steered wrong by greed."

I felt winded by his comment. It caused me to shift on my heels, feeling distressed.

"I'm terribly sorry, Ms. Jennings. I spoke out of turn. It wasn't my intention to make you feel uncomfortable." His eyes filled with regret as he set his hand on my elbow. "It's just that I've known Damien for a long time, and I think of him as family. I hope you can understand my concern."

"I do." I swallowed thickly.

I didn't want Damien to get hurt by Cale's wrongdoing any more than Oliver did, and I still felt apprehensive about Damien not accepting my repayment to cover my partner's offence. Damien and I would need to discuss that topic again. I wasn't comfortable with Adam & Jennings Accounting Services accepting Damien's cop-out even if it was a generous offer. I had my pride, and I would do the right thing.