The Devil's Game (6 page)

“Really? Were you any good?” he asked.

“I was decent.”

“Do you still play?”

“No,” she said. “I played up until my freshman year of college to get the arts requirement out of the way. But there wasn’t much point in continuing if I wasn’t going to major in it.” She frowned, eyes still closed. “When my mom got sick, I convinced them to sell it to help pay the bills and that was that.”

“How sad,” he said.

“The thing was just gathering dust anyway.”

No one said anything else as the song ended and he moved right into another piece just as beautiful and soothing, and Karina was content to simply lie there, listening to him play.

Come Undone

Karina woke with a start to realize that she was still on the couch, but Damien was gone and all the lights were off. She sat up, and a throw blanket fell down around her waist. Cautiously, she found her way back upstairs, where she paused at her bedroom door, looking down the hall at Damien’s door. She tiptoed toward it. Placing a hand against the door, she listened, but nothing could be heard. She carefully pressed down his handle, expecting it to be locked, but it wasn’t. Holding her breath, she guided it back up before rushing back to her room and burrowing under her covers. What did it matter that his door wasn’t locked? What had even possessed her to go to it?

The next morning, Karina came downstairs to find Damien at the dining table, reading something on an iPad. There was a variety of breakfast items laid out on the table.

“Breakfast wasn’t nearly this fancy with you gone,” Karina said as she sat down at the only other place setting.

Damien looked up with a frown. “You should’ve asked,” he said.

“I was only teasing,” she said, spooning some scrambled eggs onto her plate. “It wouldn’t have been necessary.”

“I have to attend a party this evening. I was hoping you would join me.”

Karina paused mid-bite.

“You mean it’s not mandatory?” she asked.

“You think I would force you to come?” He narrowed his eyes at her.

“I, well, I suppose not.”

“Does that mean you’d rather stay home tonight?”

Karina didn’t even have to think about the answer to that.

“Getting out of the house sounds like a great idea.”

“Good. The car will be here by seven-thirty, so make sure you’re ready by then.”

He pulled a napkin from his lap and stood.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“I have work to do. But I’ll just be in my office if you need anything.”

He disappeared, leaving Karina to breakfast by herself. What could she possibly need from him? Maybe some attention, perhaps? The last thought shocked her. It was the boredom speaking. Getting out tonight would do her some good.

Karina wasn’t exactly sure what to wear for the party, but judging by the way Damien dressed just for dinner in his own home, she was going to go out on a limb and say the attire wasn’t casual. Since he hadn’t given any direction, she hoped she wasn’t breaking any rules when she chose a knee-length Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress covered in black lace.

At a quarter after seven, she headed down to find Damien in the sitting room again, enjoying a drink. He was dressed in an understated black suit over a crisp white shirt and no tie.

His face lit up as she walked into the room, and Karina felt a slight flutter in her chest.

“Excellent choice,” he said. “Would you care for something before we leave?”

She nodded and he poured. This time she made sure to savor it.

“You’ll need to be careful with the wrap-dress though,” he said as he replaced the stopper on the decanter.

“Why is that?” she asked, worried.

“Because one little tug and you’ll come undone.” He stared at her over the glass as he took a sip, and Karina couldn’t look away.

A car could be heard pulling up, and Damien finally released her from his gaze. He escorted her to the vehicle, and together they rode to the party that turned out to be at a house only a couple blocks away.

“We could’ve just walked here,” she whispered as they climbed the steps to a mansion almost as impressive as Damien’s.

“You don’t walk this neighborhood,” he whispered back.

“So I’ve heard,” she muttered.

An hour into the party, Karina began to wonder if maybe she would have been better off spending another evening alone at the house. The event was an engagement party for the hostess’ daughter, and everyone kept telling Damien how honored they were that he was able to attend. At least all the women did. He paid more attention to one well-wisher in the five minutes they chatted than he had to Karina her entire time in Miami so far.

A waiter walked by with a tray of champagne and she snagged one, trying to figure out why it bothered her so much. It didn’t help that Damien rarely introduced her. Only when someone asked did he introduce her simply as Karina Watson. Although to be honest, she didn’t know what he was supposed to call her. Date, maybe?

And then
she
arrived.

“Damien!” she gushed, holding her arms out as she approached him.

“Tabitha,” he said with a big smile as she embraced him.

Karina swapped her empty champagne glass for a fresh one as she watched Damien kiss her cheek.

“I didn’t realize you were back in town,” he said.

“Just flew in this morning. Can’t you tell by how jet-lagged I am?”

“I’d never guess,” he replied. “You look flawless as ever.”

“Oh, stop,” she laughed, giving him a gentle push on the chest.

Karina had to agree with Damien. Not a single golden hair on Tabitha’s blonde head was out of place, and her skin was luminescent. It was disgusting.

Tabitha leaned in close to Damien and whispered something in his ear. He was looking right at Karina, but she could tell he wasn’t really seeing her. She looked down to see his hand on her waist and felt something twist inside of her. But then he threw his head back, laughing at whatever Tabitha had said, and the hand moved away.

It was too much. Karina set her champagne glass on a nearby table and walked up to Damien. Tabitha gave her only a brief glance. She knew that Karina wasn’t a threat.

“May I talk to you for a second?” Karina asked.

“Of course,” he said. “Tabitha, will you excuse us?”

“Don’t be long,” Tabitha said with a flip of her hair.

Karina fought the urge to gag as she led Damien to a quiet corner.

“Is everything okay?” he asked. And here was serious Damien again. Not the animated one who had been laughing with everyone else all night.

“Are you—are you sleeping with her?” she asked point blank.

“Tabitha? God no!”

“Why did you even ask me to come? I’m starting to feel like a third wheel.”

He placed a hand against the wall behind her and leaned in close.

“Are you jealous?” he asked quietly.

“What? No! That’s ridiculous.”

“Then what’s the problem here?”

“It’s just…it’s just that….” And then the words slipped out before she could even think about it. “I thought
I
was the one you wanted.”

A small, dangerous smile started to spread across his face, and Karina was sure he was going to kiss her. But then he stood, letting his arm drop back down to his side.

“We should head home,” he said. “I think I’ve had about enough of these people.”

Karina frowned and followed him to the front door without him saying so much as a goodbye to anyone. They found their driver and the car was brought around. As the car pulled away, Damien rested a hand on her knee. Karina waited for it to move higher up, even found herself wanting it to. But it remained in the same spot until the car stopped in front of his house, and he removed it before helping her out of the vehicle. She felt his hand on the small of her back as they walked to the front door, but that disappeared as well when they walked inside.

She stood in the foyer, waiting for him to say something, except that he started climbing the steps without saying anything.

“Where are you going?” she called out.

He stopped and turned around. “I’m going to bed. Unless you need anything.”

“No,” she said, disappointed. “Good night then.”

“Good night, Karina.” And he continued up the stairs.

After he disappeared from view, she made her own trek upstairs and dressed for bed. This time she bypassed her familiar leggings and opted for a black lace chemise, courtesy of Damien Bishop. She assumed this was one of the pieces he had personally requested. But why, she wondered as she stood in front of the mirror, admiring the way it hugged her slender body. It couldn’t possibly be only for her personal enjoyment. Deciding it was time for some answers, she walked out of her bedroom and approached Damien’s door.

She knocked a couple times, but there was no answer. She tried the handle and found that it opened just as easily as the night before. Worried that he might be asleep already, she gently pushed the door open, but the sound of running water explained why he had not answered her knocks.

The door to his bathroom was open, and she walked toward it just as the water shut off. She froze, trying to decide what to do. And then he stepped out of the shower, grabbing a nearby towel. He rubbed it through his hair, and since he was facing the mirror, Karina knew she still had one chance to walk away. But he turned before she did, and now she was caught.

“Can I help you?” he asked, tossing the towel over his shoulder

She now had a full view of his front and discovered that his chest was just as ripped as his back, his broad torso creating a V that drew her eyes right down to—good god, even slack it was impressive.

“Was there something that you needed?” he asked and she swallowed, trying to find her tongue.

“Why haven’t you had sex with me yet?” she asked, taking a step toward him.

“Why?” He had the same smile from the party. “Do you want me to?”

“What!” she exclaimed. “Of course not.”

“I don’t believe you,” he said, closing the gap between them.

“Well, it’s the truth.”

Suddenly he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him before pushing her against the counter so that she was facing the mirror, his chest pressed against her back. Water from his body soaked though her lingerie as his hands trapped hers against the granite.

“You’re lying,” he murmured into her ear. “And I can prove it.”

“How?” she breathed.

He grasped her right hand and forced it to her leg.

“I’m willing to bet my entire fortune,” he said, kissing the top of her ear, “that you’re wet right now.”

Karina said nothing—how could she argue—as he slid the hand up under her chemise and managed to slip both hands in her underwear. She bit her tongue, stifling a moan.

“What do you feel?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she whispered and he bit into her shoulder.

“You’re lying again.”

His finger began rubbing her ever so gently, and she managed to pull her hand free, placing it back on the counter.

“Do you want to know why I haven’t had sex with you yet?” he asked, looking at her through the mirror. She could only nod. “Because only a desperate man takes something. A wiser, more patient man waits for it to come to him.”

And then he plunged a finger deep inside of her and she thought her knees would give out.

“See that face,” he whispered into her ear.

Karina looked at the woman staring back at her. The flushed skin, the bright blue eyes. Even her lips, almost forming a perfect O, were redder, fuller than usual. She hardly recognized herself.

“I get off every night just imagining that look on your face.”

Damien pulled his hand away and stepped back. Karina caught herself against the counter before her legs buckled.

“It’s time for bed,” he said, and Karina turned unsteadily to face him.

“The question is will you be climbing into my bed? Or your own?”

The towel had fallen to the floor, and he now stood before her in all his naked glory. She locked eyes with him, ignoring the erection slowly building as they stared each other down.

Karina wanted him more than she’d thought possible. But now that she knew the game he was playing, she refused to give him the satisfaction. Instead, she slowly turned toward the door and walked away. He said nothing as she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

She plopped onto her bed and pulled the covers up over her head, cursing Damien Bishop. Her body throbbed where he had touched her, desperate for relief. She tried to take care of it herself, but it just wasn’t the same and she eventually had to give up, crying out in frustration.