about it, but he cuts me off and tells me he’s taking care of it and not to worry. It only took Damien telling me that about seven times to finally stop asking. And until I know exactly what went down, I won’t stop until I get an answer. For now I’ve just given it a break.
I’ve been staying at Damien’s place because it’s just how it happens. I don’t mind. I like his house, I like being in his house, his bed, his life. My lease is coming up in a couple of months, and I’m hoping Damien asks me to move in permanently before that happens, even though it might be too fast.
When Damien asks me if I want to meet his family tonight, I’m smacked in the face with the reality that he still doesn’t know about mine.
I’ve actually forgotten that our relationship was something that I was kind of hiding from my family. The time Damien and I have spent together has been so perfect I pretty much don’t think about anything else. I will tell everyone eventually. In fact, when Damien mentioned his family earlier in the day, I was going to just get it over with and tell him, but he’s been acting very strange since then. Really moody and almost nervous. So I let it go, not wanting to add to whatever is bothering him.
Right now I’m sitting next to Damien wearing a long black skirt that has slits up the sides, one to my knee, the other side to mid-thigh, which Damien is currently drawing circles on with his thumb, as we drive to his parents’ house. I have a white bodysuit and a jean jacket on top, and I curled my hair so there are some beach waves in it. Kind of a casual dress. Comfortable but not overly fancy.
He didn’t have any complaints, but then again, he was staring at my chest the whole time I was asking him what he thought of my outfit.
“The skirt is bad enough, but those shoes?” Damien whistles. “I’m not sure if I hate them because my brother gets to see how fucking amazing your legs are, or if I love them for the same reason.”
I glance down at my platform wedges with a thick nude strap. “What’s the deal with your brother again? You’ve been vague when you told me about him.” Not that I have room to talk. He’s actually been pretty vague with all his family, except his grandmother who I know he loves very much.
“I hate him,” he states bluntly. “I feel nearly the same way about my parents, and if it wasn’t for my grandmother, I’d never see them, and I wouldn’t give that first fuck.” He stops at a red light and squeezes my thigh. “My dad is a doctor, a highly respected surgeon in his field. So is my brother. As an adult, I had no desire to work in medicine, but my brother did. They have made it known that I’m not good enough to be a part of the family and that they disapprove of my life, my choices, my job. And to top it all off, Jordan fucking stabbed me in my back. There’s more to it, but that’s all you get for now.”
Holy crap. I take a moment to process what he just told me. “Wow, I’m… I’m sorry they make you feel that way, but you have to know that you’re better than them. You’re success—”
“Don’t. I don’t need or want sympathy. It is what it is, and I accepted it a long time ago. I come to dinner once a month for my grandmother because she wants all her family together. I sit there and eat and keep my mouth shut because if I said what I really wanted, it would upset her, and I will do whatever I possibly can to keep her from getting upset. I want you to meet her, and after this, you can come with me when I visit her every week if you want. If I didn’t bring you around everyone, she’d be suspicious about it, so we’re going to show up tonight to get it over with. Since you’ll be there, my parents will put on a show and pretend they’re amazing people, so I’m not worried about them saying anything. But if Jordan says shit to you, I won’t be able to keep my mouth shut or my hands off him. So I’m