Page 79 of Cut Me Down

“I don’t care.” She says blankly and shoots me a look before cutting her eyes back to Damien. My heart drops to my stomach as he steps up to her, but then he surprises me and reaches his hand out to her. His palm facing out like he wants to shake her hand.

“I’m Damien. It’s nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about you.” He says to her confidently. Clearly putting in an effort like he promised.

“Yeah, I've heard a lot about you too.” She says as she forcefully grabs my hand and tries to lead me back inside, but I stop her and turn around. Facing his perfect features once again.

“Be careful?”

“Of course.” He manages to wink at me before she yanks me inside. Once we get back to the bar she angrily sits down. Flopping on the stool like I stomped on her foot or something.

“You don’t have to be such a bitch, Ser. He was trying to be nice.” I plant my hands on top of the bar, so she can see how serious I am. I understand her frustration as my friend, but it’s not like I haven’t been keeping her in the loop. She knows how I’ve grown to feel about him, and everything he’s done for me.

“Well, I'm sorry, I'm not just going to forget how he was stalking you and then murdered your ex in front of you.” She squints her eyes and shakes her head back and forth in that attitude she keeps close.

“I get it, Ser, you don’t like him, but I do, and I love you. So I need you to at least try and tolerate him.” I plead.

“Why would I do that? The last time I did that, your abusive boyfriend tried to keep you from me and almost killed you.”

“Damien is not like that!” I yell. Immediately regretting it. I shouldn’t get so upset with her. Knowing that she's just trying to protect me. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I calmly sit down on my assigned stool. “I told him that if he wanted me, you were part of the deal. He understands that you are in my life, and you’re not going anywhere. Can’t you do the same?” She softens her gaze at me.

“You told him that?” She asks in a questionable tone. Almost as if she doesn’t believe me.

“Of course, I did. He knows how important you are to me.” I take her hand in mine and gently squeeze. “Six years ago, I promised you I would never let that happen again. I meant it.” I never told her that the fight with Cooper, that led to him trying to kill me, started over her. He told me to cut her off, said she was a bad influence and that he could never change with her disapproval always hanging over his head. I was young and stupid then, and did everything to convince myself that I could see his point. I didn’t talk to her for a week, and that was all I could handle. I felt so bad, and realized then what hold he had over my mind.

So, I snuck off to see her, and then the next day she came to the shop and hung out with me there. She ended up meeting a guy, and Cooper saw her with one of my clients when he showed up to my work. I'll never forget the look of pure rage on his face. “It’s been hard for me to accept, but he's not Cooper, and I like him.Reallylike him. He's good to me, Ser. Please, try to get along. It’s going to suck if I have to live with you two hating each other.”

“Oh. So he hates me too?” She exclaims.

“No, Ser. In fact, he told me he was glad I had a friend like you. Someone that cares about me and loves me the way you do.” Her gaze softens and she looks down at the bar to fidget with a napkin. “I won’t pick a man over you, ever again, but the best thing about him is that he’d never ask me to.” She looks back at me with droopy eyes. The begging tone in my voice obviously affecting her.

The mood of the entire bar seems to lift from our tense argument as an older, catchy tune plays over the speakers. Deep beats and twangs of an old string instrument fill the room and echo off of the walls. Whoops and hollers come from the patrons, causing me to look up. Damien and his friend walk towards us, or towards the exit behind us, I should say. Nonchalantly, almost as if he was going to ignore me completely.

Then he lunges and wraps his arms around me, causing me to shriek and flinch as he lifts me off of the barstool. My embarrassing squeal quickly turns to laughter as he carries me to an open area by the dining tables and sets me on my feet. He looks down at me with an endearing curve of his lips.

His hand gently grazes my arm before grasping my hand and pulling me to him. Resting his other hand on my hip, he guides my body lightly to move with his. A sweet sway back and forth, quick enough to match the rhythm of the song. Once my hips move on their own, he stretches our arms straight up and looks at me with that affectionate, hungry stare.

“Bear with it, baby, ‘cause you’re fine, and you’re mine, and you look so divine.” He sings loudly as he sways his knees and drags his hands down my body. I can’t help the laughter or flush to my cheeks. My entire body tingles as my stomach flutters. I'm not worried about who’s staring. Not Ser, not Mikaela, and not even Damien’s friend. My thoughts are completely on him and his sweet gesture.

As he stands, he wraps his arms around me again, and we continue dancing. Swinging our hips side to side and allowing our hands to roam over each other. While I can feel the stares of all of the other customers, I don’t care. The way his body moves with mine is so natural and compelling that I can’t turn away. Not that I want to.

He grabs my hand and spins me around in a cute twirl. My eyes catch a glance at Mikaela, but he almost instantly he grabs my chin lightly and directs my gaze back to him. He’s staking his claim and allowing me to lay down mine as well. A primal and jealous feeling washing over me like a blanket, encasing me in it.

I turn in his hold, my back pressed to his chest and sway my way lower and lower as my hands slide down from his sides to his hips, and down his legs. My gaze remains on him as his hands travel up my sides, over my shoulders and up my neck into my hair. One of his hands grasps the strands, pulls me back up and turns me back to face him.

His lips crash into mine as he bends me backward. Arching my body and dipping me as a finale before he pulls me back up. Raking his hand down my body, his arm snakes around me again, lifting me as if I were a feather, and carrying me back to my barstool. I can feel my face flush as applause erupt through the room, but I don't try to hide my face.

“We have to head out.” He says as he sets me back down on the stool next to Serena. A playful smirk is still plastered on his face, but the tone in his voice sounds slightly more concentrated and shakier. Almost as if the fun is fading away and worry is replacing it.

“Okay, be careful.” I say as my face softens, picking up on the change in his demeanor.

“I will. Are you going home after this?” It sounds more like a statement than a question, but I don't push it. Why does he sound so worried?

“Yeah, we’ll go back to the apartment when we’re done. Do you want me to text you when we get in?”

“I’d like it if you did, I just want to make sure you get in okay.”

I nod, reassuring him.

“Yeah, I'll text you.”

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