SIXTY ONE
DAMON
Sweeping her hair off her face, my elbow leaned into the bed some more and I took in the view of her sleeping face. Despite the dim light in the room, I could still see notable facial features and when my gaze landed on her closed eyes, I recalled the passionate look I saw in her eyes while our bodies yearned for each other more than they did in the past.
Remembering that heart-fluttering view caused my heart to thud more than usual, but, honestly, at this point, I am not fazed by the bizarre thing happening in my chest.
“Selena,” I called her gently, hoping not to startle her. “Let’s eat.”
“Hmm…” Her lips curled into a pretty smile and I deduced that she wasn’t sleeping after all. Without opening her eyes, she asked with a croaky voice, “Can’t I just eat you instead?”
“Don’t say weird things and get out of bed,” I quickly replied to her and rushed out of the room before she could pin me down and do as she wishes. I can’t have that happening since I have my plans to make her feel unexplainable things my way and my way only. “I have not eaten all day, so you had better hurry.”
“Stop telling me what to do!” Selena cried sternly from the room as I stepped into the fairly large living room which doubled as the kitchen.
Chuckling as I made my way to the marbled island that separated the kitchen from the living room, I noticed the small bed that was unusually placed in the middle of the room was still waiting to be picked up. Once that was tossed behind one of the couches in the room, I told myself that I needed to dry in the sun the next day.
Soon, I had my seat on the high stool facing the small kitchen, arranged the plates I stacked to a side, and pulled the bowl of fried rice closer. While I was dishing it, I felt hands circle around my waist and my smile returned.
Selena wouldn’t let me turn as she rested her head against my back and said, “I don’t know what you did to me back there, but now I want you more.”
“You do have feelings for me.”
“But I am not in love with you,” she quickly remarked and I smirked as my head ducked with disbelief, amusement tucked within my action.
“Of course, you are not.” Peeling her hands off my waist, I turned and hugged her closer, my thick thigh caging her between my legs securely. I could feel her protruding breasts against my chest and I could feel her soft breath as it settled on the skin of my collarbone. “Selena, you are not in love with me, you just want me.”
“I want you…” she repeated before her eyes wore a glow and she excitedly said, “That’s what I have been saying all day. I am not in love with you, I just want you more and more as time goes by.”
“You are right,” I confirmed her words even though a part of me greatly admired her denial. The aroma of the meal filled the air and after I took a sharp breath, I gently pushed her toward the seat beside me. “Aren’t you hungry?”
“Oh, I am.” She accepted one of the filled plates and soon began to dig in without waiting for me. But I didn’t care about that. As she savoured the taste of the food, her eyes bulged with surprise and her head sharply darted my way. “You are a good cook!”
That delight was the very thing I wanted to see and once she expressed it, I felt fulfilled and began to eat my food. “I know. My mother taught me well.”
“She sure did.”
The silence that followed lasted for minutes. And no word was spoken until our plates were void of tiny grains of rice.
Once we were done, Selena took my empty plate and walked toward the sink while she said, “The rain has stopped. We should sit outside for a while.” Clanking noise followed as the plates were settled into the metallic sink and Selena turned to face me. “What do you think? The breeze will be very chilly but it will be worth it. The ocean view is pretty at night.”
“Do you come here often?”
“Not really.” Selena faced the unwashed plates again and reached for the dish soap and sponge. “While I love solitude, I don’t like coming to places like this alone. I might jump into the sea and decide to die there and then.”
She wasn’t joking.
My heart didn’t like the sound of that so much that I felt it squeeze and my feet quickly hit the ground, walking me toward her as the sound of rushing water came from the tap.
“Selena…” My arms wrapped around her shoulders as her hands began to rush the soapy sponge through the plates. “I am here with you, okay?”
Shyly, she nodded her head but that was not enough for me. Using my height as an advantage, while one of my hands went to circle her waist, I held her chin and made her look up. Then, I planted a swift kiss on the softness of her lips. Then, another one was planted on both sides of her cheeks, followed by her forehead and when I was done, she was grinning.
“You are making me want you more, Damon.” That coyness in her voice was a head-turner. But it was also a reminder that Selena won’t always be that way. Her deadly side was bound to appear sooner or later. I guess I should enjoy these sweet moments as they come.
“Let me help you with that,” I offered but she quickly refused.
“You made our meal, it is only right that I wash the dishes. Besides, it is nothing much. Could you pass me the rest?” Her head nudged toward the portable cooker that was to her right and I passed the pot that was on it and the bowl on the island.
When I saw that she needed no help, I decided to go into the room and get some blankets. I was halfway through the bedroom door when I noticed something next to the small bed behind the bigger sofa.
It looked like a folder of some sort and since it was something I didn’t notice before, I bent to pick it up.
Flipping the brown folder open, the first thing my eyes landed on caused my heart to race. Tilting my head to the side as my eyes began to twitch, I tried to calm myself so that I could read the rest before jumping to conclusions.
But the things I read seconds later plunged me into confusion. Racing through the rest of the papers didn’t help issues either.
“Selena…” I called the only person that would be able to explain things. After a muffled response, Selena turned and our eyes met despite the distance. Then, while waving the file in my grasp, I asked, “Why does this say that this house belongs to Vani Jones?” A shattering sound followed as the plate in her hands fell. Selena paid no heed to the broken fragments. And I was yet to see a change in her expression. I began to walk toward her as I continued. “And, why does it say that this house is willed to my mother?”
“I can answer that question,” a masculine voice responded and my head darted toward the entrance.
I failed to instantly recognize the man whose belly protruded significantly, but I heard Selena gasp and mention a name. It sounded like she said Malik but I wasn’t so sure.
The front door was now wide open and the wind that came in caused my legs to feel a chill. But that feeling was easily ignored since it seemed like something was about to happen.
A closer look at the tall man who wore his bucket hat in a weird way and I realized that he looked familiar. I had seen his face on television so many times as well as on the led screens that were scattered around the city.
He was the president of Poblacion.
The very man Selena said would visit her was actually in that room and wearing a huge smile.
“You must know who I am,” he said, his voice booming in the room. I followed his excited gaze which landed on Selena. Selena was still in the same spot, yet to utter another word.
“You are the president,” I replied, my tone blunt.
When our eyes met, he said, “It seems Selena has not told you about me.”
“What’s there to know about you?”
“I may be the president of our fine country,” I didn’t miss the sarcasm in his voice, “but I am more than that. I am Malik, a very good rival of little Miss Dangerous Dame over there.”
I deduced that the man was trying to drag some reaction out of me and I refused to give in. Squaring my shoulders, my hands pocketed in my shorts, I replied to him, “Okay. So why are you here?”
“I am here to tell you the truth about The Dangerous Dame.”
“What truth?”
“Do you know why she approached you?”
“There are many reasons as far as I know.” My voice refused to display the worries that were messing with my head.
When Mr. President’s hawk sight rested on the file in my hands, his double chin nodded toward me and his loud voice which had a little squealing effect in its tone said, “I see that you found the file your father kept here.”
“Did my father work for you as well?” I won’t be surprised if he did. That man just managed to be a pain in the ass even after his demise.
“No. But he briefly had an encounter with The Damish Gang.” A creepy smile grew on his lips as he looked at Selena again. “Won’t you tell him, Selena Danniman? Won’t you tell Damon Jones the real reason you decided to keep him close at all costs?”
Selena said nothing still. Her hands were now resting on the edge of the sink and her lips were pressed finely as though stamping her intention to remain silent. Her eyes were still void of emotions as well.
Seeing her look so robotic broke my heart. It made the sweet side I witnessed all day feel like a dream.
Mr. President cackled as he found pleasure in Selena’s refusal to reply. Then, he said, “I guess I should say it.”
“No, I’d like to say it.” That voice belonged to Basiton who introduced a weird scent into the room. “I have a brief history with Pretty Boy, so I would love to break the news to him.” Walking after Basiton was Ethan who was looking like a different person thanks to his shortened hair.
As it always was, my anger roused on seeing him but when he found a corner to stand, my attention soon left him and landed on Basiton who was almost gluing his chest to mine.
“Hello, Pretty Boy. You sure have been enjoying yourself all day. Who knew you could fuck so good? You almost made me cream my pants, you sexy beast." He made a low roaring sound.
My eyes narrowed instantly as my mind curled with disgust. “Were you watching us?”
“I had to. I was curious. Anyway, don’t fall in love with that monster over there.”
“Why would you call her a monster?” I retorted, my knee ready to jab his nuts.
“Because she has been using you all this while.” Deep laughter followed and Basiton looked at Selena. Suddenly, he gripped the back of my head and triumphed over my intention to break free when he successfully directed my head to look at her. “Take a good look at her as I tell you how she has used you.”
“Let go of me…”
His other hand pointed at Selena and he said, “She wants you around because she wants her diamonds back by all means.”
“Her diamonds?” My mind raced faster.
It had better not be the same diamonds Stephen was talking about.
“You must have heard about the diamonds from Felix. Well, your father stole the diamonds from her gang, hid them, and when she could not find them anywhere, she killed your father and targeted your family instead.” Basiton’s fingers pressed into my skull as his words sank into my soul in the vilest way. Then, his voice became a sinister whisper as he asked, “Who do you think killed your brother?”
