Damien’s Woman

Damien’s Woman

Agnes didn’t slow her stride as she approached the oblivious couple. She stopped right beside Damien’s chair, hands on her hips, head tilted with that signature devilish grin that usually meant trouble for everyone involved.

“Excuse me,” she said brightly, loud enough to cut through their little bubble as she pushed their plate away.

“Since last night when Damien went upstairs to ‘take a quick shower,’ nobody has seen either of you. Not for food, not for water, not even to say good morning. And now here you are…still glued together like you’ve superglued your skin…at eleven-thirty in the morning. Haven’t you two had enough yet? Or is this the part where we call the fire department to pry you apart?”

That got their attention. Only then did they realize that they weren’t alone.

Damien finally looked up. Slowly. His arm tightened around Isabella’s waist like he was staking permanent claim. A slow, smug grin spread across his face.

“Enough?” he drawled, voice low and filthy. “Agnes, I haven’t even gotten started. Last night was just the warm-up. I’ve got plans for her that’ll have her screaming my name so loud everyone here would start filing noise complaints. And that’s before breakfast is over.”

Isabella’s eyes went wide. Her hand flew up and clamped over his mouth so fast it made a soft smack.

“Damien!” she hissed, cheeks flaming crimson. “Shut. Up. You’re making it worse.”

He just laughed against her palm, the sound muffled and wicked, eyes dancing with pure triumph. He lifted his shoulders back, chest puffed out like he’d just been crowned king of the entire damn planet. Which, in his mind, he basically had.

Ellie snorted first…then burst out laughing so hard she had to brace herself on the table.

“Oh my God,” she wheezed. “You two are disgusting. And adorable. But mostly disgusting.”

Jace leaned back, smirking. “Caveman level: expert. I’m almost impressed, boss.”

Jaxon raised his coffee mug in mock salute. “To the lovers of the century. May your stamina never fade and your neighbors never call the cops.”

Everyone laughed while Andre just shook his head, grinning. “Y’all need Jesus. Or at least a locked door.”

Isabella buried her face in Damien’s chest, trying to disappear into his shirt. “Kill me now,” she mumbled.

Damien’s hand came up to cradle the back of her head protectively. “Hey,” he said, voice dropping into that dangerous calm he used when he meant business. “Stop embarrassing my fiancée, or I swear to God I’m kicking every single one of you out of my house. Starting with the loudest.”

The room went dead silent like he had just announced something shocking.

Then—

“Fiancée?!” Agnes, Ellie, and Jace all shouted at once.

“Fiancée?!” Agnes echoed again, nearly dropping her mug.

Andre’s fork clattered onto his plate. “Since when, boss?!”

Damien just shrugged, still stroking Isabella’s hair like nothing had happened. “Since she said yes last night in our bedroom…after I took her through rounds of how much I’ve missed her. I’ll have a ring customized for her later today.”

The echoes of different reactions to the news bounced off the room. Some were shocked, some stunned, and others extremely excited.

As soon as the news left Damien’s mouth, Agnes spun on Jace so fast he flinched.

“When are you gonna propose, huh?” she demanded, poking his chest. “Or should I be the one getting on my knees? Because I will. Right here. Right now. In front of God and these wonderful witnesses.”

Jace’s eyes widened. “Sweetheart, be patient—”

“I want my own proposal…and I want it soon,” she said, cutting him off without missing a beat.

Damien immediately cleared his throat. “On that note,” he announced, flashing a wicked grin, “my baby and I will be stepping away for a very short break.”

Agnes and Ellie exchanged a quick, loaded look…the kind of silent girl-code communication that meant a decision had already been reached and no man in the room stood a chance.

Before anyone could react, the girls sprang into action.

Agnes hooked one arm around Isabella and the other around Ellie like she was herding cats.

“Oh, give me a break, mister,” she scoffed, then turned to Isabella with a bright smile. “Come on, Bella. Girl talk. Now.”

Damien’s arms locked around Isabella like steel bands. “The hell you are—”

Isabella squeaked as they started tugging her in different directions.

Agnes didn’t hesitate when she realized Damien was succeeding in dragging Isabella away. “Jace! Help!”

Jace hesitated for half a second…then sighed dramatically and stood up, moving behind Damien to pin his shoulders back against the chair.

“Ellie, send your backup!” Agnes called.

Ellie waved at Jaxon. “You too, pretty boy. Hold him.”

Jaxon grinned like Christmas came early and sauntered over, grabbing Damien’s other arm. “Sorry, boss. The ladies’ orders.”

Damien struggled.,.half seriously, half laughing…muscles flexing uselessly against the two other men.

“Let—go—of—my—wife—”

The girls finally wrestled Isabella free. She stumbled a little, cheeks still beet red from all the embarrassment, but she was giggling despite herself.

Agnes pointed at the two guys pinning Damien. “Stay. Put. We’re heading out in less than ten minutes for an emergency girl talk. No boys allowed.”

They started dragging Isabella toward the hallway.

Damien twisted against the hold, glaring daggers at Jaxon. “You’ve already lost your job, asshole. You’re fired. Effective immediately.”

Jaxon just shrugged, completely unbothered. “Cool. I’ll just live off Ellie’s half of your money when she inherits it after you die of blue balls waiting for your woman to come back.”

Damien roared after the retreating women, voice cracking with mock desperation. “Bring my woman back! Right now!”

The front door opened somewhere down the hall…then slammed shut behind giggles and footsteps.

Jace finally released Damien and stepped back, hands up in surrender. “Chill, man. You’re not the only one who has a woman.”

Andre let out a long, dramatic exhale and stabbed his pancake so hard the fork bent a little.

“Great,” he muttered, staring at his ruined breakfast. “So the three of you have your women… and the rest of us? What are we supposed to do now? Just sit here and eat cold eggs while y’all live happily ever after?”

Damien dropped back into the chair, arms crossed, staring at the door like he could will it to open again.

Jace clapped him on the shoulder. “Welcome to love life, brother. It’s only gonna get worse.”

Andre looked up, deadpan. “Somebody please pass the syrup. If I’m gonna be single forever, I might as well drown in sugar while I still can.”

The room dissolved into laughter…loud, helpless, relieved…while somewhere in the house, three women were already plotting who-knows-what.

And Damien?

He was already counting down the minutes until he could go steal his woman back.

Because forever had just started…and he wasn’t about to let anyone interrupt it for long.