Chapter One Hundred and nine

"Take it easy with him okay?" I said to the guards as they helped Damien out of the car. The headaches wouldn't let him bend his head like any normal person would while getting out of the car so we had to guide him out of the vehicle somehow.

When he got out, I stayed glued to his side fully aware of how the rest of his body ached as he was walking for the first time in a while.

I heard him grunt a few times as we slowly trudged into the house. I held him by the waist to support him while his hand went around me.

"Welcome home!" We heard everyone exclaim in unison as soon as we got into the living room.

They had balloons and a large banner with the words; 'Welcome home Damien."

I smiled. This had mom and Fiona written all over it. I looked up at Damien to see his reaction. He was all smiles even as they came over to hug him one after the other. The hug with mom lasted a little longer than usual to my utmost surprise.

Maybe him hitting his head was a good thing, I thought.

All his workers had wished him a speedy recovery on return from the hospital and soon I had to insist that he be allowed to rest because he had been on his feet for a little too long.

I led him upstairs slowly and when my eyes strayed downstairs, I saw face splitting grins staring up at us.

Fiona and mom did a happy dance, fist bumped and hit their hips against each other. What was getting them so excited?

I looked at Damien and saw that he had a knowing smile on his face. He knew why they were so happy and I was sure it wasn't just because he was well out of harm's way.

It wasn't until we walked into the hallway that memories of the few times I had had in this house before moving away hit me in the face.

The nostalgic feeling that came with reminiscence of times past increased when I twisted the door knob and entered the familiar room that I had shared with the man next to me for a while.

I turned to him and saw that he was already staring at me.

"Welcome home." We said to each other coincidentally.

"Jinx." We said again at the same time and I laughed. He joined in.

"Let's have you seated, shall we?"

I carefully had him settled in and tucked under the covers in bed in no time.

"Can I ask you for something?" He said as I bent to adjust the covers over him.

"Okay? Go on..."

"Can you please make me some paella? Just like the one you made in San Diego." He requested, giving me one of the cutest puppy faces ever. I couldn't say no.

"Sure thing. I'll go get it prepared, you just rest."

"Drop a kiss on my head before you go." He said like a baby.

This was weird and totally unexpected but I shrugged and did it anyway. I dropped a peck on his bandaged head and then, I stood up to leave.

"And, my nose."

I grunted. He's such a baby.

Reluctantly, I pecked his sharp pointed nose.

"And, my lips."

My eyes narrowed as I glared down at him.

"Don't push it, Mr Kingston." I warned. He gave me a toothy grin before I walked away and exited the room.

"Hey Lorenzo." I waved at our world famous chef who was doing what he did best.

"Hello Mrs Kingston. Welcome back, we missed you." He said with a lopsided grin.

"Thank you Lorenzo, I missed you all too."

"I need to make some paella for the boss." I muttered, pointing up to indicate who I was talking about with an eye roll.

"I can help you with that." He offered.

"From the looks of things he'd rather have what I make so I'll just do it." I sighed and got on with picking up the ingredients for my special rice dish.

***

"Wakey wakey." I said a little loudly, before going over to place the food tray on the table in front of the couch.

I tapped on him and he came awake in no time being the light sleeper he is.

"It's time to eat." I said gently.

He slowly sat up and give me a brief nod in acknowledgement of what I said.

I picked up the tray and placed it across his thighs as I poured a glass of juice alongside the water in case he needed any of each. I watched as he slowly picked his spoon and ate.

"This is really good." He hummed in delight.

"Thank you, babe." He said.

"You're welcome."

I watched him eat and once he was was done, I had a maid help me take the dishes away.

"I'll be heading to my room now. You can call if you need anything." I said, getting on my feet to leave.

"But the doctor said you have to stay in the same room as me." He protested.

"Now, not all of us follow the doctor's instructions to the latter, do we?" I rhetorically asked him and he looked like he could shed a tear if I let him.

I inwardly laughed like a hyena. He knew I had found about his little game and wasn't letting him win this time around.

"See you later, Damien." I slightly waved and strutted out with a triumphant smirk on my face.

****

Damien's POV;

My plan may have fallen through and maybe she thought she had the victory but this was not the end. In fact, I hadn't even begun. What I had planned, she wouldn't see coming. I smirked at the thought.

"Damien?" I heard mom say as she knocked on the door.

"Come in!" I managed to holler but felt a surge of pain in my scalp after.

"Oh dear, are you okay?"

She came over and held my face in a caress.

"I'm fine. My head just hurts whenever I yell." I said. The aches were something else.

"I'm so sorry. But, where's Ariana?" She searched the room with her eyes roaming all over the place.

"In her room." I muttered in distaste.

"What? She should be here. I thought you guys had sorted things out." Her lips dropped into a worried frown.

"I thought so too. Mom, you have to help me get her back."

"What do you want me to do?" She asked seriously.

My eyes sparkled in mischief and she gave me a suspicious glance.

I gestured for her to come closer and when she did, I whispered my plan in her ear. She smiled by the time I was done.