Damien's POV.

An attack on one of my clubs was the last thing I needed and the attackers themselves chose such a wrong time to make such a reckless move.

I'd entered that battle still fuming from the events of last night, fucking Lily and drinking till I couldn't see straight. surprisingly didn't help quell the difficult emotions stirring in my chest, I was still as grumpy as ever when I'd walked into that room and seen her on the bed, blanket yanked up to her chin with that pathetic expression of fear on her face.

I wanted her to fear me but not so much that I couldn't fucking touch her.

Honestly, shooting some unfortunate men in the forehead and then torturing the few survivors for hours really helped in letting out some steam. Unfortunately though, I'd been unable to get what I wanted from them anyway, whoever sent them was either more terrifying than me - though I highly doubt that - or the attackers themselves were highly skilled seeing as they didn't crack even when sweat, tears and blood leaked out from every available surface of their body.

I sigh and wash the blood off my hands, jaw clenched as I tried my hardest to figure out which of my short list of enemies did this, most mafia Capo's had a list of enemies a mile long, ranging from the Polish Mafia to the Mexican Mafia, but due to both my reputation and the one established by my father only a few stupid ones dared cross me. The Bratva, the Irish and unfortunately the Mexicans.

Though I couldn't see them doing this, I've had run ins with Bratva men and while they could handle torture I'm sure that this club would have been littered with dead bodies, these men's bullets barely grazed my arm... it certainly wasn't the Polish, when it came to torture they folded faster than one would expect made men to and then the Mexican's... attacking me directly was a mistake they didn't dare make, as while they had the weapons they didn't have the numbers, so messing with my shipments was their own little way of trying to assert dominance.

Whoever did this must either be a new contender or just a very stupid person, playing dumb games... no matter.

"Antonio," I yell and turn off the tap. My consigliere walks in, drenched in blood as well, yet somehow looking a lot less dishevelled than I did.

I scoff at him and lean back on the sink. "Get Carson and Roberto to do some snooping for me, I can't seem to think up any of our rivals that'd do this."

He nods slowly then pulls out his phone and starts typing. "How was the wedding night?" He asks in a calm tone, though I can tell he's teasing me. He walked in on me with Lily last night, his own arm around some other woman, he'd glanced at me lifted a brow then walked away. I'd expected him to bring it up sooner or later, without flinching. I meet his steely grey eyes and shrugged.

"It was nice actually, Lily has an incredible mouth," I say wryly.

He lifts an eyebrow. "Better than Catherine's it seems."

My jaw clenched and he smiled knowingly. "I tried to warn you..."

"Don't fucking start."

"You and I know better than anyone how cunning Marcus Ricci is, his daughter would obviously be no different. What'd she do? Guilt trip you? Blackmail you as well?"

I shake my head suddenly feeling very pathetic as I spit out bitterly. "She cried."

Antonio tilts his head to the side then folds his arms. "She cried... and that was it?"

I sigh and turn away. "You weren't there she looked so fucking pathetic I couldn't stand it."

"Could have bent her over. You risked your neck for her shitty family and now you're letting the bitch have her way?"

"I'm not letting her have her way..." I pause and measure my words. "I'll get what I want..."

Antonio scoffs. Even I know how pathetic I'm sounding, for all the cruelty I was famed to have and display on a daily basis couldn't look past a couple of crocodile tears long enough to fuck her...? I shut my eyes tired as memories of her innocent face passed through, the way she'd stared at me in fear when my finger brushed her collarbone.

I didn't fucking ask for this.

"Just let it go Antonio," I say tiredly.

He sighs, pockets his phone and makes his way over to the sink to clean up the dried blood on his forearm. "I'm just looking out for you frattelo, the Ricci's are sly as fuck and that girl's the same."

I nod slowly, but I could still remember the innocence she had oozed out of her when I stripped her bare last night.





Lily's hand traces my chest as she buries herself further into me. I sigh and slip my arms from around her, already more than irritated by her touches. She groans and sits up, staring straight at me with narrowed eyes.

"Damien-"

"Don't," I say simply, standing and going on a search for my clothes. I didn't call Lily here to be a conversation partner, I only called her over because she was a good fuck and I needed to release some steam, obviously this was what I was to do with my wife but she'd scream if I tried to touch her.

I scoff as I slip on my watch. Odd how even when I was buried inside Lily my mind was on her, it was the memory of her delicious curves that made me come as violently as I did and while Lily applauded herself for making me come that hard I was disgusted with myself for still thinking of her even though I was having sex with someone else.

Somehow she'd managed to burrow herself into my mind.

"I'm leaving, there's some cash in my drawer, tsk as much as you want, take all of it I don't give a fuck, but get out of my office in an hour or one of my men will drag you out," I star and walk ou before she has a chance to speak.

Her voice gets on my nerves even. I give Antonio a stuff nod and walk out of the club and into my car, driving back to my home in silence with nothing but the thoughts of the wife on my mind.




Back home I nod at the servants and walk upstairs, while still very irritated I was low-key eager to see her, fortunately she was asleep when I walked in, curled into her side and breathing deeply.

I paused at the doorway and watched her, her hair scattered all over the pillow and her lips parted a little. I eye those lips and remember how soft they felt when I pulled her in for that kiss on our wedding day. I should have just fucked her, but no I chose to be a pathetic prick an actually give two fucks abou her tears.

What the fuck was wrong with me?

I turn away and shut the door gently and after ordering Lydia to make dinner for her I stumble into my other room I pick up a glass of scotch and much like last night drink until I can't see anything, but mere flashes of Catherine.