Chapter 23 The Price of Obsession
POV Damian:
Parked across the street, I stare in disbelief at the small house. The insolent woman lives here? This place is the size of my bedroom. I came here searching for an answer to the question that’s been keeping me up at night—and now I’m faced with a thousand more crowding my mind.
Why didn’t she just deposit the damn check and buy herself a better house?
Why didn’t I just hire her in the first place?
Fuck the fact that she called me an asshole—I should’ve hired her.
I get out of the car, walking quickly toward the front of the small house. I’m going to ask her those questions while looking her straight in the eyes. I need the answers to get her out of my head once and for all. I’m done imagining a thousand different possibilities—she’s going to tell me why. I don’t handle indifference well, and I’m too arrogant to let her get away with it.
What was it—was a million too little? Is that it? Would ten million make her come find me?
Hell. Damn her.
I stop in front of the gate, hating the situation I’m in. I’m living through my own personal hell—all because of a woman. A damn woman who’s been messing with my head since the first moment I laid eyes on her. Defying all my rules and my damned masculine pride, I clap my hands three times, silently praying she’ll come out and talk to me.
Standing in front of the old gate, I wait anxiously to see her, but her delay starts to irritate me. What the hell am I doing? I must be completely deranged over this woman. You know what? Fuck it. I should just go back to the car and forget I ever came here to make a fool of myself.
I take a few steps toward the car, but the sound of the gate creaking open makes me turn around. An older man in simple clothes is standing there, eyeing me from head to toe. The expression on his face makes it clear he’s not happy to see me.
“Who are you, and what do you want?” The arrogance in his tone reminds me of a certain woman who’s been pulling me out of my comfort zone.
“My name is Damian Blackwell,” I said, offering my hand, which he ignored, leaving me standing there like an idiot. I cleared my throat, trying not to show my discomfort. “I’m looking for Scarlett Monroe. Is she home?”
He gave me another once-over, his eyes narrowing.
“What do you want with my daughter?”
I want to know why she never came to me.
“It’s about a job interview she had at my company,” I lied smoothly. No way he could know the truth… right? God, I hope not.
“She’s not here.” He turned and went back inside, slamming the gate in my face. “And I advise you not to come back!”
“Sir—” I called after him, but he didn’t bother turning around.
Now what the hell am I supposed to do to find Miss Monroe?
...
I close my eyes, trying to hold back the urge to tell Madison to stop flirting with me. All I want is to end this meeting, go back to Detroit, and forget I ever set foot in this city. When Madison called earlier to say the meeting had to happen tonight, I agreed—mainly because after the fiasco at Scarlett’s house, I needed something to keep my mind busy. That’s the only reason I accepted. I didn’t care that it was already late, or that it was past nine at night.
“Damian, are you still here?” Madison’s voice broke through my thoughts. I took a deep breath and turned toward her.
“Sorry, I’m just tired and hungry,” I said. Not a complete lie—I just didn’t specify that the exhaustion was because of her.
Her eyes sparkled at me, and as I looked at her more closely, I made a decision: from now on, all of our meetings would be held over video call.
Why is it so hard for her to understand that I’m not interested? I’ve already noticed her cleavage. I’ve noticed she’s not wearing panties—hard not to, considering how many times she’s crossed and uncrossed her legs—but I simply don’t want her. I came to Ann Arbor for business, nothing else. I’m not looking for sex. And even if I were, Miss Madison Parker would be the last woman I’d choose to bury my cock in.
“We could go out for dinner,” she suggested eagerly, standing up. “There’s a great restaurant a few blocks from here.”
Of course there is. And of course, in her pretty little head, this is the perfect chance to keep trying to seduce me. God, I know this type of woman all too well—and I’m tired of every trick they pull to get me into bed, only to show up a few months later claiming they’re pregnant.
The fact that I can’t have children has at least one advantage: I can easily shut down every gold-digger who tries to use that excuse. The family I’ll build one day will be with the right woman, and our children will come however she chooses—whether by insemination or adoption. When that day comes, I’ll be happy. Truly happy. I won’t let the condition that made me sterile define me anymore.
“No restaurant. I’m in the mood for a burger,” I said. The look of disgust that crossed Madison’s face almost made me smile. I didn’t want to sit in some restaurant where she’d try her pathetic seduction act, rubbing her foot up my leg until she reached my cock.
“Burger?” she repeated, appalled.
“Yes. With lots of fries. How about that?” Madison smoothed her blouse, probably weighing how she’d try to convince me to fuck her.
Sweetheart, it’s not going to happen. Just accept it.
“Okay… there’s a diner nearby,” she said finally.
“Then let’s go. I’m starving.”