Sociopath's Revenge (15 page)

"Overthinking." Snapping my eyes open, I almost jumped in place when Rosa crashed next to me on the couch, holding a cup in her hand and placing her feet on the table. "The kid is happy she has a dad."

I huffed in annoyance. "And who are you? A voice of reason?"

She grinned. "Well, I've been called that before, but sure, AVR for short." She burst out laughing, and I couldn't help but join her. Something about this chick made me like her a bit; at least when jealousy didn't fog my mind. "So are you guys having hot sex tonight? Because I'll just leave now, although your place is way cozier. Our house has nothing but lame-ass furniture." It was easy to believe, considering Damian's apartment back in New York didn't have much decor either.

"He'll go home."

"Okay." Then she suddenly sprinted to my bookcase, clasping her hands in front of her. "You have paperback editions of S. Victoria Fray?" She took out my latest novel and ran her fingers over the glossy cover. "I've been dying to read this one! It's not even out on Kindle yet. How did you get it?" Well, shit.

Back in the day, I really dreamed about becoming a children's book writer, and all the stories in my head had to do with adventures. However, when I was still pregnant with Kristina, a story popped into my head about a woman private investigator who fell in love with a villain. It's not hard to guess where I got my inspiration, and from that, my popular series erupted. So although I did publish kids' books, half of my time was spent on romance thrillers. The book in her hands would be published in a month, but my agents sent me several copies to have in my collection.

Rosa studied my face tentatively, then looked back at the books and then me, and it was like a bulb lit up in her head. "Noooo," she exclaimed in disbelief. "You're the writer? God, I love this series." She waved the book in her hand. "Keeping this one. You made me wait five months for it."

"Technically, it was the publisher."

She dismissed my argument. "Whatever. S stands for Sapphire, right? But why Victoria?" This girl had to be seen to be believed, asking me so many questions, but what the hell? I ended up answering her anyway.

"That's my grandmother's name. Fray was her maiden name."

She cocked her head. "You liked her or something?"

A chuckle escaped my mouth. "No, she was awful. I just couldn't come up with a good pen name and, in the last moment, decided to use it. It turned out okay." She grinned again. Half lying on the chair, her knees resting on the arm, she opened the book and forgot herself in my story.

My world went completely crazy in the span of twenty-four hours. Pressing my head deeper into the soft pillow, my eyelids heavy, my mind drifted away as exhaustion drained me.

Damian

With my back against the headboard, Kristina half lay on my chest as we read
Beauty and the Beast
. "And then they lived happily ever after." I finished for the second time, and she sighed happily.

As I had discovered for the last thirty minutes, it was her favorite story, and half of her room was decorated with Belle, the Disney version of this princess. The story had to be read twice with no breaks, and half of the time she retold the stuff that happened with excitement in her face. I couldn't help but see some parallels between the Beast and me, although all he had to do was build a fucking library for his girl and she relented. Had I known it worked for wooing, I'd have built Sapphire one a long time ago. "Will you go now?" her tiny, curious, yet scared voice asked, and I looked down, noticing for the first time real fear in her eyes.

Her reaction to the news of me being her dad was surprising at best. For sure, I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome, not to mention the deep contentment that rose in my chest every time she called me daddy. Lying with her and putting her to bed was a dream come true for me. Picking her up and placing her on my lap, I raised her chin high. "I have to go so you can sleep. But I promise tomorrow we will spend the day together, okay?" She nodded eagerly. "And even if I have to go somewhere, I'll always come back." S wasn't getting me or taking away my chance at happiness ever again. He could go fuck himself.

Kristina frowned and then grimaced. "Why would you have to go?"

I had no fucking clue how to handle this tricky parenting question. "Daddy has something to take care of, and then I'll be with you and Mommy all the time." Her mouth gaped open as excitement crept in.

I wasn't sure it made me happy, and my assumption was proved right with her next words. "Does this mean you and Mommy will get married?" Patting her head gently, I flipped her onto the bed, which made her giggle, and tickled her stomach a bit.

"Hopefully. First, I need to convince her to give me a chance." She threw the book at me. "Daddy, build her a library. Belle loved that." I laughed, covered her with a blanket, and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

That's when the flashback assaulted me.

"Boys, it's time to go bed." Dominic and I shared a look and tried to run away, but Dad caught us around our middles and rose, spun around, and dumped us on the bed to our delight. "Your mama won't be happy if you are awake. And if the wife ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." He nodded and then kissed both of us soundly. "Sweet dreams."

"We love you, Daddy," we said in unison, like half of the stuff we did. He winked as his soft eyes scanned the surroundings, making sure everything was fine. "Love you too, boys." He turned off the light, closed the door, and his footsteps were heard on the marble floor as he probably went to the living room to sit with Mommy a bit longer.

A few hours later, loud screams woke us up, which was the beginning of the end.

"Daddy, are you okay?" Kristina's voice snapped me out of my memories, the memories my mind had tried so desperately to forget, but couldn't.

Not when they proved my parents did love us. If my dad felt even a fraction of the emotions for Dominic and me as I do for Kristina, then no wonder Mama couldn't live without him and us. I used to get angry with her for taking her life because of her grief, from losing hope. But was it possible to keep your sanity if the man you loved died and your two boys were presumed dead as well? Smiling down at my kid, I caressed her cheek softly and reassured her, "Yes, baby girl, I've never been better. Sleep tight." She nodded, instructed me to leave the bedside lamp on, and I left the room as sleep claimed her instantly.

Walking down the stairs, I came to a halt when I saw Sapphire asleep on the couch, her face innocent as her chest rose and fell, her hand under her head. The position didn't look comfortable, and she'd probably have a sore neck in the morning if she stayed that way. With a fascinated expression, Rosa eagerly flipped the pages of some book. "She has been out for about thirty minutes."

Without reply, I scooped her up in my arms, went to her bedroom, and gently placed her on the bed. I kissed her on the lips, and she gasped but went back to sleep, clearly attuned to my touch even in her sleep. And that pleased me greatly. Checking the house a few times to be certain that it was locked up, and my girls would be safe, we left the house as Rosa bitched about having her reading interrupted because she couldn't take the book without Sapphire's permission.

As I lay in bed that night, I cherished the fact that I could freely give affection to my kid, but I wondered if her mother would let me back in her life for good.

Sapphire

"But can I—"

"No."

"But, Mommy—"

"Kristina, it's a no. You've had enough sweets today."

She scowled at Damian, who stood in the doorway, watching our argument with interest. "Tattletale," she hissed at him, and I had to clasp my mouth with my hand so she wouldn't hear my laughter. "You promised not to tell Mommy about ice cream two days in a row!"

Amusement crept in. "He didn't, baby girl. He just mentioned cake and candy." Her eyes grew huge at my stern look, and she opened her arms wide. "What can I say? I can't resist tasty treats!" She was so freaking cute in her neon dress and two braids that it was almost impossible to withhold my reprimand, but I couldn't budge here. Allowing our daughter to eat candy from time to time was one thing. But without anything healthy in her stomach all day long? Nope.

"Me neither," Damian murmured, but his focus was on me, and his eyes filled with heat, indicating he didn't mean the sweets at all.

Well, at least a different kind. "Go wash your hands. Dinner is ready." She huffed but agreed and then turned to her dad. "Thank you, Daddy, for the trip!" Kissing him on the cheek as he leaned down, she snatched the bag from his hand, almost shaking it with excitement. "These are my presents, Mommy!" With a triumphant shout, she ran to her room followed by our chuckles.

Damian decided to take her out somewhere today, and although he invited me to go with them, I declined. They needed some time alone, and I understood it; plus, it allowed me time to finish several chapters for the book, which my hectic mind wouldn't let me sit still to do before. They went to the zoo; she sent me several pictures from there from his phone. Then apparently, they stopped at every good treats parlor. Popcorn, cotton candy, and ice cream, no wonder she was so hyperactive through their trip. They were gone nearly seven hours, and the sun was about to set. Come bedtime, she'd probably be out quicker than usual.

"How are you?" he asked. It didn't escape my notice the way he searched my face for some clue, but he would find none.

I just wasn't ready. "I'm okay." Clearing my throat, I continued, "You're probably tired too. I'm sure Rosa got lonely as well." This was a flat-out lie, because the minute they left, she came over and bugged me about the plot for my new book. I refused to give her any information, so she stuck around, rereading some oldies, and then she even looked over my shoulder for some clues as I was writing. No sense of personal space, no joke. Finally bored, she declared she wanted to watch the soaps and went back to her house.

We had a weird relationship with the girl; she was almost like an annoying little sister. You didn't really like the intrusion, and she annoyed you, but at the same time, you didn't want to get rid of her either.

He tensed but stepped back with a curt nod. "I got it. I'll stop by tomorrow, and then I need to leave." My breath stopped at his words. "The time has come." He closed the door from the outside, leaving me standing there dumbstruck.

He was leaving on a mission? Against his biggest nightmare? To deliver one last blow to the men who took everything away from him.

Pressing my forehead against the door, I desperately tried to control the raging inferno inside me at the idea of him putting himself in danger again—even though I knew it was coming soon. He had to leave. He didn't even ask me to make a choice. Would he be able to come back to us, even without the knowledge of me waiting here for him? And was it worth it to keep the man I loved away from me if I felt the pain anyway?

Unfortunately, standing there in silence brought me no answers.

Rosa

Sapphire was unbelievable. From the corner of my eye, I could see Damian pacing the living room, back and forth like a caged animal, probably pissed about his upcoming trip. As much as he wanted to go, I doubted he liked the idea of being away from his family again. "I'm gonna go to bed now," I declared. He grunted, which pretty much described all his responses for the last three hours, ever since he came back from the zoo trip with his angel. Eh, it was impossible not to love the girl, although her mother left a lot to be desired.

Secretly tiptoeing to the back door, I grabbed my iPhone, the laptop, and put on my flip-flops. In a few minutes, I conquered the distance between our houses, entered through their back door, and came face-to-face with Sapphire holding a baseball bat high. "What the hell, woman?" I whispered loudly, holding my chest, not wanting to draw Damian's attention with screaming, since the man had the hearing of a bat, or to wake up Kristina. "Your scared me shitless."

She frowned. "Why are you sneaking into my house in the middle of the night?" She let go of the bat and folded her arms.

"So you could go and calm your man."

Something flashed in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

I raised my brow at her, and she looked down.

Why were people in love so stubborn and weird? If I had a guy who was nuts for me, I would have been all over him. Too bad, no one was interested in obsessing over me. All those romance novels had possessive heroes. Had it not been for Damian, I would have thought they didn't exist.

"Well, geez, I don't know. Maybe the fact that he needs you?"

I expected an argument or some other pissed-off remarks; the woman had some jealousy issues, but then she suddenly asked, "Could you stay the night here with Kristina? Please? You can take the guest room, second room on the left upstairs."

I pointed at my phone and laptop. "Kind of had it in mind." She grinned, kissed me on the cheek, and disappeared into the night.

Like I said, those folks in love were freaking weird.

Well, at least they had sex.

I was going to die a virgin it seemed.

Sapphire

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door as my heart beat loudly in my chest and ears. My palms were sweaty, so I wiped them on my nightgown right before the door opened swiftly, revealing Damian on the threshold, looking exceptionally dangerous in the moonlight.