As I walked away, I gave her another look and it was the same as the one she offered to me.
A deep, intense, and soulful desire that if not kept in check could become uncontrollable.
CHAPTER 2
Lainey
“I thoughtI was extremely clear, Damien. I do not want you here.” I didn’t want him anywhere near me.
The bastard had every intention of ignoring my wishes. As usual. I’d already reached the end of my patience. The girl who’d been swept off her feet by the promise of stardom, money for my family, and long-term security was long gone.
I was sick of being naïve, allowing men to control my career and my personal life. I’d been raised differently. Lately, all I’d been asking myself was how in the hell I’d gotten pulled into a life that had yet to provide me with true happiness. The saying was true. All money bought was the sense of stability, but in the world of show business, that could be stripped away in a heartbeat.
It was time for the old girl to return, the tomboy who’d learned early on to take no shit. Staying in one place for months had been good for me. For the first time in at least several years I hadn’t been treated like a piece of meat.
I had Sasha Dmitriyev to thank for that.
Just thinking his name not only brought a wave of tickling heat, but also fueled the anger I had toward Damien.
“I brought you roses, baby. I know how you like them.” Damien Kane thought he was immune to decency, choosing to ignore my demands. He placed the crystal vase on my dressing table and it was all I could do not to slam the thick vase in his face.
My anger was off the charts. How dare the son of a bitch bring flowers as if that would in any way drive aside the abuse. Why I’d listened to my manager, the public relations team, and my attorney in not obtaining a restraining order was beyond me. My fucking God. I’d allowed two men and a whole army of social media gurus to control my life when they couldn’t care less about me.
Then there was this asshole, a prick who believed he owned me.
“It will be good for your career.”
“You need stabilization in your life, Lainey.”
“You can help clean up his bad boy image.”
Why in God’s name had I agreed? Stability I’d had long before I’d become a star. Days I missed with every ounce of my being. I just wanted to be that girl again, even for a little while.
I half laughed after taking a glance at the flowers. “You have no clue about me and you never did. Yeah, I like roses. White roses. I hate red.”
He couldn’t care less. That was easy to see by the smug look on his face.
“This is long overdue, Damien. We are finished. Not that we ever had a real relationship in the first place, but I want nothing to do with this charade. You can leave now.”
“Come on, baby. I told you I was sorry.”
“Sorry, you son of a bitch? You put me in the hospital. You forced me to cancel a contract because of what you did to me.You forced me to hide in my house until the bruises healed so I wouldn’t derail your career. Now, I’m going to say this once. Get the fuck out.”
I’d wasted almost two years of my life pretending I cared about the man for the cameras. For my career, I was told more than once. A celebrity couple equaled sales. I’d been so fucking naïve that for about ten minutes, I’d believed them.
It had been just the opposite.
I’d almost lost myself in the fanfare, enjoying the garbage surrounding the glamorous parties and photoshoots, increased sales and my popularity going through the roof.
The first punch should have knocked some sense into me.
The second should have put a nail in his coffin.
I was finished with being Lainey Rose the megastar. That vulnerable, stupid girl had grown up. It was time to take my destiny and my future into my own hands.
“I’m going to say this one last time. Leave and I never want to hear from you again. If you don’t, this time I will press charges.”
For all the things Damien had done since we’d been forced together, every abusive action had been in private. In public, he was the perfect boyfriend. Attentive. Loving. Giving. Even passionate, although after the first month, being close to him had begun to make my skin crawl.
