Page 25 of The Addict

“Damian,” I whispered, relieved.

Damian glared at me intensely. The gun was still inches from his face, and my hand was sweating.

“Put that thing down,” he said slowly.

My cheeks flushed with shame. My authoritative display didn’t even slightly faze him. I wondered if Damian knew he was very nearly shot.

The gun held steady. “And David?”

“Asleep,” he answered, bluntly. “Now, do as I say.”

Slowly, the gun descended. I didn’t fear Damian, but I didn’t trust him either. Over the course of our lives Damian had repeatedly made excuses for David’s heinous actions, despite seeing the impact it had on our mother and family. I knew he had his reasons, but it was still hard for me to forgive.

I should’ve known that I wasn’t out of the woods yet. Damian threw a punch into my gut, causing the gun to fall loose from my grasp. With one swift motion of his fingers, Damian snatched the revolver out of the air. With his other hand, he removed the round of bullets, leaving them on the ground. He placed the empty weapon in his jacket pocket.

I groaned and clutched my abdomen, while Damian fingered the pattern of broken glass at the top of the door, sucking his teeth. “You destroyed Mother’s imported glass,” he scorned.

I learned the hard way that when Damian was stating the obvious, it was best not to question him. Besides, I had already been punched once.

His eyes flicked to the right. “And who might this be?”

Delane visibly flinched at his scrutiny.

“Her name is Delane.” I spoke clearly as I steadied myself, enjoying the way her name felt on my tongue. “She’s staying here tonight.”

Damian raised an eyebrow, but did not turn back to look at me. His eyes traveled up and down the length of her body, surely noticing her scantily covered form. “Is she now?”

I seethed at his hidden suggestion.

“She has nowhere else to go.”

Damian extended his hand to her as though he were a royal prince and not some prick just tried to lay me out. “Damian Hansen,” he said, in the silky smooth voice that I inherited as well. Delane looked back and forth from both of us and then stared at his outstretched hand. She was nervous.

“I truly am sorry for this…” His gaze snapped to me. “...incident.”

He shook his head. “I am Noah’s older brother. Of course, you are very welcome to stay in our home tonight, Miss… Delane is it?”

She nodded and placed her hand in his. Ever so gently, he placed a kiss on it, causing her to blush. “Oh, umm...”

I found myself tapping my foot, impatiently waiting for the Damian Show to end. I hated the way my brother acted so polite around people that were not his family. Especially women. Damian wasn’t big in the dating department, but whenever a girl caught his eye, he swooped in, capturing her.

If he wants to keep his eyes, I thought angrily, he’ll place his gaze elsewhere.

I shocked myself at the mental outburst.

“Shall we go inside then? Aren’t you cold?” I questioned, urgently.

Delane’s reddened face shot up from Damian’s presentation and she nodded vigorously, trying to compose herself.

“Y-Yes, let’s go inside. If you don’t mind.”

Damian gallantly opened the door for her, his flawless smile and gesture leading her gaze away from the destruction of broken shards that I caused. “Ladies first,” he purred.

She held her arms closer to her body and walked through the door. “Be mindful of the glass, sweetheart,” Damian added, turning to me with a wink before following straight after.

I clenched my fists, irritated at the jealousy that radiated upwards through my chest. I wasn’t used to feeling like I needed to stake a claim on something I wanted. Tonight was no different. Delane had piqued my interest from the moment I’d set eyes on her. Now, she was in my house.

Could be my bed soon, I thought, knowing I was perfectly fucked up for considering it yet again.