Chapter 76 Crossfire
POV Scarlett:
Was my mind always this depraved?
I smile, seeing Aria’s happiness eating Noah’s food. It’s noticeable how much she loves the meals he prepares especially for her. Noah looks at me just as he brings another spoonful of food to her mouth. I feel my insides vibrate with the smile he gives me, accompanied by a wink.
“Tomorrow we’ll need to go to the company to review some things we left aside. Will you be okay with our mom helping you?” Liam’s question pulls me from the most indecent thoughts I’ve ever had. I’m starting to scare myself.
“Of course.”
“Uncle Damian.” My heart stops when I turn my face to see Aria calling Damian. She called him uncle?
“I know very well what the young lady wants, and no, you will not go with Uncle to the company tomorrow.”
Uncle? Why does he… I thought… My eyes fill with water, and I don’t even know why—because he doesn’t see her as his daughter, or because I know it hurts me so much.
“She… she doesn’t call you daddy?” I ask, and the eyes of everyone at the table widen as if they’ve only just realized I didn’t know this. “Why?”
“Scarlett…”
“Why?” I insist. Damian sighs, setting his fork down on his plate.
“Because I’m not her father,” his answer hurts me. “I’m just the uncle, and that’s what I’ll continue to be.”
I lower my head, trying to understand his words. If he considers himself only her uncle, why did his brothers lead me to believe he considered himself her father? I lift my head, and the pained expression on Damian’s face makes me swallow the words I was about to unleash on him. I go back to eating my food, not wanting to address this matter in front of our daughter, but as soon as she’s asleep, I will have a very definitive conversation with all four of them.
(...)
POV Damian:
“Shit!” Scarlett’s gaze is downcast; her sadness is unmistakable. She shouldn’t have found out about my decision this way. I know I should have told her about my choice sooner, but with her revelation about the memories she’d lost and recovered—and her desire to go see her exes—it made me want to wait for the right moment for us to have that conversation.
I hope she can understand me. After everything I went through with my son’s abortion, and what ended up happening to her because of me, I realized I wasn’t born to be a father, and I’m fine with that. I love Aria, and I accept being just her uncle in her life. Even if sometimes she calls me “Daddy” without realizing it, I keep teaching her to call me “Uncle.” It’s best for everyone, and a guarantee that I’ll never fuck up with any child Scarlett might have with my brothers, besides Aria.
My eyes meet Scarlett’s, and the sadness I saw there a few seconds ago gives way to a ferocity that makes me swallow hard. I subtly adjusted the collar of my shirt because, all of a sudden, it feels too tight around my neck.
I imagine that, to Scarlett, I’m wrong about everything—that I drop the ball with her countless times—and she’s right to think that. Still, how do I explain to her that my actions are meant to protect me? Protect my feelings, which were badly hurt the first time I threw myself headfirst into a relationship. I love her. Since the first time I saw her, she hypnotized me, made me truly see her when I couldn’t see anything or anyone beyond my ego, beyond my arrogance. Scarlett made me love her when I believed I was no longer capable. I messed up with her—I messed up a lot. She doesn’t know me beyond what I allow to show, and I know that if I don’t change, I’ll lose her, and there won’t be anyone to blame but myself.
“Everything okay, Damian?” I lift my head and everyone is staring at me. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn’t even notice the moment I drew their attention to me.
“Yes.” I lie. As wrong as it is, sometimes a lie is the easiest path for someone who’s tangled in the web of truths their feelings have trapped them in. That’s my case.
“Everything okay, Damian, are you sure?” There she is—my impertinent, nose-in-the-air woman, ready to kick my balls with all the strength she’s got.
“Of course.”
I lower my head. I don’t want to look at the anger stamped across Scarlett’s face; she doesn’t care anymore about hiding that she wants to kill me. I imagine she’s just waiting for Ethan to take Aria upstairs so she can jump at my throat. And can I blame her? No, fuck, I can’t.
“You’re sweating, or is it just me?” she asks, smiling.
“No, I’m—”
“Fine. I heard you the first time, Damian. I’m not deaf—just a fool.”
She really is going to kill me.
“Time to take Aria upstairs.” Ethan pushed back from his chair. “Say good night to everyone, my love.”
Aria spends a bit of time in each person’s lap, getting their hug and good-night kiss. Scarlett’s eyes bore into me with every promise of retaliation imaginable. Is she going to teach me another lesson? I hope not. I can’t stand having to masturbate every day anymore like I’m a fucking teenager again.
“Need help, Ethan?” Noah offers, and Ethan nods.
Fuck. I can’t be alone with this woman.