Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane
Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane Chapter 23
Chapter 23
-MILLIE-
I stepped out of the powder room and went back to the function hall, searching
for Damian. He was at the bar with his friends,
‘He’s a crowd favorite, Sonja’s voice rang in my ears. She’s right. People laugh at
his jokes, listen to his opinion, and Damian knew how to compliment people in
ways that would make them feel important and valued.
My date tonight was Damian, the businessman, son of Erik Black, heir to his
billion-dollar real estate and construction empire.
But studying him now from afar. I noticed he kept toying with the cuffiinks of his
dress shirt. The sides of his eyes twitched each tsomeone belched a
comment regarding people’s fiaws, imperfections, or shortcomings. His smile
was charming but never reached his eyes. This version of him, no matter how
charming and attractive his domineering stature was, was my least favorite.
Feeling my eyes on him, he steered a gaze in my direction, brows furrowed.
I drew a deep breath and made my way in his direction, ready to put on another
show.
“What took you so long?” Damian growled in my ears, drawingby the waist,
and planted a lingering k*ss on my cheeks.)
“Jesus, Black.” Garrett Lantz groaned. He’s the son of Tomas Lantz, the host of
this fundraiser. And through all the people Damian introducedto, Garrett
seemed the closest to him. He sported a boyish charm with his tousled brown
hair, deep blue eyes, and a killer b*dy. His smile was so warm that it would put
anyone immediately at ease with him. “Can’t you be more subtle in being p ussy
whipped?”
And yep, his d*rty mouth probably charmed a woman in his bed every night.
“Watch your mouth, Lantz,” Damian growled, tightening his possessive grip on
my waist as he glared at Garrett.
Garrett shook his head, sipping the golden liquid on his rock glass. “If this guy
ever breaks your heart, you know where to find me.”
Damian shoved Garrett, his fingers digging into my hips. “Not a f ucking chance,
Lantz. Stop trying to steal what’s mine.”
Garrett had fallen into a peal of hysterical laughter, gathering a few curious
gazes our way. Damian didn’t see enjoy Garett’s glee at his expense.
They were still bickering when a couple, twice older than our age, approached
us. The man patted Garett Damian a hard tagain, huh, son?”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Of course,” Garrett puffed his ch*st out. “It’s my mission to push his patience to
the limit.”
ing
The old man in a white tuxedo top and black pants turned to Damian. “Thank
you for covering for your
old
Damian huffed, accepting the older guy’s hand. “This is becoming a habit of his.
Thank He
1 for inviting u lady in a white evening gown. Her brown hair was pulled up in a
neat bun, and her blue eyes darted a soft, wetoward Damian and me.
“Georgina, you look stunning, as always
Georgina blushed as Damian k*ssed the back of her hand. “And you’re as
charming as always, Damian.” Her gaze slid me. “And who’s this lovely lady?”
There was very little space between Damian’s hips and mine, but he still drew
Tomas Lantz was hailed no 3 as the rich*st man in the world in last year’s
survey, sporting a $123.1 billionworth, and I can’t stop the reticence that
spiraled down my spine in his presence. I hit my l*p, murmuring a timid ‘hello,
it’s an honor to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Lantz, to the couple, glad that Damian
took their attention, boasting what I do for a living.
09:25 Sat, Feb 10
Chapter 23
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Honestly, I don’t understand what was there to boast about what I do. These
people practically make thousands of dollars every hour of their lives, if not
millions. But Damian made it sound like Effortless Events were the best in our
field.
“We will be celebrating our golden wedding anniversary in September, Georgina
said, looking up at Tomas. “And we’re looking for an event planner, right,
darling?”
Tomas gazed down at his wife, a loving tension growing between the two. “It’s
up to you, honey.”
“What would you
u ever do without me, huh?” She narrowed her eyes at her husband.
Tomas chuckled, k*ssing the top of her hair, and turned to Damian, asking him
about the proposal he spoke with Erik
Georgina shook her head and pluckedaway from Damian. “Why don’t we
leave the men to their business? I’ll give you sideas about what I want for
our anniversary, then you can decide if you want to organize it? How does that
sound?”
I glanced at Damian helplessly. I didn’t want to leave his side. He only nodded at
“Who was I to turn this woman down?”
Georgina broughtto one of the balconies to discuss her ideas for their
anniversary. She was leaning on an intimate celebration, about a hundred
guests more or less, composed of their families and closest friends.
We exchanged contact information, and I promised to get back to her on
Monday. Candice would be thrilled about this. Georgina was reluctant to leave
my side when her assistant approached her, saying Beatrice Rogers was looking
for her.
When I returned to the function hall, Damian was nowhere in sight. I tarried by
the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. I needed a push to get through the rest of
this night. The music halted, and people settled in their seats as Garrett walked
up the stage and spoke about the cause this fundraiser would aid. The man
speaking on that stage differed from the guy bickering with Damian. He was
regal and commanded dominance with each word he spoke.
Applause rained as Garrett called Tomas on stage. While the spotlight followed
Tomas, I caught sight of my date in the shaded corner of the hall. My eyes
needed a few seconds to adjust to the dimness of his location. And when I
recognized who he was talking to, chills coated my skin.
Damian stood with his side facing me, lost in an intense conversation with
Sonja. They were standing too close. She had one hand on his arm and another
on his chest. Everyone’s attention was on Tomas, and no one noticed how they
looked like a couple engaged in an intense, passionate conversation.
Sonja’s words didn’t get to me, but this definitely did. A tight knot formed on my
belly, pushing the gin and tonic backup where they cin.
Although it was impossible, Damian felt my gaze on him, turning his head my
way. I looked away, focused my attention on Tomas and the history of their
foundation. I hear his speech, but it doesn’t register in my head. My heart was
drumming, a hairline cr ack slithering through my chest.
Why was I feeling this way? Damian isn’t mine. I have no hold over him. He felt
something for Sonja. I knew this from the start, but why does it physically hurt
to breathe?
In my peripheral vision, I saw Damian walking toward me. My heart stammered
for a different reason. My feet itched to bolt out of this building, away from him,
but I did none of that. I stayed rooted where I was and pretended to be
oblivious to what I saw, of what I was feeling.
“Millicent,” Damian looped his arms around my waist, standing behind my
barstool. “It’s not what it seemed.” he rested his chin on my bare shoulder.
1 patted a soothing hand above his, blinking away the sting pr ickling my eyes.
“It’s okay.”
It’s really not. Jealousy punctured my throat so deeply that I felt a bile rising in
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmmy mouth.
Tomas called Damian’s name. The spotlight fiickered in our direction. Damian
cursed under his breath, released me, and headed up the stage. Erik was a huge
donor to the foundation, and Damian gave a heartfelt and meaningful speech
on his father’s behalf. I half listened to his words, my heart still aching in my
ch*st cavity. I ordered another gin and tonic to
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09:25 Sat, Feb 10 M
Chapter 23
silence the pulsing jealousy in my head.
As the orchestra’s music resumed, Damian made a beeline for me.
“Let’s get out of here. He left no room for protest and dragged the out of the
function hall. We exited in the opposite direction of the entry. Our ride was
waiting in the back alley of the building: silence filled the entire ride hack to our
hotel.
“Millicent, talk to me.” Damian gripped my wrist and spunaround before I
could slot the key card into my suite.
1
“It’s fine, really.” I gave him the sanswer for the last three times he asked if I
was okay. “Don’t worry about it. Just be careful next tyou talk to her. People
might think differently
Damian growled. Like a lion pouncing on his prey. he pinnedon the closed
door: his hand seized my throat, preventing a squeal from tumbling past my
l*ps. His hold meant to dominate, but not to hurt me. I could free myself if I
wanted to
“No lies. Annoyance blanketed his face. “It’s stated in our deal. You’re breaking
it.”
My pulse drummed against his hold. “I have to be fine with it. I have no right to
be jealous, okay”
He smirked, puncturingwith a triumphant gaze. “So you admit it, you’re
jealous?”
My emotion rattled the cage I put them in, trying to break free. I narrowed my
eyes at him, nose fiaring. “Yes! I was. You happy?”
“F ucking ecstatic. Then his insistent l*ps descended upon mine.
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