In Damien's Keeping

Chapter 13

Damien had that stupid smirk on his face which only caught on my nerves.

"Why are we here?"

"Well," he strode towards me then stopped right in front of me, "Since I knew you would never agree on a dinner with me, I chose to... tell you it was a party."

"You mean I am going to have a dinner with you, tonight?" I asked.

He nodded slowly, a smile playing on his lips.

"Alone?"

I clenched my fists when he nodded again. Then to his utter surprise, I threw a punch at him.

"How dare you play me‽" I said.

Damien caught my fist when I tried to throw another punch at him. He was clutching his jaw when he caught my wrist and his glare wasn't unnoticeable.

"What are you doing?"

"What are you doing! You despise me, don't you? Why this dinner?" I asked and Damien's expression turned to a surprised one.

"I despise you? Have you ever noticed me, properly?" He asked me in an incredulous way.

"What! W-Why should I notice you?" I asked with wide eyes and turned away from him.

In my heart, I knew I have noticed him quite a few times and very properly. The revelation only made me feel guiltier, because a widow, nor should think of another man like that, neither should she notice any man like that. But it wasn't my fault, he was in front of my eyes almost everyday since I was brought to his place and when you see someone everyday it becomes impossible to avoid the little things about them. That was happening with me, too.

I closed my eyes and was about to take a deep breath but I shrieked instead because Damien had pulled me by my wrist, straight into his arms. He had definitely lost his mind if he was thinking I would eat alone with him.

Afraid?  A voice said in my mind, but I was too lost in Damien's eyes to focus on it.

"Listen, I am here trying to do something good," he said while gritting his teeth.

"Like you have been doing before," I said, sounding breathless.

"Lia, please...I am trying, let me do this," he said and held my arms in tight grip.

I nodded for him to continue.

He took a deep breath and said, "I want to make an apology..."

I stood there dumbfounded and blurted out, "An apology?"

"Yes, an apology for what I-I said to you, in anger, that day."

I looked away when I remembered that day. Hurt was visible in my eyes, even when I tried to not show it.

"For saying what?" I asked and glanced at him.

He gulped before he said, "For saying bad things... Bad things about you, your character."

I nodded and sighed only.

"But my anger was justified. You shouldn't have gone out like that."

"It doesn't allow you to say something---" I said but he cut me off.

"I know, I know. I am sorry for saying that, I am really... And this dinner is a form of apology if you only accept it."

A frown appeared on my forehead, and I glanced at him.

"Why should I forgive you? And how do I know that you wouldn't say anything like that, again?

He appeared nervous by my question, and that was a first for me. Never had I seen him nervous before.

"Maybe because it's my first time." 

I shook my head and chuckled, "Really? Is that the only reason you can come up with? No promises."

"I-I promise I will never say that again. Do you, now, forgive me?" 

He held my hands in his palms and squeezed them.

"Okay, I might forgive you but..." I said, then extracted my hands from his and turned around.

Taking in the sight of the all the flowers, ribbons and everything else with a table in the center, I walked towards it.

"But?" Damien asked and followed me.

"But I get to have a little freedom."

"Wha-what? Aren't you allowed to do anything in my house?"

"That's the point. Anything in your house, not outside your house. I want to go outside."

"Well, you're allowed if I see it secure enough for you," he said.

"Damien, please. It's the only thing I am asking for," I said and gave him my best puppy-dog eyes.

He grabbed my shoulders lightly and said, "Lia, do you think I enjoy seeing you trapped in my house? No, I don't. Hell, even today I was scared of bringing you here."

"You're right but... I don't know, Damien. I can't hide all my life."

"We have to wait until Mark's murderer get arrested," Damien expression changed into a thoughtful one, "there's a chance that they might be after you."

"Why would someone kill him? I never got it," I asked and my shoulders slumped. Image of Mark flashed in front of my eyes and I felt my eyes fill up with tears.

Damien squeezed my shoulder and engulfed me in a hug. I was surprised but in my sadness, I hugged him back.

"I don't know either, but trust me I would never let that murderer reach to you."

His words were spoken with enough sincerity, to make me believe them blindly. I trusted him with his words.

"Damien, I forgive you."

He sighed heavily and said, "Thanks,"

We parted from each other, and Damien took me to the table. He pulled out my chair for me and I sat, then he went to his.

"Let's order something," Damien said and picked the menu.

"Yeah, I am starving," I said.

After the dinner, we were getting up from our seats, smiling at each other when Damien frowned behind me. I turned around but noticed nothing out of the ordinary, only other buildings  which were visible through the terrace.

 The next thing I knew, Damien shouting at me, "Lia! Get down!"

I was startled but late in doing what he said. In a moment, I was pushed forward by someone, definitely Damien, which resulted in me falling on the floor. Breathing hard and scared of what was going to happen, I tried to sit up and looked back at Damien.

He stood right behind me and was glaring at something far away. His hand was going to his back when I heard shots but I saw them, too. I saw the shots hitting Damien, on his chest.

No, no, no!

Not again.

"Damien!" I shouted but he fell to the ground.

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Due to your lots of comment and plenty of votes, I decided to update a chapter. Love you readers. 

And you know what to do for another update, lots of vote and comments.