Damage

Chapter 40

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LUKE

"My father wants us to pursue this Bergström Diamonds deal. They're in a vulnerable position and if we strike now, they're likely to sell out." I say to the two other executives at the table, clicking my pen in irritation.

It sounds cruel but it's what has to be done.

"Well, they're more or less a family company and there's been some resistance - "

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "They'll crack eventually. Look, I don't care if someone needs to go to fucking Sweden to get this done."

I stand up from behind my desk, signaling that I'm done with this meeting. But this truth is, I was done with it before we even started.

"My father was at the last minute," I search for the words, keeping my face completely straight, "indisposed."

Fucking alcoholic.

The voice in my head calls me a hypocrite but I ignore it. "But this business deal is already in progress. He wants us to go forward, so we're doing that. Just make it happen."

The other men get up from the table as well and we all shake hands before parting ways. As soon as they leave the room, I take a deep breath. One task down. One more meeting, away from the office, to go.

I look at the time and make a quick call to the doorman of the hotel at my penthouse.

"Hi, Allen, this is Luke Hemmings."

"Good evening, Mr. Hemmings. What can I do for you?"

"Good evening. I'd like to know if there's been any food delivered to my penthouse."

"Um, no sir. No one's gone up."

It's a little late. If Mia was planning on ordering food they would have come by now. I smile to myself and shake my head - of course she'd refuse to use my credit card, I should've expected it.

"Alright then, thank you, Allen."

"No problem at all, Mr. Hemmings."

When I end the call I leave the building and walk to the Italian restaurant across the street. I remember Calum ordering delivery from there before.

"Can I place an order for delivery?"

"Yes, of course." I squint at the menu for a few seconds before reaching into my wallet, pulling out two crisp $100 bills.

MIA

Staying at Luke's over the weekend has been like one of those spring break vacations to a tropical island I've never been on.

I haven't actually unlocked my cellphone since Friday night and the ping of notifications on my phone were silenced on Saturday morning. Chances are, my phone dead somewhere and I don't even care.

Staying here feels like a tiny little summer vacation in November. Everything feels warm even though most of the leaves have already fallen and that's probably in part because of the constant kissing and fireplace glow. I flop back on Luke's bed and his long sleeves flop against the cool, buttery-soft sheets too.

Looking out, it's like his walls are made of dark matter and moonlight and stars instead of glass windows. Like I've, literally, fallen off the face of the earth.

Thinking about everything Luke and I have done in this bed makes me blush involuntarily and I'm like a giddy high school girl, burying my face in his pillow and laughing the kind of laugh that you can only get after you've done something deliciously bad with a boy and you're the only two people in the entire world who know.