Chapter 2 – Damian’s Watchful Eye

Damian's Pov

“Yes baby…you're so sexy…”  I had a woman straddling me when Ethan, my stepson barged in.

Her perfume was strong, as she pressed her lips against my chest. I didn’t bother asking her to stop. She was just a distraction. That was all women had been for years, something to pass the time.

“Damian…I need your help.” Ethan glanced at the woman at then made a face.

I tilted my head lazily in his direction. “Do you mind? Or do you always barge into rooms like a child?”

I sighed and then leaned back against the leather couch in my den. I was not particularly pleased to see my stepson who only sought me out whenever he needed help.

He looked red in the face with his tie hanging loose around his neck. “It’s Ava. She woke up.”

I didn’t even blink. “And?” My estate was quiet except for the faint hum of the pool filters outside and the heavy breathing of the woman on top of me. The woman on me giggled nervously and slid off, grabbing her dress from the floor. 

“She was in a coma for five years, Damian. She’s awake now and that's not good for me.” his eyes stayed a little too long on the woman's boobs.

I poured myself a drink from the decanter beside me, ignoring his panic. “So how's that any of my business?”

“I need your help with her. I'm married to Clara and I like it that way.”  Ethan blurted, he hissed and ran a hand through his short hair.

I raised a brow at him. “But you're legally married to her, aren't you? In fact, you committed a crime by marrying Clara while your wife was still in a coma.”

Ethan swore under his breath. “Yes, and that's why I need your help. I can't go to prison, I have a son now, and hell even the doctors said she wasn't going to wake up. What was I supposed to do?”

I sipped my whiskey slowly while Ethan continued to pace like a trapped dog. “If Ava tries to cause a scene, everything I’ve built, everything you’ve built, will fall apart. The press will eat us alive.” 

I scoffed at my stupid stepson. Since the death of his mother when he was fifteen, I've been legally his guardian, and it was not an easy job. “Everything I’ve built? Don’t flatter yourself, boy. Nothing you could do could ever affect my legacy and company.”

He swallowed. “Damian, please. She can’t stay with me. She’ll ruin everything. Clara and I—”

I cut him off, slamming my glass down on the table so hard that he shook. “So now you want me to handle your mess? Why didn’t you think of that when you spread your legs with her sister?”

Ethan’s face burned. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Don’t insult me.” I stood, towering over him. At forty-seven, I was twice the man he would ever be, and we both knew it. He shrank back under my stare like a boy caught stealing from the cookie jar. “You couldn’t even wait a year before screwing her sister? Pathetic.”

He clenched his fists. “Damian, I’m serious. If this gets out, investors will pull out, and I could go to jail. You know half of the company's accounts is under my supervision.”

“The board,” I said, stepping close enough that he had to look up at me, “answers to me, and not you, and there's nothing money can't solve.”

He shut up instantly. I grabbed my shirt from the armrest and buttoned it slowly,  letting him sweat. 

“Here’s what’s going to happen. She stays here at Blackwell Manor, and if anyone asks, I’ve taken responsibility for her recovery. The press doesn’t need to know she is awake until I say so. And you,” I jabbed a finger against his chest, “will have to get a divorce from her. I don't care how you do it.”

Ethan smiled. “You’d really take her in? God, thank you!” He swallowed hard, then nodded quickly. “She’s in the car.”

I frowned for a second. “You brought her with you?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “Clara and Matthew are with her and I didn’t want to bring her home. She insisted she didn’t want to stay at the hospital.”

“Of course she didn’t,” I muttered. I straightened my cuffs and motioned toward the door. “Bring her in.”

Ethan hesitated, then disappeared down the hall. The woman I’d been with slipped her heels on and whispered, “Call me later?”

I gave her a smile and spanked her ass. “Don’t wait by the phone.” She licked her lips and left quickly.

A few seconds later, Ethan came back and I turned to the door as he guided her inside. For the first time since he married her, I laid eyes on Ava.

She was too pale, and her she loked like one wrong move would break her. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders, but she was still beautiful. She didn’t wobble when she walked in, though I could see how weak her legs were.

“This is Damian Blackwell,” Ethan said quickly. “My stepfather. You’ll stay here until… until you’re stronger.”

Ava’s chin lifted. “I don’t want to stay here, and how come I've never met him until now?”

 “You’re not in a position to argue,” Ethan muttered.

“Well, I'm only important to him when he needs something.” I commented, and she smiled a little. She shot him a look sharp enough to slice glass, then turned back to me. 

“I don’t want your pity, Mr. Blackwell. I want my life back.”

Something stirred in my chest at the way she said it. She was stubborn. I stepped closer, my eyes stopping a little too long on her mouth. The curve of her lips was too tempting, I've seen many pretty women in my life, but she looked like something out of a dream.

“Pity,” I said quietly, “is the last thing you’ll get from me.”

She looked away quickly, crossing her arms even though her body was shaking.

Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly. “She’ll stay in one of the guest rooms. I’ll… I’ll bring her things tomorrow.”

I didn’t take my eyes off Ava. “Do that.”

She looked at me again, holding my stare longer this time, even though I could see the hurt in her eyes as she tried not to look at Ethan.

The corner of my mouth twitched. “Welcome to Blackwell Manor, Mrs. James.”

Her lips parted, and she surprised me when she gave Ethan the middle finger, and then turned back to me. “Just Ava, is fine.”