Page 53 of Pleasure Payback

CHAPTER NINE

Neve

GENTLEHANDSBRUSHEDthe hair off my face, tucking strands behind my ear.

‘So now you’ve fully experienced it, do you love it?’ The low, growly voice whispered.

For a moment my mind blanked.

He was asking about the suite. Talking business. Whereas I was firmly back in bliss-land.

‘Water. I need water,’ I croaked through a throat sore from having screamed so many orgasms I could barely count. Thirst aside, an urgent need to avoid the eyes probing mine, sinking beneath my skin, powered through me. I attempted to dislodge him under the pretext of reaching for the crystal carafe of fresh water placed on the bedside table.

‘Wait. I’ve got it.’ Damian curled his fingers around my wrist, and even that gesture felt too intimate. Which was ridiculous after every debauched thing we’d done to each other since he walked into the suite.

I tugged myself free, avoiding his slight frown as he moved away, poured a glass of water and handed it over.

I drank deeply, aware of his eyes on me.

‘You want some? Or something stronger? You look thirsty.’ I’d meant to tease, but the abrupt shake of his head told me the joke had missed its mark.

‘I’m fine, thanks.’

I frowned. ‘You’re set on giving me that complex, aren’t you?’

His lips flattened. ‘It’s not you. It’s me.’

My fingers tightened around the glass. ‘Seriously?’

He grimaced. ‘I can’t... I don’t want to talk about it.’

The thinnest blade of anguish sliced through the terse reply, making my insides tremble and threatening to disintegrate that stone of retribution I was so desperate to hang onto.

It scared me. But it didn’t shake the need to understand him.

‘There’s nothing wrong in admitting a drinking problem, Damian.’

His bark of laughter was pure bitterness. ‘I’m not an alcoholic, darling. Not even a recovering one. In fact I have zero problems with booze.’

‘Then what is it? Did something happen?’

‘Jesus, you’re like a dog with a fucking bone, aren’t you?’

I flinched. He saw it and sighed. ‘Neve—’

‘It’s late.’ I set the glass down with a loud click. ‘It’s time we call it a night.’

‘You’re not staying here till morning? Or are you kicking justmeout, again?’ Grim amusement twisted around his bitterness.

But I was done laughing. Somehow Damian kept hurling me back to a default setting of compassion and caring I couldn’t control.

Despite all my reservations.

Despite all the hard, harrowing rejections I’d been subjected to from my mother.

I slid towards the side of the bed opposite to where he now stood, gloriously naked and infinitely jumpable. ‘I have an early start in the morning,’ I stressed, probably more for myself. Because my heart was doing that lurching, clenching thing again. The one that resembledlossandmissingeven though this man wasn’t mine in any way. Even though this was meant to be a clinical exercise.

I stood. And wobbled like damn Bambi on ice. Damian was on me before I could take a step.

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