Chapter 83
CINDY’S POV
I woke up tangled in Damian, his heavy arm locked across my waist. His chest rose and fell under my cheek in that slow, steady rhythm that always made me feel safe.
The sheets were a wrecked mess around us, clothes scattered across the floor like we’d fought a battle.
The room still carried that thick, lazy scent of sex and his cologne.
For a long minute I just lay there, tracing the line of his jaw with my eyes, watching the early sunlight paint gold across his lashes.
His hair was a disaster, curly strands sticking up in every direction, falling over his forehead in that stupidly perfect way that made him look younger, softer, and almost innocent.
I brushed my fingers through it, careful not to wake him, then pressed the gentlest kiss to the corner of his mouth.
He made a low, sleepy sound that shot straight between my thighs.
God, this man.
Thank God I’d stayed on birth control since I married Henry (doctor’s strict orders back then; pregnancy was a serious threat to my health).
Otherwise Damian would’ve had me knocked up ten times over by now.
I bit my lip, heat flooding my face.
Honestly? The thought of carrying his babies didn’t sound bad at all.
I was already imagining our dream house when my phone started buzzing against the nightstand.
I groaned, reached over Damian’s shoulder, and squinted at the screen.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it, but something twisted in my gut.
I swiped.
“Cindy.”
Every cell in my body locked up.
I shot upright so fast the sheet slipped to my waist. Damian stirred, one eye cracking open lazily in his sleep.
“Henry,” I hissed, lowering my voice. “Why the hell are you calling me?”
His voice came through broken and pitiful.
“Cindy, please. I’ve been trying to reach you. Please don’t do this. I’m sorry. I’ll change. I’ll be better. Just revoke this divorce decree, please.”
“Revoke? Funny. Sign the damn papers and move on with your life, Henry. I’m done.”
“Cindy—”
“I’m not pressing charges for conspiracy to murder,” I cut in.
“Consider that my last act of kindness to you. Call this number again and I’ll throw the damn SIM into the Mediterranean. Don’t test me.”
I ended the call and tossed the phone onto the bed angrily.
I crawled back into Damian’s chest, and his arm wrapped around me automatically, pulling me tight into the hard plane of his body.
“That bastard callin’ you?” his deep, sleepy growl rumbled against my ear.
Even half-asleep, his voice was pure temptation and sin. Heat flooded me instantly.
I blushed so hard I buried my face in his neck.
“Yeah,” I whispered. “Handled it.”
He hummed, his lips brushing my temple. “Good.”
The phone rang again, loud and annoying, like it had a personal beef with my peace.
“What is wrong with this man?” I snarled, snatching it up.
“Henry, I swear to God—”
“Hello, Rosie.”
My heart slammed so hard I felt it in my throat.
Rosie.
Only one person on earth calls me that.
I shot upright in bed.
“D-Dad?” The word cracked out of me.
“Dad, is that really you?”
“My sweet little Rosie,” he said, his voice deep and warm, exactly the same as when he used to carry me on his shoulders through the vineyard when I was five.
I couldn’t speak for a second. I just clutched the phone and tried not to fall apart.
“I saw the news,” he went on. “Your brother decided to keep me in the dark about everything. If not, I’d have shut that place down and dragged my little girl home myself.”
Tears stung my eyes instantly. “Dad… I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too, baby. I stayed away because you needed to learn a few lessons the hard way. Looks like you finally did. Time to come home, Dear.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you—”
“Hush now. You’re the only piece of your mama I’ve got left walking this earth. I could never stay mad at my little Rosie.”
My chest ached.
Calling me by my mom’s name has always been his special endearment for me since she died.
“I’ve planned a welcome-home party this weekend. Two-day cruise on the Caribbean. Nothing extravagant, just family. Bring that boyfriend I keep hearing about… the little brat named Damian.”
I burst out laughing through my tears. “Dad!”
“Don’t think I haven’t kept tabs, young lady.”
He paused for a second, “You like him?”
“Yes,” I whispered, glancing at the man still pretending to sleep beside me.
“He’s… he’s been everything to me.”
“Good. Bring him. I need to look the boy in the eye before you go making another wrong decision.” I could hear the smirk in his voice.
“I’m not gonna keep screwing up forever, Dad.”
“We’ll see. Alaric will provide the details regarding the cruise. Can’t wait to hug my girl.”
“Me too, Dad.” I chuckled softly, sniffing back tears.”
“Gotta go now, Rosie. I have a meeting in two.”
“Alright, Dad. Bye.”
“Bye, Rosie.”
The call ended.
I dropped the phone, turned, and Damian was already awake, propped on one elbow, watching me with those intense eyes that always made my stomach flip.
I screamed, half-laugh, half-sob. “Damn it, Damian! You scared me!”
He grinned, lazy and smug. “That my father-in-law?”
“Oh my God,” I laughed, face burning as I crawled back into his arms.
He pulled me against his chest immediately, lips brushing my temple.
“He is, isn’t he?”
I lifted my left hand and wiggled my fingers in his face playfully.
“Well… last I checked, nobody’s put a ring on this finger yet.”
Damian caught my wrist mid-air, his eyes flaring with pure possession.
He pressed a slow, hot kiss to my ring finger, teeth scraping just enough to make me shiver.
“Trust me, baby. It won’t be long before the world knows this finger belongs to Damian Thorne.”
I laughed, burying my face in his neck.
“What’d he want?”
“He’s throwing me a welcome-home party on a yacht… and he wants to meet you. Says he has to scrutinize you so I don’t make another mistake.”
Damian’s arms tightened around me, possessive as hell.
“The only mistake would be you endin’ up with anyone but me.”
I rolled my eyes, grinning. “Cocky much?”
“Cocky?”
He flashed that slow, filthy grin that always wrecked me.
“Took me ten damn years to make you mine, baby. So yeah, I’m gon’ brag a little.”
He kissed me again, slow and filthy, leaned in, my hands already sliding into the sheet to grab that hard thing poking my thighs when the door suddenly swung open.
I didn’t even have time to pull the sheet higher before Evelyn glided in, Onyx tucked in the crook of her arm.
“Good morning, children,” she purred. “Am I interrupting?”
“Yeah. You are. Get out.” Damian barked, angling himself to shield my naked body.
“Relax, darling,” she cooed. “Is it now a crime for a mother to wish her favorite son a perfectly civil good morning?”
Favorite son?
My jaw literally hit the mattress.