Sheltered

Chapter 1

Luca

I should have dinner done already.

I would have, but this day has been a shitshow from the start.

First, I lost the ticket for the dry cleaner.

I found it, thankfully, after an exhausting panic search.

Looking for a tiny slip of paper is hard enough without also freaking the absolute hell out over it.

It’s like once you get to that level of freak-out, nothing makes sense, and you can’t even see, let alone think critically enough to realize that it’s probably just in the junk drawer. For the record, it was.

Damien would have been upset if I had lost it.

It’s happened once before, and it was a whole big thing.

I mean, I get it. It’s understandable to get mad when your fiancé loses the slip for your suits, valued at thousands of dollars.

I couldn’t even be mad at him for being upset.

I think if the roles were reversed, I would be too.

That wasn’t even the worst of today. The worst of today was that after I got Damien off to work, I decided to take a nap.

Beforehand, my phone did an update but didn’t turn back on, so my alarm didn’t go off.

Between oversleeping and panic-searching for the ticket, I didn’t make it out the door to run errands until the afternoon.

No big deal. I should have still had plenty of time, but the store didn’t have Damien’s favorite type of steak, and I had to drive clear across the city to get it from a different store.

Then what should have been a quick stop at the farmer’s market a block from our house turned into yet another drive across the city because, wouldn’t you know, they didn’t have any fresh bell peppers.

Now, it’s a mad dash to freshen up and make myself presentable. I debated the merits of not doing that and just starting dinner, but I know Damien deserves me at my best when he gets home.

He also deserves to have dinner waiting for him, but what can you do? It’s one or the other today, unfortunately.

I’m grabbing the cutting board in the kitchen when my phone buzzes.

Damien

Got held up at work. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way home. I hope you haven’t already gotten dinner started, love. It would be a waste for it to be cold before I even get home. See you soon.

Relief pours over me. Good. No need to stress about getting dinner done yet, then.

It’s probably a good thing my day has been shit.

If it hadn’t been, I would already have dinner almost done, and it would be gross by the time he got home.

I slide the cutting board back into its drawer.

Maybe this day won’t end up all bad. And I even have some time to call Austin. As long as he’s not busy.

The last time I tried to call him, he was at work and couldn’t answer. We’ve tried to keep in touch over the years, and we did for a while. We do still talk, but we’re a far cry from the wide-eyed sixteen-year-olds who thought we’d be best friends forever.

Time has been a real bitch. And so has life. Austin’s a firefighter, and he loves it, but he also works long hours that leave him exhausted. And with how busy I am with Damien, it’s hard for us to find a quiet moment to talk.

I make my way into my bedroom and sit down on the edge of the bed. Pulling my phone out, I dial Austin’s number. It’s the same number he’s had since we were kids, and I’ve had it memorized for a decade. I couldn’t tell you my number from back then, but I still know his.

“Hey, Luca,” he drawls.

“Hey. I had a few and wanted to catch up. Is it a good time to talk?”

“Always.”

I smile, leaning back against the headboard. “What’s new?”

Austin laughs. “Oh, you mean other than my best friend in the world not making time to talk to me anymore?”

“Pouting isn’t a good look on a grown man.” I can almost picture it in my head. It’s been years since I’ve seen Austin in person, but there are some things you just don’t forget. A six-foot-two man pouting is one of those things. “Besides, I’m not your best friend anymore.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Of course you are.”

I almost roll my eyes. A couple of years ago, Austin became besties with a guy he works with. I’m happy for him. He needs friends who aren’t a plane ride away. Not that I’ve been to visit anytime in the last few years. “Nah. We both know Jasper is your best friend.”

“Is that jealousy I hear?”

“You wish.” I miss this. The easy camaraderie. The easy conversation. I need to make more time to talk to him. “Besides, it’s really hard to replace the guy who used to hold your hand when you peed in the woods because you were afraid the squirrels would take your nuts.”

I’m met with silence. “Luca Jackson Pierce. I’ll hang this phone up right now. I was six years old. Six.”

A laugh bursts from my chest. “Okay, that’s fair. Does Jasper know?”

“No, and that’s a secret you and I will take to the grave. But really, what’s up? It’s been so long since I’ve heard from you. Do you and Damien have a date planned yet for the wedding?”

My chest gets a little tight. “No, not yet. I’m hoping we’ll get something worked out soon, though.”

Austin hums. “Well, let me know when. I’ll make sure I can request time off work and book a plane ticket.”

I swallow down the lump in my throat. “Yeah, I will.”

“Are you still writing?”

The question catches me off guard. “No. I haven’t really had the time.” Besides, Damien works hard to provide me with the life I have. I need to make sure I’m doing my part too, and spending my days losing myself in writing romance novels isn’t productive.

“You should get back into it, Luc.”

“Yeah,” I mumble, biting at the inside of my cheek. “Maybe.”

He chuckles. “I miss hearing you talk about your stories. It was fun to listen to you ramble about the characters in your head like they were real people.”

“They felt pretty real to me,” I defend, smiling a bit.

“They felt real to me too.” He sighs. “If you end up writing something, send it to me. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Luca original. I still have your journal of novel ideas.”

That gets a laugh out of me. “Oh God, that was a mess.”

“Nah, kid you had the best stories. They were full of wonder and hope.”

I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “No. Kid me was spewing nonsense.” Stories of love and happily ever afters. “Well, I better go. I need to start dinner.”

“You should take the night off. Have Damien cook dinner for you.”

Not a chance. “You know Damien doesn’t cook.”

I can practically hear Austin’s eye roll. “Yeah, I know. God forbid he makes a mess on one of his suits.”

“He works hard to provide for me,” I snap, harsher than I mean to. “He deserves a good home-cooked meal.”

“I’m kidding, Luca.”

No. I know that. I do. I blow out a breath. “Yeah, I know. Sorry.”

There’s tense silence on the line, and I get a ding from my phone.

Damien

On my way home, love. Can’t wait to eat. I’m starving.

Shit.

“Hey, I’ve gotta go,” I blurt out, cutting off whatever Austin was about to say. “Damien’s on his way home.”

There’s a pause, and then, “Oh…kay. Call me soon, and don’t wait another month, okay? I miss you.”

“I miss you too,” I whisper. “I’ll try.”

I’m pulling the phone away from my ear to hang up when I hear his voice, so I pause. “Try to write something.”

“I’ll do my best. Bye.”

I don’t even wait for him to say goodbye before I hang up and delete the call from my recent calls.

The key in the door makes my heart skip a beat.

I smooth down my shirt, waiting just inside.

Damien swings the door open and steps in.

His blue eyes sweep the living room before settling on me.

He looks tired today. There’s a little crease between his brows, and a lock of his normally slicked-back salt-and-pepper hair is falling across his forehead.

“Hey, let me take that.” I reach out carefully to take his briefcase from him, but he stops me with a hand around my wrist. It’s not rough, just firm, but I freeze anyway, darting my gaze to his.

“No need, love.” He smiles. “Thank you, though.”

He leans forward, pressing his lips to mine. It’s soft and quick—more habit than affection—but I still appreciate it.

“Dinner’s almost done.” He nods, taking off his coat and handing it to me. I hang it up, careful not to crease it. “I got the dry cleaning picked up. Steaks for dinner.”

“Good. I’m starving.”

He steps into the kitchen, dropping his briefcase on the floor, and then takes his normal seat. “Red wine?” he asks as he loosens his tie.

I jump into action. “Of course.”

I pull down two wine glasses, then a bottle of his favorite red. After pouring the wine, I check on the steaks. When I first met Damien, I didn’t know wine had to breathe, but he taught me. “Smells good,” Damien says, startling me.

“Oh. Thank you.” Grabbing the glasses of wine, I set one down in front of him. He picks it up by the stem, swirling it in the glass for a second before tipping it back and taking a sip. His eyes slip closed in bliss, a bit of wine clinging to his lower lip.

My breath catches, and I lean forward, pressing a soft kiss to his mouth, catching the wine before it can drip onto his crisp white shirt.

He hums against my lips, and I pull back quickly. “Your lips are chapped, love. Have you been biting them again?”

I swallow hard. “A bit, I think. I got a late start today, so I was a little worried I wouldn’t get everything done. I had to drive clear across town to get the right steaks for dinner.”

Damien smiles. “All that, and yet I still don’t have one in front of me.”

Shit. I turn quickly to plate up his steak, then add roasted potatoes and asparagus to it before setting it down in front of him with a flourish.

He cuts into the steak and takes a bite. I watch as he chews, then as he swallows. “Perfect.”

I let out a breath, giving him a smile. “Thank you.” I make my own plate quickly, then sit down at the table across from him. “Did you have a good day?”

“It was long.” Damien takes another bite of his steak, chewing quickly. “These idiots don’t know their asses from a hole in the ground. I’m constantly cleaning up their messes.”

I nod, smiling softly at him as I take a bite of my food.

“It wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t have to pick up their slack. Had to push my lunch off because meetings ran late.”

“Must be why you’re so hungry.”

Damien’s eyes snap to mine, and I look down at my plate. “Yeah,” he finally says. “Did you do anything interesting today?”

I take a deep breath, glancing back up at him. “Not much. Ran some errands, got groceries. Picked up your suits.” I chuckle lightly. “I actually thought I lost the ticket again.”

“That wouldn’t have been good.”

No. No, it wouldn’t have been. “Thankfully, I found it.” I push a piece of potato around on my plate. “Then I got things to make for dinner. And came home and made dinner.”

Damien’s quiet for a moment. “That’s all?”

I look up at him. “Yes.”

His eyes bore into mine, a coldness to them that has a chill racing down my spine. “You didn’t talk to Austin?”

The question stops me dead, my blood freezing in my veins. “Why would you ask that?”

He shrugs casually. Too casually. I don’t trust it. “No reason. Did you?”

I swallow hard, my throat convulsing. “Yes.” It’s better to tell the truth, right? It has to be. “It was a quick call. Just a couple of minutes.”

Damien hums. “Interesting. I thought the two of you didn’t speak anymore.”

I glance around the kitchen. I’m not sure how he even knows we did. I deleted the call like always. I never mention Austin. I never talk to him when Damien’s around. There has to be a reasonable explanation for him knowing. Maybe he just guessed? That’s possible.

Maybe it was a setup, and he didn’t know at all. Maybe I fed right into it.

My stomach twists anxiously. “It was just a quick call,” I repeat.

“A quick call,” he echoes, eyes searching my face.

I nod slowly, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. “Yeah.”

Before I can process what’s happening, Damien’s plate is sliding across the table, slamming into mine so hard that it shatters, causing ceramic and food to fly across the kitchen.

“Clean this up, then meet me in our room.” He stands, stepping close to me, forcing my face up with a harsh grip on my chin.

“I keep telling you, love.” He brushes his thumb along my jaw.

“You need to let go of that life. It’s not good for you at all.

Austin is not good for you. That boy’s always filled your pretty little head with lies. ”

He releases me, pulling his hand away like I’m something disgusting. “And now, I have to remind you who you belong to.” He tuts, a mocking smile on his face. “Clean up now, love. Don’t keep me waiting.”

Then he turns and walks out of the room. I’m on my feet before I even decide to do it, my heart beating hard against my ribs and my hands shaking.

It’s fine. It could have been worse.

It’s not a big deal.

I’ll just clean up the mess, then let him fuck me.

Remind him I’m his and that I don’t want Austin.

It’s going to be okay.