Bullet ✔️

Chapter 28

My first party as a mafia heir's girlfriend was right around the corner. Elina and I went shopping for days for her to find the perfect dresses for us both. I trusted her enough to let her pop off and do her thing, carrying her bags whenever she bought something for the party, and letting her drag around anything else she impulse-bought. It was safe to say her arms were heavier than mine.

Damian told me little about the party. He'd been working a lot, and I'd been working a lot, so whenever we both had time we usually got naked and loved each other passionately wherever it was convenient at the time—which was mostly in his house. After that first night out in his backyard I'd borrowed a few books from Elina's personal library and spent some chilled nights out there alone when Damian wasn't home, and he'd carried me to bed more than once. Both from outside, and his soft, amazing couch inside.

His house was amazing. Everything about it made me smile, from the black, shiny kitchen cabinets and the black marble countertops, to the modern fireplace in the middle of a big slated stone wall, to the lupines he'd started leaving everywhere. Once I found one on the floor in front of the bathroom door after I'd gotten out of a shower, attached to a note that said he'd miss me while he was away.

And now we were going completely official, as a couple, to a freaking party with Michael, James, Elina, Diana, Mongrel and Kurt, and every other member of the Strac family business, and their associates. Even Damian's aunt, Donna, would be there. It was supposed to be a big deal—an annual party to celebrate wealth and success over the past year—but all I could think about was the golden opportunity Orlov would have to blow the whole thing up. He'd be rid of all his competition in one go.

Though...the party would be in one of Michael's big hotels, in the middle of the city. It would be far worse to handle any witnesses there, than James' family's estate an hour away.

"Tell me you're wearing that red two-piece again tonight," Damian said as he put his arms around me from behind, just as I poured another ladle of batter into the frying pan. I was making pancakes for breakfast, even though it was more like lunchtime. We'd slept in on a Saturday, to gain energy for the night ahead, and I'd regrettably had to keep the day free of any weddings so I could attend beside him.

"I'm not," I said, leaning into his chest while the pan sizzled. "Elina thought I needed something new, and something that was mine."

"She's got great taste, but I really liked that one." He kissed my neck, making my skin heat up with the memory of his mouth in my neck while he plunged into me earlier that morning.

I flipped the pancake over and turned to him. "Then you'll love what she picked out for me for tonight."

He smirked, looking down at his dark shirt covering my body, almost like a dress. "I trust you, sweetheart." He kissed my lips, and as always, it made my insides twirl around with excitement, and my toes curled against the cold tiled floor. "I wanted to ask, though," he said as he pulled back again, his thumb stroking my cheek, "is it okay to take a taxi tonight?"

The heat went away, and I turned again to put the pancake on top of the stack, pouring the rest of the batter into the pan.

With some extra distractions, I took my time before replying. He held onto my hand and ripped off a piece of the food and put it into his mouth, grinning at me like the boyish man he was.

"It will be fine, you'll be with me," I finally said.

He put his arms around me from behind again, kissing the spot where my jaw met my ear, and he whispered, "Always, sweetheart."

I smoothed my dress as Damian and James fought over who'd pay the cab driver, and Elina walked up to me and put her arm through mine with a big smile. I looked, and felt, like I'd come straight from a movie premiere in my black dress. The seams were detailed with glitter, the neckline too deep to wear a bra, the back completely open and it had slits so high I could barely wear underwear too. Damian made it clear before we left that he wanted to fuck me in it—which was great, because I didn't think I'd look very good if he pulled it off me and saw the amount of boob-tape Elina and I struggled with.