Chapter 1
Chapter One
Damien
The morning sun filtered through the window as my alarm started buzzing. Reaching over, I grabbed my phone and sleepily turned it off. I gently removed the arm lying across my waist and climbed out of bed.
“You’re leaving already?” she asked. “Yeah. I have a plane to catch. You know this.”
“We need to talk, Damien.
“Talk about what?” I picked up my clothes on the floor and slipped into them.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pulled on my socks and then my shoes.
“About us? You know I’m leaving for Italy tomorrow. I won’t be here when you get back.”
I stood up, grabbed my wallet from the dresser, and tucked it into my back pocket. Picking up my watch, I looked at her while I put it on my wrist.
“Katherine, there is no us. I take you to dinner a couple of times a week, and we fuck. That’s it. If you want to fuck some Italian guy over in Italy, be my guest. Now I have to go.”
“You’re a real fucking bastard, Damien Prescott.”
“I never said I wasn’t. Have a safe trip.” I glanced at her one last time before walking out the door.
I hailed a cab to my 829 Park Ave penthouse and had the driver wait while I quickly packed a small bag. I’d be in Tennessee for two days. Short and sweet. In and out. My phone rang, and it was my partner and best friend, Scott.
“Talk to me, Scott,” I answered as I put him on speaker.
“I just emailed you the financials you asked for. Go get ‘em, Damien.”
“That’s the plan. I’m not leaving there without a deal. Listen, I have to go. I’m running late for the airport.”
“Good luck, man.”
Tennessee proved to be very profitable. I reeled the client in hook, line, and sinker. I was feeling good until I got to the airport to go home and found out my flight was delayed two hours.
“What the fuck.” I sighed. I needed to get back. I had business to attend to. I pulled my phone from my suitcoat and dialed my secretary, Joslyn.
“Hello, Mr. Prescott.”
“Joslyn, my flight has been delayed for two hours, and I’m stuck in this miserable airport. I need you to push back my meeting to two o’clock.”
“I’ll call Mr. Cannon right now and tell him.”
I pushed the end button and slipped my phone back into my pocket.
I looked around for the nearest coffee place and found one.
It was too damn early for this shit. I stood in the long line with little patience.
Patience wasn’t a friend of mine. We were enemies.
Up ahead, a woman was standing in line who was next.
Certainly, she would let me cut in. I stepped out of line and walked in front of her.
“Excuse me. Do you mind if I cut in front of you? I’m in a hurry,” I asked as politely as I knew how while I stared into her big deep blue eyes, eyes that looked like the waters that flowed into the pristine white sand beaches.
“No, of course not.” She smiled. “Go right ahead.”
“Hey, thanks.” I walked up to the counter and ordered my coffee.
I needed something to wake me the fuck up since celebrating last night with the new client had extended into the wee hours of the morning. I paid, and the barista set my coffee down on the counter. I picked it up and took one last look at the woman with big blue eyes.
“I appreciate it.” I held up my cup and walked away.
“You could have at least bought my coffee since I let you cut in front of me,” I heard her shout. “That would have been a gentleman-like thing to do.”
“Bitch,” I mumbled.
But there was no doubt she was one hell of a beautiful bitch. My phone rang, and I saw Scott calling when I pulled it out of my pocket.
“What’s up, Scott?” I asked as I headed to my gate.
“I don’t want to make your morning shittier than it already is, but we lost the Coleman account.”
“What the fuck happened?” I yelled a little too loudly.
“Apparently, he had a run-in with Adam, and the two of them got into it. He fired the firm on the spot.”
“That fucking little prick. I want his ass fired and out of my building before I land in New York. Do you understand me? That is the last straw with him.”
“I figured you’d say that. You want me to fire him?”
“No. I’ll do it myself over the phone. Call security and have them on standby.”
I ended the call and quickly dialed Adam.
“Listen, Damien. I can explain,” he quickly answered.
“No explanation needed, Adam. You’re fired. Do you understand me? Done! Get the fuck out of my building now!”
“There are two sides to every story, Damien. You’re not even going to listen to me?”
“I’ve listened to you enough. I warned you that if it happened again, you would be out. It happened. You’re out.”
I ended the call and dialed Scott.
“That was fast,” he answered.
“Get security up there and have them escort him out.”
“I’ll do it now,” he spoke.
I sighed and placed my phone in my pocket. I reached my gate and took a seat to try and calm down.
“You were in such a hurry to wait for a flight that is delayed two hours?” the woman from the coffee line asked with a narrowed eye as she stood in front of me.
Great.
“Yeah. I have work to do. I didn’t have time to stand in that ridiculous line. And since you’re standing before me, giving me the evil eye, I didn’t appreciate your comment back there.”
“I’m not sorry I said it. Have you ever heard of paying it forward? It’s a good way to live your life.” She smiled.
I couldn’t believe this crazy woman and wasn’t in the mood.
“I’ve heard of it. It’s my choice, and I chose not to. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Please remove yourself from my view.”
She walked away, and I couldn’t help but watch.
Five foot six, approximately 120 lbs., shoulder-length blonde hair that held bouncy waves, black leggings, an oversized light pink sweater that clung to her perfectly shaped ass, and black boots that hit right below the knee.
She was definitely a looker and a crazy one at that. Shit.