Serena Mclane's P. O. V Placing my elbow on the table, I lean my hand against my open palm as I stare at the man in anticipation mixed with excitement. Damien hasn't really been an open book of sorts. More like a shrouded fern, hiding from the light and traveling as far into the abyss as they can go. "Since the last time seemed to go so well," his eyes narrow at my use of sarcasm which makes me smile, "I say one thing and you say one thing. Seem simple enough?" Hopefully the both of us will be able to indulge into some information. Damien eyes me before leaning against the counter. His body painting a picture of ease and yet at the same time incredibly lithe and ready to spring into action, whatever it may be. My eyes take in that sense of alertness he always has, the way his eyes remain steady on a person and yet at the same time manages to assess each and every living object in a ten mile radius. "You first." Damien motions as he crosses his arms over his chest. I try to think of something, something that will be easy to answer yet at the same time give me some depth about him. "When did you have your first real relationship. Like how long ago?" I maintain my straight face as I mentally scoff at myself. Out of all the questions you can ask, you ask that one? Damien scans my face, his eyes remain impassive. "Up-to date?" He asks. I merely nod while my stomach churns uncomfortably and I try my best not to fidget around too much. "I haven't." My eyes widen and I stop fidgeting around. "None?" I ask in shock. Damien doesn't seem to be the type to just have casual flings. He seems more like the type to actually invest into a relationship as much as he can. Something that benefits both parties. Probably everything Damien looks at, he measures it for precise accuracy and if he finds a fault, it won't work. Well at least that's what I like to think. It gives myself a nice feeling. My father gave him a proposal and hopefully he didn't find a fault, rather a benefit. Although it does make me feel like an object, it also leaves me feeling rather enlightened. "You don't get to where I am with wasting your time around in irrelevant situations when you could be contributing all you have to be as successful as physically possible." "Ah, so your the casual flings kind of guy. A true Casanova." I say with a flourish of my hands, a faux posh tone to my voice. At my statement, Damien snorts and shakes his head in a disbelieving manner. "That counts as an irrelevant situation." I frown at his words as I try to understand. "I thought guys were all about satisfying their intense desires and to do so in whatever way possible with whoever possible." Damien nods his head as he shifts his position to get comfortable, opting for grabbing the chair closest to me and taking a seat. I have to change my own position so that I can see him properly. "Those people," he continues on my previous question, "Have a lack of control on their desires. I don't." He says simply. "I'm guessing you have a heart of steel and a will of aluminium and basically the damn tin man." I say with a huff. My eyes widen further as a deep laugh escapes Damien's mouth, "wouldn't go that far but sure." He answers with mirth in his eyes, "Definitely not such a fortified heart either." He basically whispers, so softly I nearly miss what he says. I roll my eyes at him but then sit in silence at his words. Damien Stryker is a very complex man. "Your turn." I finally say as I look at him in curiosity. I wonder what he'll come up with. Damien shrugs his shoulders at me. "You just ask." He says. I shake my head at his answer. "Nope. If you ask me, I'll at least know you're interested. Otherwise it'll just be a waste of your and my time." Damien tilts his head and gazes at me in that particular way he does. "I thought you wanted answers?" He mumbles. "I do but not if you yourself aren't willing to tell me. Then I'll be practically forcing it out of you without the forcing. It'll be half hearted." My words leave even myself in confusion but I shrug, knowing he'll get the gist of it. "I wouldn't be giving you answers and indulging information about myself if I didn't want to." He says slowly, trying to make me see that this is a willing. "But fine, I'll ask you a question if you'd like." The smile on my face is instantaneous as I nod in fervour. Damien smiles at my reaction and looks around the room as if the various objects will give him a clue on what to ask. "What's your biggest fear?" He finally asks as his eyes land on mine once more. The question doesn't bother me nor does it startle me. "I knew you'd ask me something as morbid as that." I taint teasingly causing him to shake his head. After a moments pause, I let out a deep groan. "I don't want to sound overbearingly cliché." I mumble in distaste. "I won't judge. I'm just curious," He answers, no hint of teasing or annoyance on him. I pause and then finally answer. "I'm afraid of loosing someone I love. And I don't mean to an illness or something though that would be terrible," I quickly add in, "I'm worried about loosing someone who's perfectly alive and well. You know like how one day they just decide that you aren't worth it. You aren't worth their effort or even the time of day. It hurts thinking of how someone you love is actually alive and is on this very earth and yet they would rather have nothing to do with you. That's what I'm afraid of." By the time I give my feeble explanation, I'm looking down at the ground. The silence that ensues makes me look up to a cautious Damien. "Would you believe me if I said that I know exactly how you feel?" My lips part at his words but I can tell. He does understand. All that guardedness and this dark aura that surrounds him. Everything about him, the way he always looks on edge, always second guessing things, as if he's just waiting for someone to betray him at a moments notice. It all makes sense. "I do." I answer with conviction. Damien holds my eyes for a while longer before looking away. "Your turn." He mumbles. This time, I have my answer ready and don't wait long in blurting it out. "It's now my turn to ask something deep," I warn him. However he just nods and motions for me to continue. "What's your deepest darkest secret?" I ask ominously. Though the question is a hundred and ten percent serious. Will Damien be willing to tell me? I doubt it. But it all depends on trust. Does he trust me? Better yet. Do I trust him? And even if I do, is it too early to trust someone within a matter of weeks? I don't even realize the reaction that takes place but when my eyes focus on his; I take note of his now tense and rigid posture, his face hiding from view as he looks down at the floor. "Damien?" I mumble, "I can ask you something else if you want? Damien peers up at me through deep stormy eyes, his eyelashes casting deep shadows on his cheeks as his hair falls forward. His expression reminds of that of a tormented man. Just that sends a shooting of worry to pass through me. "No," he mutters in a husky voice before clearing his throat. Damien closes his eyes and as the moments pass he slowly flickers them open. "I'll tell you half of it?" He asks me, in a way for my permission to do so. I nod my head at him, "It's better than nothing." Damien bites on his lip. An action I've seen him do a second time and each time does it case my eyes to dart down to the action almost as if I'm drawn to it. "I'm," Damien pauses before looking away, "I'm adopted." My jaw drops and I stare at him to make sure he isn't lying. He stares back, an uncanny expression on his face. My mind catches up with my fallen jaw and I quickly snap it closed. "B- but you look like Ka-," my words cut short as their faces appear in my mind. "Nothing like them." Damien finishes for me. And it's true. Damien doesn't seem to possess the same features as his parents. Both brown haired, one almost a dark blondish, with dark chocolate brown eyes. Nothing like his. Even their stature or build is nothing like his. I find myself glancing up at him. "A lot of people don't look like their parents though." I mumble slowly. Damien shrugs but doesn't answer. "When did you...?" I trail off, unable to form my question. "Find out?" He clarifies while I nod my head, "Not long ago actually, nearly a year back." He answers simply. This causes me to be shocked but I don't show it, or hopefully I don't. Don't most people find out when they're young? Or not at all? I let out a gentle breath. "Hell my darkest secret is that I stole a carton of milk from the shop down the road from our house." I grumble in defeat. This causes Damien to let out a short laugh. "Hey don't laugh. I still feel guilty. I didn't have any money on me and mum told me to get some milk and I couldn't be bothered to go back home to get change and then come back. I did give money to a poor man the next day though." I answer solemnly causing him to let out another bark of laughter. "Sure laugh it up now. We'll see who'll be laughing soon enough. It happens to a lot of people." I comment dryly. Seeing his gleaming blue eyes scrunch up and sharp teeth flash in a smile as he lets out a small breath of air from laughing too much, I can't help but to feel the light tug at my hurt. This scenario isn't going to be easy, I can guess that much.