Page 1 of Damaged Prince
Chapter 1
Delaney
The music continues to play as the rowdy women scream for more from the man on stage.
Only he’s no longer moving. Hell, I don’t even think he’s breathing.
With our lips parted, we stare at one another, with what I’m sure are matching looks of disbelief on our faces, like we can’t believe the sight before us.
It’s only seconds that tick by, but as each one passes, it feels like hours.
Come on, Laney, you have to say something, do something. You can’t just keep staring at him like he’s some mythical creature you’ve stumbled upon in real life, even though it really feels like it in this moment. Because what the fuck?
There's most likely less than a minute before my aunties and mom come back.
Oh god, no, no, no. They can’t see Elijah on stage like this. I can’t imagine what they would say, how they would react. I don’t want to put that kind of attention on him.
Fuck. Elijah ishere, in front of me, stripping in front of a room full of feral women.
What the fuck is going on?
Finally, my mouth decides to work again, and I blurt the first thing that comes to mind. “What are you doing here?” I hiss, breaking the stunned silence and the paralysing stare-off that was going on between us.
My words seem to shake him out of the moment, his eyes blinking rapidly as he shakes his head.
His lips close and then open again. “I–I’m...” He swallows hard, throat bobbing with the motion while pure panic fills his eyes.
I might not have a single clue why he might be here right now, but I know I don’t want him to feel ashamed or embarrassed about it.
His cheeks turn bright pink as he struggles to speak. I’ve clearly taken him off guard. I’ve never seen him so flustered before.
I need to do something. Now. Before this goes bad.
Standing up, I lean over so I can speak loud enough in his ear that he can hear me over the music. “Look, whatever your reasoning is for being on this stage right now, that's not important at this moment—we can talk about that later—but what is important is that my mom and aunties are here and will be back any moment. And let's be honest, while this outfit is sinfully sexy, it does nothing to hide your identity. So, unless you want them to find out that it’s you on stage, you need to think fast.”
He lets out a low curse. “Fuck.” His eyes dart around the room in search of them before swinging back to meet mine. He licks his lips and nods. “Okay.”
Getting to his feet, Elijah effortlessly glides back into formation, his body dipping and moving around the stage to the beat of the music like his routine wasn’t interrupted.
My heart pounds as I watch him, body and mind still in shock with whatever the hell is going on. But I don’t look away, I can’t, seeming to be hypnotized as I watch him up there.
He makes his way across the stage, disappearing behind the curtain for a moment, causing the room to break out into disappointed sounds, before he makes his way back out on stage again. This time, he’s sporting a white wig and beard under his Santa hat.
This whole thing is confusing and downright bizarre, but I can’t help that my lips kick up into a small smile. He looks ridiculous, but the women around me seem to enjoy it, clapping and cheering as he works his body.
“Hot damn!” Auntie Eden’s voice sounds next to me, making me jump as she takes the seat beside me. My eyes dart over to hers, widening as worry fills me.Is she going to recognize him?
She’s only met the guys a few times, but Elijah is the kind of beauty that doesn’t blend into a crowd. “Now if that's what Santa looks like, I would have made sure I was a good girl all year round.” She whoops and cheers while I try not to choke on my tongue.
How is this even real right now? What is going on? Did I wake up in the damn Twilight Zone?I’m just sitting here, with my mom and aunties watching my hopefully future boyfriend, who also happens to be my stepbrother, move his body in oh-so sinful ways.
I’m both horrified and a little turned on because, holy fuck, Elijah can move in ways that have to be illegal.
“Nope,” Mom says. My eyes snap over to her as she sits next to Auntie Eden. “I can’t watch. I can’t do it.”
My heart sinks because, for a moment, I think she recognizes him.
“Why not?” Auntie Sylvia asks. “That’s a nice piece of meat up there.”
