Damien scoffed. “Jesus.”
“Then he puts his hand on my leg and?—”
“What?!” Damien interrupts me. “He touched you?”
I nodded. “Yeah.” The word had come out so softly, I wasn’t sure if he’d heard it.
Damien ran a hand through his hair and down his face before taking a deep breath. “Keep going.”
I cleared my throat. “He pushed his hand under the hem of my skirt?—”
“I can’t fucking believe this,” he whispered.
He didn’t say anything else, so I continued. “I asked him to move his hand, three times or so, before I punched him.”
Damien’s eyes widened as his mouth dropped open. “You hit him?”
“Uh-huh. Right in the nose.”
He laughed.
Damien was laughing.
The sound was beautiful and melodic, just like when he sang. It was infectious, and I joined him despite the circumstances.
“And here I was thinking I’d need to come defend your honor, but it seems you beat me to it.”
“It wasn’t something I’d planned. It just happened. Fight or flight. And I’m a fighter.”
“How do you keep getting in situations where men are trying to take advantage of you?” He still smiled, but his question had a serious undertone.
“I’m small and nice to people. Apparently, that means I’m okay with screwing every guy I come across. They think I’m willing, vulnerable, and easy to take advantage of.”
Like I’m just a sweet piece of ass to them.
“But they’re wrong. You’re anything but.”
“I know that. And they find out soon enough.”
“Hmph. What did Elijah say about you getting fired and harassed?”
I pressed my lips together. “I wouldn’t know. I haven’t talked to him yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“I called him, but it just goes to voicemail. I tried the office too. But they won’t let my calls through.”
“He doesn’t know.” It was a statement, not a question.
“No.”
Damien didn’t answer immediately, but his eyes narrowed as he watched me. His unwavering stare made me feel naked and exposed, like I was standing on a stage in my underwear in front of thousands of people. “Say something.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
He sighed as he tugged on his hair. “It’s not my place to weigh in on your relationship and tell you how to handle it. I don’t want to be in the middle of whatever you two have going on and it’s not fair to put me there.”
