46. Misty
“I’m sorry.Just a few more minutes!” I shout through the closed door as I slip on my gown, careful that my hair doesn’t get stuck in the zipper. I kicked Damon out of the room, knowing I already take forever to get ready, and I’m still at least fifteen minutes behind.
Groaning when the zipper snags, I give it another sharp tug, but it doesn’t budge. Over the years, I’ve become a master of doing this on my own, but the top of this dress is basically a corset.
I give up, knowing if I keep trying, I’ll ruin the dress and make my way to Damon. “Can you help me with this?”
He straightens from where he’s leaning on the island the second I come into the room. His lips curve into a grin as he looks at me appreciatively. “You look beautiful, wife.”
He’s dressed in another perfectly tailored black suit, crisp white shirt, and black tie, his hair styled back in waves. He looks like he just stepped out of a freaking Tom Ford magazine.
I ignore the fluttering in my chest and spin, revealing my back. “The corset’s a little snug.”
Within seconds, he’s behind me, but instead of zipping me up, Damon places light kisses along the scar below my shoulder blade. After years of never showing anyone the permanent marks Thomas left on me, I’m starting to grow used to Damon’s casual touches. He doesn’t miss an opportunity to caress the raised skin in tender touches. Every time, it feels like something more. Something deeper. Not like he’s trying to make them disappear, more like he’s trying to heal that part of me.
He kisses the curve between my neck and my shoulder, the scent of his smooth cologne filling my nose. “Have I told you you’re beautiful tonight?”
I laugh under my breath. “Yes, you just did.”
His fingers spread over my stomach, pulling me taut to his chest as his lips graze my ear. “Then why do I feel the need to tell you again?”
Shivers travel down my spine, and I can’t help but tip my head to the side, giving him more access. Damon instantly takes advantage, placing open mouth kisses to my neck. I jerk away the second his teeth graze my skin.
“No you don’t! I’m not going to a charity event with a freaking hickey.”
He bites his lip, and the playful, unashamed look he gives me nearly has me undone. His knuckles graze along my back as he zips me up, placing a gentle kiss behind my ear when it’s done. “All done.”
I’m frozen in his arms, not wanting to break this moment. Tonight, I’m going to tell him the truth. Tonight, I’m going to admit I love him, and I’m low-key terrified he’s going to laugh in my face.
The audacity to think someone like him could love someone like me.
But he’d helped me stop hiding, so I’m not going to hide from him.
I twist in his arms, arms pressed against his chest between us, and run my fingers along his lapel. Without meeting his gaze, I say, “Sorry I took so long.”
He guides my chin up, forcing me to meet his piercing gaze. He searches mine, and his brows pull together, not liking what he finds. “Misty. Listen to me. I am not a patient man. But I’d wait forever if it meant you’re by my side. Now, let me see that dress I nearly lost my limbs making.”
I huff out a laugh. “I told you that you didn’t need to help.”
“And I told you that I did. Now, give me a spin.” He takes my fingers, lifts them above my head, and guides me into a twirl with the hand that’s on my waist.
The pale pink, nearly nude chiffon skirts fan out around me. The vibrant embroidered flowers we’d painstakingly sewed on make it look like something made in a fairy tale.
Damon stops the spin, pulling me tightly against him, his thumb running along the boning seams of the corset inches below my sternum. He drops his head to mine. “Do we have to go?”
Giddiness takes over, and I laugh. “Yes, we have to go to the event I’ve been planning all year.”
He runs his nose along mine, nearly brushing our lips. “I can’t just donate a bunch of money?”
My head feels dizzy with just how tempting this man is. “I’ll let you do anything you want to me tonight if we go now.”
“Anything?” His voice is a dark, low rumble, promises written in just the one word.
Heat flares between my thighs, and my breaths grow shallow. I’m making a deal with the devil, and I don’t want to stop. I push at his chest. “Yes, but we leave now.”
He groans his approval and lifts me from the ground, one hand at my back and the other beneath my knees.
“Wait! My shoes.” He moves closer to the island as he walks out, slowing down just enough for me to grab my shoes and purse, causing a laugh to bubble up from my chest.
It’s a twenty-minute ride to the venue, and by the time we’re pulling up, every nerve in my body is bouncing with anxiety. This is my first solo project, one where I coordinated all of the different trades to make it come to life. Of course, I depended heavily on the caterer, event planner, and decorator, but in the end, I’m the one responsible for it all. I don’t realize I’m picking at my nails until Damon covers my hand with his own.
“It’s going to be perfect.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because you did it,” he says plainly, like there’s no other option.
“What if it doesn’t though? Then everyone will know it was me.” I look down at the second button on his shirt. “It could look bad on you.”
“Look at me.” I tentatively raise my head. “I do not give a single fuck about what anyone else thinks. The people that matter. Our family. Your friends. They know how hard you worked. The ceiling could fall down, and they’ll still be impressed.”
The final link chaining me to my past shatters with his words. For my entire childhood, I’d been taught that I always had to be perfect, that I’d be rejected if I showed an ounce of my true self. Here’s this man who not only accepts my shortcomings but seems to like me even more because of them.
The car slows to a stop.
“Do you have the black card?” Damon asks, and I hold up my purse. He kisses the corner of my mouth, where a frown starts to form. “You are adorable when you’re jealous. Win that date for me and I’ll take you anywhere you want.”
I roll my eyes. “What if it’s like a million dollars?”
He lifts a brow at me. “That’s it? That’s all you think I’m worth.”
I bite the corner of my lip. “I can spend anything?”
“Anything you want, Misty. I can assure you, we can afford it.” He gets out of the car and walks around to my side before I can process the we in that statement.
The castle-like venue was a perfect choice, with its soaring architecture and intricate stone details, all bathed in the dreamy glow of the fairy lights. It is the Midsummer Night’s Dream theme come to life, a fairy-tale setting that transports us to a realm of magic and enchantment.
I take a deep breath. The air is filled with the scent of fresh flowers, a mix of blooming roses and jasmine, enhancing the fairy-like atmosphere of the venue.
Damon leans in, placing a barely there kiss to my temple. “I told you, it’s perfect.”
I let him guide me through the large oak double doors and into the ballroom, and my breath catches. I’d been in this venue countless times now, but nothing prepared me for seeing it all come together. Round tables adorned in gold tablecloths are placed so they can all see the large stage at the front. Moss and flowers line the grand pillars, leading your eye up.Fabric panels hang from the ceiling, mixed with twinkle lights, making it look like the night sky.
The event sold out months ago, no doubt in part to Damon encouraging his buddies to participate. Now that I understand more of his world, I’ve realized it was probably less encouraged and more demanded. At eight thousand dollars a table, I really don’t care if Damon held them at gunpoint. I’m ecstatic we’ve raised so much money before the auction has even started.
Damon wraps his arm around my waist and points out a few people in the crowd. “Over there, that’s Nikolai Volkov and his two sisters. He recently became a Saint.”
One of the women is wearing a flaming red dress, almost in spite of everyone else. I instantly like her.
“Anthony Ricci and his father are over there.” Damon gestures with his chin, and I grow still. I know Damon said that all was fine between their families, but the entire thing felt too easy.
My gaze roams over what are now becoming familiar faces and lands on Scarlet Laurent. She’s with the same man as when we saw them at the restaurant, but this time, his brows are pulled low over his eyes, and it’s almost as if he’s towering down on her.
“Damon.” I tug on his sleeve to point them out, but they’ve disappeared before he can see.
“Fuck, I like it when you call me that.” His breath on my neck has me warming from within.
I pull away to glare playfully at him. “We’re in public.”
He shrugs. “Some people like that sort of thing.”
“I need to know what has you blushing like that,” Piper says cheerfully from beside me.
“Hey, you look nice tonight,” Lucas says.
Damon’s grip tightens on me, even though Lucas is basically draped around Piper.
The couple is dressed in theme, Lucas in a deep green suit, and she’s wearing a pale blue gown that shimmers when she moves.
“You two look adorable.”
Piper beams at me. “We wanted to look the part.”
“And you succeeded, Pipsqueak.” Jax is next to show up, unsurprisingly looking dashing in his navy suit. Sidney follows close behind him, dressed the most on theme with crystals embroidered in her dress, making it look like it was made with starlight.
She smirks at me. “I read some fantasy books for inspiration. You like it?”
Jax kisses her head. “Love it, Trouble.”
Damon greets my friends with a pleasant smile I know he’s working hard to keep in place. “Thank you all for coming. I know that it means a lot to Misty.”
He completely skips that the entire event revolves around Mia’s charity, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. I’m met with cheeky smiles, and I roll my eyes back at them.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have guests I need to greet. Please look after my wife.” Damon squeezes my waist before disappearing into the crowd.
“Was it just me, or did he add an extra boost of possessiveness at the end there,” Sidney asks, earning snickers from all of them.
“Drop it,” I demand, only making them laugh harder.
“What’s so funny?” Mia walks up with Alex and River close behind her.
“Just that Misty over here has Damon whipped.”
“Ha ha.”
Mia winks at me. “Oh, come on. You like it.” She looks around. “This is truly amazing. I seriously can’t thank you enough.”
“Honestly, I’m just grateful you let me plan it.”
River and Alex had given me the equivalent of an endless budget to play with, and that’s not something you normally trust with a junior member of a team.
“No one could do it better,” River replies.
The sound of the mic tapping draws our attention, and the auctioneer looks out to the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The main event is about to begin.”
“I’ll see you guys after.” I wave at my friends and make my way through the throng of people. As Damon’s wife, I’m required to sit at the Everette table. Dread forms a pit in my stomach at the thought of seeing Damon’s mother again. I’m not looking forward to the look of pure disdain.
Bash is the only one sitting when I arrive, Damon standing behind my chair and pulling it out for me. He pulls me into his arms for a quick kiss. “I’m up first. Bid high, make me look good.”
I huff out a laugh, the thought of him being up for auction no longer bothering me now that I have the go-ahead to drop an obscene amount of money. It’s all for a good cause, making it even better.
Xander gives my shoulder a quick squeeze as he follows after his older brother. “I’m right after him. Please don’t bid on me. I’d like to leave here with my legs intact.”
I bite the corner of my lip, not positive he’s joking.
“That leaves just you and me, kiddo,” Bash says, handing me a glass of champagne.
“How old are you again?”
“Twenty-seven. Don’t worry, I’ve made sure to tease the fuck out of Damon for your ten-year age gap. Basically a cradle robber.” Bash’s tone is joking, but that doesn’t stop me from punching him in the arm.
“Hey, now. I’m delicate.”
I snort into my glass of champagne, not bothering to answer that bit of nonsense. The hair stands up on my arms, and prickles form at the back of my neck as the bidding on Damon starts. There are six bidders to start. I confidently raise my paddle after each one while the number goes up and up. There’s a woman at the back, just as easily keeping up with me, and she’s looking at my husband like a treat. My teeth clench together as I raise my paddle again.
“I don’t know why you look jealous. He’s not going to cheat on his wife,” Bash says, handing me another glass of champagne. I didn’t even notice I finished the first one.
“It doesn’t help that he only married me to secure his inheritance.” Even though things feel like they’ve changed now, that thought still stings.
Bash chokes, and it takes him several seconds to recover before he looks at me with wide eyes. “You still believe that? I just thought by now you’d know.”
“Know what?” I’m still only half paying attention, not wanting to miss a bid.
“That yes, every heir was married, but they’d never been made to. Pure coincidence. Damon basically dragged our grandfather out to make the announcement so he’d be able to marry you.”
“What?” My face snaps to his. “That doesn’t even make sense. He already had leverage with my visa.”
“Maybe he didn’t think you’d go for it and wanted to lock it down. The man’s been basically obsessed with you since the moment you met. You know with the cameras, stalking, and all of that.”
“Cameras?” My voice is raised at a high pitch, but I can’t seem to care. The world goes blurry, and there’s a tingling in my stomach. It is the exact opposite reaction I should be having to that little revelation. Freaking traitorous body.
Bash winces. “I probably wasn’t supposed to say that. But you’re my sister now, and family doesn’t keep secrets. Please tell me you know the whole sleeping-in-the-same-bed rule is bullshit too?”
I just blink at him, and he shakes his head.
“Seriously? How did you even believe that?”
My mouth falls open and closed, not being able to think of a single excuse. My stomach twists with nausea as embarrassment floods me.
I glare at Damon across the room, and he’s already watching me.
“Asshole.” I mouth the word clearly, and the way his eyes widen lets me know he got the message.
I place the paddle fully on the table and cross my arms. Damon’s brows pull low as another bid goes through, but this time, it remains uncontested. If he wants to lie to me, let him deal with the consequences. His eyes narrow as the woman at the back is called the winner.
“Fuck, sis, you’re playing with fire.”
“I haven’t even started yet.”
Xander goes up next, and I raise my paddle high, loving the way Damon glares at me. He’s supposed to be speaking with the woman who won, but all of his attention is on me.
I bid again, and Xander looks worriedly between me and his brother and sighs in acceptance. By now, Damon’s seething, but all I do is bid higher, this time calling out two million, winning the auction in a second.
Damon breaks away from the woman and prowls toward me. I skitter out of my seat, not willing to be caught so soon.
Bash catches my arm just as I’m about to leave. “You know I can’t let you leave. He’s already going to kill one of his brothers tonight. Please don’t make it two.”
“You’re telling me you won’t protect your only sister?” I give him wide doe eyes, and he lets go of me.
“That’s just cruel.”
“I’ll make it up to you,” I call over my shoulder and escape through an emergency exit. I breathe a sigh of relief when there’s an Uber just down the street, and I run to meet up with it before Damon catches up.
I’m panting by the time I get into the car and duck my head to not be seen. If the driver thinks it’s weird, he doesn’t comment.
“Where to, miss?”
“The Holiday Inn on Seventieth.” It’s a midrange hotel, one that I can afford on my own. “First, stop at a gas station. If he wants me, he’s going to have to come find me.”