Chapter Fourteen
Damien
I’m at Zoe's house to pick her up like we’d agreed.
I'm feeling on edge since our run in with Cameron yesterday, and now as I pull up in front of her house and park, I catch sight of them standing outside her front door. Immediately, the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
Why is Cameron at her house? How does he know where she lives? Why is she entertaining him?
Everything about this situation feels wrong, and I want to get out to walk over and put him down like the dog he is. I can feel my blood boiling as I recognize his body language. He's flirting with her. I park my car next to the curb, sitting with my fury. He thinks he can just waltz in and take her away from me. He doesn't know anything about her or how much she means to me. He doesn't care about her feelings, her dreams, her safety. He only wants to use her for his own selfish purposes, just like he wants to use everyone in his life to further his own ends.
There's absolutely no way I'm going to let him hurt her the way he hurts everyone else. I protected her from Jake. I will protect her from Cameron before he gets the opportunity to hurt her.
I get out of my car and scan the horizon as I stand. Closing the door behind me, I walk around the front of my vehicle and make my way up the path leading to her front door. Cameron is watching me with a sly, evil smile as I approach, but I ignore him and interrupt their conversation.
“How are you today, Zoe?”
I can see the please help me look in her eyes and I absolutely have every intention of getting her away from him.
“Well, I was doing great, and then...” She gestures at Cameron, who arches an eyebrow at both of us.
Everything about the situation tells me he's not welcome in her life, but he's not getting the hint. But it's time for him to leave. I am ready to grab him by the collar and the back of his pants and toss him into the street, though, if he's not going to pay attention and respect her wants and wishes.
“But maybe you can take out the trash, because this is too heavy for me to lift.” She makes her none too covert gesture at Cameron, who seems offended by her words.
“I thought we were having a pleasant conversation,” he says.
I don't believe him for a second and the way her eyebrows lift tells me she’s been clear with him. “Generally, if someone tells you you're not welcome, it means you're not welcome. There is no way for me to be more clear than I do not want you here. I am not interested in your company. I do not want you to show up unannounced and uninvited at my home. So if you misunderstood, then you might need to brush up on your communication skills.”
I absolutely love the way she puts him in his place every time she talks to him, but it does make me worried that he might lash out in the worst possible ways.
If he hurt her, I don't know what I'd do to him. Zoe makes her way over to me without so much as looking at Cameron.
“He won't leave. I don't know what to do. I was going to call the cops.” There's an urgency in her voice that tells me she doesn't feel safe and my anger increases. I have never wanted to hurt someone as much as I want to hurt him now. She has a right to feel safe in her home, and the fact that he stole that from her infuriates me.
“If it's really such a problem, I guess I'll go.” The way Cameron says the words and ambles toward the street leave Zoe stunned. Her mouth opens into an expression of confusion.
“He's trying to get you off balance and gaslight you into thinking that you were the problem. You're not. He's doing this on purpose to confuse you. Don't let him win.” I've had far too much experience with people exactly like him to let her fall victim to his tactics.
“I'm so glad you're here.” She throws her arms around me and squeezes me tight. I give her a gentle hug and press my lips to the top of her head. The sensation of her silken hair and the sweet smell of her fills my senses.
“I'm glad to be here.” I want to tell her how excited I am to spend more time with her. “So how was work today?” I ask.
She told me all about her job as a vet tech, and I can't help but hold the utmost respect for her, that she dedicates her life to work that helps animals.
“It was good... until he showed up.” She gestures the direction Cameron had walked, and I scan looking for him, but he’s gone.
“Just try to remember he's delusional. No matter how many times you tell him you're not interested, he takes it as a challenge and assumes you are. I'm not sure very many people have told him no in his whole life.”
She nods her head and releases me, taking a step back. “I am certain you are correct about that. It's really scary that he doesn't take no for an answer.”
I can't help but wonder if I'm going to have to get a security detail to help keep her safe from him. The guy is an absolute menace and I'll never forgive myself if he does something to hurt her. But if he does, I'll definitely have a life sentence in jail after murdering him.
“Are you ready to go?” I ask and she nods. We fall into step beside one another while making our way to my car. We hadn't made any concrete plans about how we would spend our time together, just that we wanted to spend some time together today.
I want to ask her if she's heard from Jake, but I'm afraid to bring him up. I don't want her thoughts on him while we’re together. But he is certainly on my mind.
He's on my mind for one reason and one reason only - he'd called me yesterday. I open the passenger door for Zoe, and she drops into the seat with a grateful glance at me. Closing it behind her, I walk around to the front of the car toward the driver's seat, thinking about my conversation with Jake.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, and I glance over at her with a warm smile.
“Yes. Are you okay?” I reach out and take her hand in mine, squeezing her fingers gently.
She nods her head, and I let her go, turning over the engine. I had been a bit surprised, receiving a call from the police department. At first I thought that maybe somebody had had a change of heart and was going to give me information about my dad's death. Oh boy had I been wrong.
The second I heard Jake’s voice on the other end of the line, I knew exactly who I was talking to. The man sounded exactly like I expected, and not in a good way. In an embarrassing way for him, to be honest.
I’m still proud of myself for tipping off the police to his whereabouts and getting him put away. The guy is a menace to society and women and he’s where he belongs. But his call had still surprised me.
Somehow he found out that I was the reason he was in jail. He also seemed to know that I am involved with Zoe. He'd vowed to get vengeance on both of us when he gets out. It was really a stupid move for him to make, given all of those calls are recorded. Of course, I’d reported him after I hung up, just because I want a paper trail in case and because it would likely help the current case, given he’s proving he hasn’t changed and plans violence not only against another woman, but the man that woman - Zoe - is seeing - me.
He certainly is a character, and I mean that in the most disrespectful way possible. I have no idea what made him think it was a good idea to not only call me, but to call me and tell me his plans of vengeance against me and Zoe.
“You're really quiet today,” Zoe says, putting her hand on mine.
“Just in my head, I guess. Nothing bad though.” She doesn't know that I turned him in, and I'd like to keep it that way. She doesn't need to know that I'd helped to protect her, or that I’d been involved at all. I don't want our relationship tainted by any of that.
Even though I shiver as I think about his cold words over the phone. They’re burned into my brain and play on repeat.
“Hi, Damien. I finally got to talk to you. I know what you did, and I know what you want. You want Zoe. You think you can have her, but you can't. She's mine. When I get out of here, I'm going to get her back, and I'm going to make you pay for what you've done. So you have two options: stay away from her and maybe I'll spare you, or don't, and I'll get even with both of you.”
He'd hung up before I could respond, not that I had anything to say.
I'm certainly not about to negotiate with terrorists, but I'm sure that the police will find his statements concerning, especially given the nature of the case against him.
“I'm really glad we're spending time together,” Zoe says.
“Me too.” There's something about her that just makes my life better in every possible way. I enjoy the time we spend together and connecting with her on the level I’ve never connected with anyone before. The emotions she evokes within me are unique to her and make me feel incredible.
I bring the car to a halt outside the park. I don't feel the need to try to wow her with upscale restaurants or expensive experiences. I feel our time is better spent just getting to know one another, feeling comfortable, and enjoying each other 's company. And I have a feeling she agrees.
I walk around to open her door for her, offering my hand. She takes it with a small smile, and I help her out of the car. As she steps onto the curb, her smile widens. “You have no idea how much I needed this today.” She closes her eyes and tilts her head back, inhaling deeply as if to bring the essence of the sunshine, trees, grass, and nature into her lungs.
I grab the bag I’d packed from the back seat as she steps into the sunshine and turns to me. The sound of birds singing and the fresh smell of rain fill my senses and a surge of affection for her overwhelms me as I watch her enjoying the moment. She's so beautiful with her long curly hair and expressive hazel eyes. Her jeans and navy-blue T-shirt are casual and cling to her curves beautifully. The color compliments her skin tone and hair, and I don't want to stop looking at her or enjoying this moment as I pull the bag over my shoulder and close my car door. I lock up my vehicle and follow her along the path.
She waits for me to catch up and we walk side by side to a giant tree. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close. She rests her head on my shoulder and sighs contentedly as I kiss the top of her head and inhale her sweet scent. She smells like vanilla, cinnamon, and coffee, a mouthwatering combination I want to taste.
We move over to a picnic bench and sit beside one another. I offer her one of the individual bottles of wine I’d packed and she smiles at me. So I bring out the fruit and cheese plate I’d also packed and her smile grows.
“Somehow you know that the way to my heart is by giving me cheese.” She says the words with light laughter as she grabs one of the bite-sized blocks of cheese and pops it in her mouth.
“I feel like we haven't had any of the big conversations, like what your plans for your life are,” I say.
She swallows hard, her eyes widening. “That is one of the big questions.”
I offer her the little bottle of wine and she takes it, opening the top and having a drink while clearly contemplating my question.
“Well,” she says, clearly deep in thought as she glances up into the branches of the tree towering overhead. “I love my job as a vet tech, and I don't know that I could ever quit. But I would like to meet the right person and have a baby or two.”
She winces as she says the words, as if she's not sure she said the right thing or worries about how they sound. Her gaze meets mine and an embarrassed smile crosses her lips. “I know I'm a walking cliche, right?”
I lift both shoulders. “Well, if you are, that makes two of us. I admire your passion for animals and your job in general,” I say, voicing a thought I’d previously had but never vocalized.
“Thank you,” she says with a nod. “What about you? What are your dreams?”
“Not to lose control of my company. To find the truth about what happened to my dad. And also to find the right person and settle down. My cliche is that I'd like to have a happily ever after with the person who is perfect for me.” I’d never told anyone that last part, but it feels right to share with her. Maybe because I'm beginning to think she's that person. Or maybe because if she isn't, I'd like to scare her off sooner rather than later.
“I think that's sweet,” she says. “You really are an incredible person, and I enjoy our time together.”
She hesitates as she says the words and I brace myself for the inevitable breakup... but it doesn't come. Instead, her words hang between us, as if neither of us are sure how to follow them up.
“Thank you. I think you're pretty amazing yourself, and I also enjoy our time together.” At my words, she lights up and does a little dance with her shoulders before eating a grape and chasing it with another piece of cheese.
Once again, I'm struck by how easy it is to spend time with her. She doesn't seem to have expectations. More than anything, she seems to want connection and to just enjoy relaxed time spent together. And I don't mind not making demands on her time or dealing with her demands. She's unlike anyone I've ever met in the best possible way.
We laugh and joke and share our hopes and fears. We gaze into one another's eyes, and I feel a connection that goes beyond words. When everything finally comes to a close, I kiss her softly, tenderly enjoying the feeling of her against my mouth. And when it's time to take her home and drop her off, I walk her to her front door to make sure she's safe.
The whole drive home, all I can think about is her.
I don't know what I'm going to do next.
But I know what I'd like to do - keep seeing her and see if this spark between us is something that can last.
My phone chimes and I glance down, realizing she sent me a message. I really like you, Damien.
The text makes me smile like a fool. I really like you too, I fire back. The more time we spend together, the more I feel that she’s perfect for me. When I'm with her, it's like we're in our own little world, oblivious to everything else.
Back at my place, I walk into the elevator and press the button for my floor. Like most nights, I'm going to be sleeping at the office because it's just more comfortable. Although it becomes less and less comfortable the more time I spend with Zoe. Maybe because I finally realize that there's something missing in my life.
I make my way inside to the pull-out couch, thinking about her instead of work. I've never been so hung up on someone that they've been more important than my company, but at this point I'm starting to think she might be. I go over to the windows and overlook the city skyline, watching the twinkling lights and the stars.
This place used to feel like home, but now it feels empty and cold.
I wish she was here.
I wish we were spending this time together and that she was staying the night with me.
As I think all of these thoughts, I hear a knock at the door and make my way over. Some small part of me hopes that she had followed me here and is on the other side of the door.
But a quick glance at the screen and the security camera outside my door tells me it's not Zoe. No, the person that's outside that door waiting for me is Cameron.
I ignore his knock and make my way over to my desk, pulling a bottle of bourbon from the bottom drawer. Taking a deep drink directly from the bottle, I turn around and relax back against my desk. In such a short time, everything in my life has changed, but I'm not sure I can give it up for the world.
Cameron knocks again. “I know you’re in there, Damien. Open up, brother.”