Caught in The Crossfire

In a haze of worry, the hours flew by, and each minute dragged and blurred into the next until I felt almost numb. My work was a frenzy of charts and half-written marketing material, and I couldn't focus. Despite making myself stare at my computer screen, I felt useless. As the day drew to an end, the pit in my gut only became worse as I continued to consider Damien's offer.

I startled when I heard someone say, "Hey, Audrey." I looked across at my accounting colleague Jake, who was hovering awkwardly at my desk. His eyes were warm and brown, his smile was kind and charming to most of the women at work, and he looked young. He said, his face pinched with concern, "Are you okay?" "You appear... anxious."

I said, "I'm fine," out of habit, even though my voice was strained. "There is just a lot going on."

Despite his lack of conviction, he gave a pitying grin. "A group of us are going to O'Malley's if you need a drink after work."

Almost, I responded, "yes." Jake's offer seemed to be safe—the kind of distraction that would not be subject to restrictions or possibly dangerous consequences. But just picturing another crowded, boisterous pub made my brain race. I forced a weak smile and replied, "Thanks, but I think I'm just going to call it an early night." "Perhaps next time."

Jake hesitated, then gave a nod. "Okay. Be cautious, please.

As I watched him depart, I hoped I could too embrace the simplicity of his kindness. I had already committed to something riskier, however, and my world was no longer simple. At five o'clock, I packed up my things and left the office before anybody could stop me.

In a fog, I took the train home as the city sped past in a blur of gray and neon. When I arrived at my apartment, I had less than two hours to don my clothes. My stomach knotted with anxiety as I walked inside my little bathroom and looked in the mirror.

I didn't think I looked nice. My eyes were dark with heavy circles, and my hair was a tangled mess. I rubbed it with my fingertips, trying to remember when I had felt beautiful. Damien would be expecting a confident, professional person. At Delmonico's, where riches and power were traded as freely as wine, he would have been perfectly at home.

Instead he was getting me. Fearful, exhausted, and broke.

I said, "Come together," as I dropped cold water all over my face. I couldn't afford to think about tonight's ramifications or possible results. I just needed to get through it.

I felt my hands shake as I fumbled through my clothing, looking for something elegant. Most of my clothes were simple, utilitarian relics from my life before the crisis. In the back, however, was a navy-blue cocktail dress I'd bought for a wedding years before. I felt strong because of the way it embraced my curves, even with its modest neckline. I put it on and looked at the stranger in the mirror while applying a little mascara and lipstick.

It was enough, even if the alteration wasn't perfect. Sufficient to make it seem as if she could keep up with Damien, at least for one night. My heart pounding, I grabbed my phone and a little purse, putting my worries in the back of my mind so they wouldn't stop me. 

I stepped out into the night air and saw the city ablaze with brilliant splendor. In their own worlds, couples strolled hand in hand as yellow cabs whirled and honked. I inhaled deeply in an attempt to let that energy to fill me, but my nerves only became more knotted. Upon arriving to Delmonico's, I was having difficulty maintaining my calm.

The restaurant was just as glitzy, overpowering, and glamorous as I had expected. Crystal chandeliers lit the marble flooring, and the scent of luxury and money was almost tangible. I hesitated at the entrance while a doorman in a dapper black uniform examined me, my courage wavering.

"Miss, do you have a reservation?" His expression was polite yet critical as he asked.

I took a deep breath, suddenly feeling like a fake. With a low voice, I said, "I'm meeting someone."

I was about to explain when Damien emerged from the bar. The sight of him made me gasp for air. His pristine white shirt emphasized the dramatic angles of his face, and he donned another well-tailored suit, this time in midnight black. Our eyes met, and something incomprehensible flashed over his face.

He walked confidently over and said, "There you are." His confidence was so attractive that half the diners turned to look at him. He touched the small of my back possessively, and my skin scorched. The doorman was informed, "She's with me."

I hardly heard the man apologize before he stepped aside. Damien's touch was thrilling, and his scent of cedar and something dangerously smooth made my knees go weak. As he ushered me into the dining room, I gasped for air.

A quiet, intimate voice answered, "I was beginning to think you wouldn't come."

My heart was thumping in my ears as I said, "I almost didn't." "I have no place here."

He stopped and gave me a glance. He was looking directly into my eyes. "Who says?"

"Everything about this place." I gestured to the grandeur around us. "Look at me, Damien. Yes, I am. I am not like you.

His lips twisted into a smile that fell short of his eyes. "This is interesting because of that." He leaned closer, his words a whisper on my ear. "Audrey, believe me. And I'd much rather be here with you than with those who *do* feel like they belong.

He said something that chilled me to the bone, and I hated how deeply it impacted me. How he could make me feel special so easily, even though I knew. He led me to a hidden desk withinside the corner, in which a bottle of wine changed into waiting, and I took a shuddering breath.

Almost immediately, the waiter arrived, poured us every a glass, and defined the evening's specials. Very nothing was audible to me. As if I were the only thing that mattered, Damien watched me with the same laser-like attention in a room full of glittering distractions.

"Why me?" I blurted out the question because I could no longer hold it in. "Why am I being invited here?"

He swirled the wine in his glass, his face seeming thoughtful. "Because you don't mind challenging me," he said. "In my world, most people wouldn't dare."

I grimaced. "I'm not putting you to the test."

He said, "Not yet," in a tone that was a little amused. But I did see it last night. You looked at me as if you wanted to demolish me and go.

I felt the heat rising on my neck. "You're not even someone I know."

"Then tonight is your chance," he said, lifting his glass in a sensual voice. "Audrey, ask me anything."

I hesitated, mistrust making my stomach turn. Damien seemed confident, as if he had played this game with many women before me. I was now on the verge of something I couldn't quite explain, however, and I needed to know what kind of peril I was facing.

I said, "All right," lifting my glass to meet his gaze. "What makes someone like you want to spend a night forgetting the world?"

As his smile faltered, I saw for the first time that there was something raw behind his perfect exterior. "Because there are costs associated with power," he continued quietly. Furthermore, it may sometimes be too expensive.

I was taken aback by the reaction, but before I could ask further questions, a voice cut like a blade through the air.

A woman with clicking stilettos approached our table and said, "Well, well." "Again, Damien Knight, slumming it?"

A tall, blonde lady with a diamond-cut gaze caught my attention as I stiffened up. Her lovely dress shimmered in the chandelier light, and she looked at me like I was some unsightly thing she had found on the bottom of her shoe.

Damien tightened his jaw. "Claire." he said coolly. "Now is not the moment."

She ignored him and stared directly at me. With a piercing smile, she said, "I hope you know what you're getting into." "Happy endings are not something that Damien believes in."

My heart pounded, and the tension between us exploded like a live wire. As Claire turned around and walked away, I was left with a ton of questions. The barriers Damien had built around himself, the ones that held secrets so deep and black they would drown me, were briefly visible to me as I stared into his eyes.

I thought I may find out the details of those mysteries.