CHAPTER 23—MADDIE
***
Rose: I saw #BonnieandClydeAreBack trending... are those Damian's bio parents? You okay?
DAMIAN'S FROZEN, SILENT as a statue, but I can feel the tension radiating off him in waves. I know he hates cameras - probably because of them. Without thinking, I step in front of him. Sure, I'm about as effective as a Christmas elf trying to hide Santa, especially without my usual heels, but damn it, I'm going to try.
My mind races, a jumble of words and half-formed sentences. The first thing that pops into my head and out of my mouth is, "You're shitty people and even shittier parents."
His mom narrows her eyes at me. "Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine?"
Damian's hand finds my waist, warm and steady. It's like a jolt of liquid courage straight to my veins. I square my shoulders and step right up to the camera, making sure all they can see is me.
"Hi, I'm Madison Smith," I continue, my voice steadier than I feel. "And I'm talking with—oh wait, what are your names again? Scrooge and Grinch?"
His mom's snicker sends a chill down my spine. "We know who you are," she says, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "We've read the online articles about you. The comments... you're using him for fame. You're just another opportunist."
Her words hit me like a slap, but I force myself to stand tall. I've faced down tougher critics than this wannabe Mother of the Year. But as I open my mouth to retort, I realize this isn't my battle to fight. It's Damian's story, and I'm just here to support him. Whatever he decides to do next, I'll have his back. That's what... friends do, right?
Just friends? Yeah, and Vampire 2.0 is just a fancy back massager.
His mom's eyes narrow, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You think you're so special? Let me tell you something, sweetie. Damian's got a type - broken little birds he can rescue. You're just the latest in a long line. He'll use you up and move on, just like all the others."
I flinch involuntarily, especially as I don't even know if it's true. This man doesn't have social media for me to stalk. And while my dating history is... well, public. I didn't even ask him about his. Her words strike a nerve I didn't even know I had. But before I can respond, Damian unfreezes, his hand tightening on my waist.
His dad steps forward, his voice sickeningly reasonable. "Son, we didn't abandon you. We knew it was better for you. We were thinking of your future-"
"Bullshit," Damian roars, his voice raw with emotion. "You want to talk about parents who do right by their kids? Let's talk about the ones who truly believe they're doing their best, who give up their parental rights crying and begging for another moment with their child. Or the ones who can't take care of them despite everything they've tried. Or the ones who come back after putting in the work."
He takes a step forward, his body trembling with rage. "But you? "You didn't think of my future. You thought of your image," Damian spits out. "The loving outlaws with a kid in tow, right? Bonnie and Clyde with a heart of gold?"
His mother's face pales. "We never hurt anyone—"
"Except me," Damian cuts in, his voice cold. "You used me as a prop in your little crime spree fairy tale. The cute kid who made your robberies look like some twisted family outing."
His father tries to interject, "Son, we always made sure you were safe—"
"Safe?" Damian laughs bitterly. "Is that what you call leaving an eight-year-old alone on Christmas Day? With nothing but a note taking his dog away while you ended up abandoning too?"
I feel Damian trembling beside me, his grip on my hand almost painful.
And I whisper, "Bitey..." Forgetting we're on camera. Forgetting hundreds maybe thousands of people are watching.
Damian's grip relaxes slightly at the nickname.
"You didn't care about me," he continues, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "I was just another tool in your arsenal. A way to make the public coo over the 'family' of thieves. Well, guess what? The public might have bought your act, but I lived it. And it was anything but heartwarming."
The crowd around us has gone silent, all eyes on our little family drama. I feel Damian's pain as if it were my own, and without thinking, I lace my fingers through his, offering what little support I can.
His mom starts to speak again, but Damian cuts her off. "No. We're done here. You don't get to waltz back into my life and pretend the last twenty-three years never happened. Come on, Maddie. We've got a shelter to save."
As he leads me away, I can't help but feel a mix of pride and awe. This man, who's been through so much, is still fighting to make the world better. And somehow, incredibly, he wants me by his side while he does it.
(Definitely grumpy book boyfriend material—my grumpy book boyfriend material, maybe?).
As we turn to leave, his parents start shouting, their voices rising above the murmur of the crowd. "We're not done! We're not done!"
I feel Damian tense beside me, his jaw clenching. But before either of us can react, two burly men in dark suits materialize beside us. Grant's bodyguards.
"Mr. Mack, Ms. Smith, please come with us," one of them says, his voice low but firm.
They create a human barrier between us and Damian's parents, efficiently guiding us through the crowd. I catch a glimpse of Grant's worried face as we approach, Ava clinging to his leg with wide eyes.
"Uncle Damian?" she asks, her voice small and unsure.
Damian's face softens immediately. "It's okay, kiddo. Just some Grinches trying to steal Christmas. But you know what? We're not going to let them."
As Grant's bodyguards usher us away from the commotion, I can't help but think how fitting it is. Damian might have lost his first family, but he has his mom waiting for him in Swans Cove where he built an extended one - one that protects its own.
(Definitely romance novel material).