Be a Good Girl

9. Damien

9

DAMIEN

I haven’t heard from Alice all day, but she’s been wreaking havoc on my mind without even being here.

I had a long day of deliveries and came back to the apartment to shower and clean up, and even thought about just heading up to her apartment for a surprise visit, but I was starving, so I had to order some Thai food first. I gave her a call about a half-hour ago, but it went straight to voicemail.

Now I’m sitting on the couch and eating with Charlie and Fran, one of the barista girls from the coffee shop down the street, watching I Married a Witch with Veronica Lake. It’s our weekly movie night, and Fran’s great taste goes beyond just good coffee.

“Look at Veronica,” she says. “What a babe.”

“Old movies were just so much better, man,” Charlie says with a sigh. “Give me classic Hollywood glamour any day over this junk they put out now.”

I chuckle and reach for my drink when there’s a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Charlie says, getting up. “That’s probably Tim. He said he might stop by.”

Charlie steps over the coffee table and walks over to the door, but when he opens it, Alice steps right past him and into the apartment. She moves as though she just bought the building.

She looks like a million bucks. She’s wearing a mauve skirt with matching heels and a white blouse. I see Charlie checking her out and throw him a look that says, “Back off.”

He does.

“Damien, I–” Alice freezes when she sees Fran sitting beside me on the couch. Fran’s a good-looking girl herself, and I’m sure she can tell–just as I can–exactly how Alice is feeling right at this moment. It’s written all over her face.

Jealousy. Alice is furiously jealous.

This little game we’ve been playing has been working. She isn’t just physically into me; she’s fallen for me. And seeing me seated beside another woman has ignited her territorialism.

If I were Fran, I’d be scared.

“Hey, Alice.” I smirk, toying with her slightly as I throw my arm up over the back of the couch, not quite around Fran, but almost. Alice’s eyes go wide, and her lips part in something like mild shock. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I can tell,” she replies.

“This is Charlie,” I say, pointing. “My roommate. And this is Fran. She works at the coffee shop up the block–”

“Can I talk to you for a moment?” Alice snaps, storming away into my room. For a second there, I thought there was going to be an incident.

“Excuse me, guys,” I say as I get up from the couch.

“Everything cool?” Charlie asks. I shoot him a nod before following her into my bedroom.

I barely have a chance to step inside before Alice slams the door and glares at me, her eyes steaming with anger.

“Who is that?” she asks, pointing out toward the living room.

“Who?” I ask innocently.

“Oh, don’t play stupid with me. That girl out there you were cuddling up with!”

I laugh. “I wasn’t cuddling up with anybody. I told you that’s Fran. She’s a barista who comes over for our weekly movie night where we watch old movies. She has good taste.”

“And why wasn’t I invited to this weekly movie night?”

“I haven’t heard from you all day, Alice,” I reply. “I called you, but it went straight to voicemail.”

“Yes, I was–I was occupied.”

She’s stuttering over her words. Something is really bothering her, and it goes way beyond me teasing her with Fran back on the couch.

“Do you have something on your mind, Alice?” I ask. “You seem…”

“Upset?” she asks, her voice sounding slightly unhinged. “Yes, I am upset, Damien. And do you want to know why?”

She turns away from me and runs a hand through her hair. I’ve never seen Alice like this before–so completely distraught. Not even after she was attacked by Charlie back at her office. This is a woman who is always in control, always in charge. She’s one of the most successful female businesswomen in the country, and right now she looks like she’s on the verge of breaking down.

“Alice–”

“How did you do it, Damien?” she asks, turning back at me. “That night at La Bernadin. Not only did you get us a table there, but you paid for the entire dinner yourself . On the salary you make as a messenger?”

I smile, which clearly only gets her going even more.

“And they knew you there. So it’s not like this was a one-time thing you saved up for. You go there a lot. La Bernadin is one of the city’s top restaurants!”

I see where she’s going with this. I guess now’s the time. The truth is going to finally come out.

“And those suits! Those suits you wear aren’t cheap, Damien! How are you paying for these things, but you still share an apartment in Brooklyn? Your life–it just makes no sense to me!”

Alice is starting to break down. I can see tears beginning to well up in the ducts of her eyes and immediately take her by the arms, but she wriggles free and backs away, circling around to one side of my bed.

“Alice, take a breath.”

“Your life makes no sense, Damien!” she cries out. “You’re not just a bike messenger. I know that! And I want to be with you, Damien! I’m thinking about leaving my job for you! But if you want me to do that, you need to tell me the truth!”

I shouldn’t be surprised at this moment. I knew it was coming. I guess I just wasn’t expecting it to come today. Not after the incredible night we had yesterday.

“Okay.” I nod. “I understand.”

I pull my chair out from my desk and offer it to Alice. At first, she declines, but I’m able to get her to sit and finally take a few deep breaths.

“You’re right,” I tell her. “I’m not really just a bike messenger. Well, technically I am, but that’s because I choose to be. I thought it would be fun.”

“Fun?” Alice nearly laughs. “Damien, you’re not making any sense. Where did all your money come from?”

She’s so beautiful. I feel bad for putting her through this, but it’s something I have to do.

Why? Because I love her.

It’s an absolute certainty now. I’m madly in love with Alice Dupont, and all I want for the rest of my life is her. And whether or not that happens may hinge on how the rest of this conversation goes.

I sit down on the bed in front of her and take her hands in mine. So soft. So small.

“Alice,” I ask her. “You said before you were considering leaving your job for me.”

“Yes…”

“Would you do that if you I remained a bike messenger? If I signed a pre-nup saying I wasn’t after your money?”

There’s a long pause. I brush a strand of her hair away from her face and run my thumb across her tender cheek.

“I–I think yes, but Damien, you’re hiding something from me! The money, the suits, how you know how to act in a restaurant like that–”

I smile and press my lips against hers.

Alice. My love. My future.

I kiss her long and deep before I let her go, then pull back and stare deeply into her eyes. A man could get lost in them…and a man has.

“I love you, Alice.” Her eyes go wide, and her hands twist in mine and grip me tightly.

“I–I love you too, Damien.” My heart expands so much it feels like my ribcage is about to explode. It’s painful just how much emotion is running through me now.

“I am hiding something from you,” I say, kissing her again. “But I promise you it’s not bad.”

I can see she’s right on the edge. I can feel the tenseness in her fingers, and I feel bad it had to happen this way, but I wasn’t prepared for her unexpected visit tonight.

“Damien…”

“When I was in college, I had an idea for a software application that would help data storage centers sort and back up their data more efficiently. I taught myself to code, built the software myself, and then, my junior year, I dropped out after selling the software for six billion dollars.”

Alice’s jaw drops, and an involuntary gasp escapes her lips.

“I remained CEO of the company for a few years, but I got burnt out. I hated it. So I decided to leave.” I motion around the room with one hand. “I became a bike messenger and linked up with Charlie, an old friend, and have been living how I chose to ever since.”

I thread my fingers through her hair as she stares back at me in absolute shock. And I don’t blame her. I did kind of just drop a bombshell on her.

“You–you’re a billionaire?”

“No, I blew it all on sports cars and cigars. But I have about five million left.” I laugh when she quickly frowns at me. “Yes, Alice, I am a billionaire. I just don’t live like one. Unless you count taking out the most amazing woman in the world to La Bernadin, or wearing some suits around her when I’m off work.”

“Wait a second. Morrow. You’re Damien Morrow? I read all about the sale of your company!”

I simply nod and smile.

Alice looks like she’s been stunned with an information overload. This definitely was not what she was expecting when she confronted me this evening.

“I don’t even know what to say...” Her voice is tender and slow, a stark contrast to how it was when she came bursting in here moments earlier.

“What were you expecting?” I laugh.

“I don’t know!” Alice rockets to her feet and begins pacing around my bedroom, brushing her hair back as she processes the bomb I just dropped on her.

“Side business selling drugs?” I suggest. “Insider trading?”

“Maybe!” She spins, throwing her hands in the air. “You’ve always been a mystery, Damien!”

I stand and go over to her, take her in my arms, and hold her tightly. “But that’s what you love about me. Isn’t it?”

I run my hand down her dress and cup her perfect ass and squeeze. She looks up into my eyes and bites her lower lip and shrugs.

“That…and many other things.”

I kiss her once again and hold her tight. This woman is mine. She belongs to me. She doesn’t need my money any more than I need hers. But at least we understand each other now. There will be no more confusion. Nothing hidden.

“So you were saying you were ‘thinking about’ leaving your job for me?” I ask, running my tongue across her lower lips, smiling puckishly at her.

Alice nods. “Yes.”

“Only thinking about it?”