His mother, on the other hand, had changed completely. She’d become a cold and distant woman. He sensed she blamed herself and had never gotten over it. Damien had tried several times to get her into therapy, but she’d been firm about not going. Maybe one day she’d realize she needed it and learn to heal.
His biggest lesson was to be careful with kids. To talk to them and to ask questions and constantly tell them how dangerous experimenting with things they didn’t understand could be. One day, he’d have a mate and kids, and he’d focus on making sure his children were aware of the dangers. He’d be vigilant. He’d pay attention. He’d do whatever necessary to help them never pick up anything as dangerous as drugs, and if they did, he’d find them help. He’d do everything, because that pain he still felt from the loss of his brother left a hole in his heart.
“I see the evil witch made an appearance. What did the hag want now?” His best friend, Elijah, said. Damien cracked an eye and grinned at him.
“You know what she’s like, Elijah. She wants to get her way, and she found a new way to do it.” Damien sighed and sat up in his chair, grinning at Elijah. “She contacted Gerri Wilder on my behalf.”
Elijah dropped into a chair across from his desk and gave out a harsh bark of laughter. “She did what?”
“You heard me correctly, Eli.” Damien shook his head and turned his attention to his computer.
“I did, but you neglected to say why she would do this.”
Damien eyed him and debated how to respond. “She says she wants me to turn around my public image and thinks finding my mate will induce me to do that.” Damien turned back to his computer and waited for Elijah’s reaction.
“That’s bullshit, man. You could change it anytime you wanted. You don’t need her help. Shit, you like being the villain and having everyone think bad about you. She should have named you Angel instead of Damien if that’s what she wanted.” Eli stood from his chair and walked to the door.
“I pretty much said the same thing. Was there something you wanted or were you just dropping in to see what the evil hag wanted?” Damien smirked. Eli had a bad habit of walking out in the middle of a conversation.
“Oh, yeah. Are we still on for dinner at the end of the week with the gang? It’s been a while.” Eli grabbed the doorknob but didn’t leave.
“Yeah, I’ll be there this time.” Damien nodded and watched his friend walk out the door. His mother’s impromptu visits always left him feeling like shit afterward. He had to turn his thoughts away and back to business. A ding on his computer alerted him to a new email. The subject line read: Damien Grimes Drug Kingpin, Cartel Leader, or Sex Trafficker.
He laughed, these articles were getting more outlandish every day. No one would ever know the truth about him, and he liked it that way. He picked up his phone and buzzed his secretary. “Helena, it’s time to send some flowers. The usual suspects please. Make them all red roses.”
He hung up and placed his elbows on the desk. Let the newshounds run with that one. Those were honestly his favorite news articles about him. What man didn’t want to be known as the one person so magnetic, he could lure a bunch of women to date him at the same time and get them pregnant at the same time?
Yeah, that would be an impressive feat. But that was completely opposite of the person he really was. For so long, he’d wondered what his mate would be like. Would she be pliable and measly or strong and independent? Would she be tall or short? Either was fine. Would she be a toothpick or a lush woman with curves he could lick forever.
“Sir, there’s a call for you on line one. It’s Gerri Wilder of the Paranormal Dating Agency.”
Damien was shocked. She moved fast. “Thanks, Helena. I’ll take it.” He picked up the phone and barked. “Damien Grimes.”
“Well, if that isn’t the most delicious voice I’ve ever heard.”
“Excuse me. I think you may have the wrong number.” Damien started to hang up when he heard.
“Damien, it’s Gerri Wilder. Do not hang up on me.”
He froze with the handheld halfway to the base. He slowly lifted it back to his ear. “Uh, I’m sorry?”
“Listen, pussycat, you know your mother came to me to find you a mate. Don’t even think for a second I will be ignored. I need some more information though, so I’m sending my assistant over to meet you. Please be honest with her. Give her a chance to see the real you, and this might go easier than you expect.” Gerri’s laugh came through the speaker, and Damien sighed. He may be a bastard but he couldn’t deny a direct request from Gerri Wilder.
“When should I expect your assistant to arrive?” Damien bit out the words, the last thing he wanted was a glorified secretary coming to watch his every move. “And how long will she be staying in the area?”
“Oh, do you think you could get her a room for a few days. She loves to travel and would like to get to know the area.” Gerri chuckled and Damien hated that shifters couldn’t smell a lie over the phone.
“Fine. When should I expect her?”
“End of the week is sufficient time. Might I suggest you take your panther out for a run and mellow out a bit. Be a good cat and just relax. None of that antisocial shit you all pull. Got it?” She hung up, and Damien stared at the receiver in his hand. She had one thing right. His panther was itching to get out of the suit and run. Even if only for a few minutes.
Chapter Four
Sky paced her apartment. She couldn’t believe Gerri wanted her to interview that man. She’d spent the last two days getting familiar with everything Gerri Wilder did with the Paranormal Dating Agency and helping her get organized. Now she was just killing time until she had to leave for the airport. She picked up her notebook and read over the information she had gathered on Damien Grimes.
It was strange but nothing she read indicated what kind of shifter he was, even stranger, nothing mentioned he was a shifter at all. Was it a secret? Or just not an important fact?
She knew so little about shifters. The basics were well known—they were stronger and faster than humans. Could see and hear better than any others. Apparently, they weren’t so different, as they could still be assholes and jerks. And, boy, did she know enough about them.
Her crappy past relationships could be counted in one hand. A boyfriend in high school, who had cheated on her with her friend, and when she wouldn’t forgive him called her fat and told her she would never find a guy who was faithful when she wasn’t truly beautiful.
Then a boyfriend in college she’d spent two years dating and swore they had so much in common and could have a life together, only to find out he’d become engaged to a girl back in his hometown during a Christmas break. He’d told her she was fun for a while, but he needed a woman he could really show off, and she wasn’t stunning like his high school sweetheart. She’d gotten over that and moved on.
But then she’d met Adam. The rich man that had romanced her off her feet. Until his face showed up in the gossip columns all the time with different women and scandalous headlines. He always told her it was lies, and when things ended, she found out he’d been cheating on her the whole time. He’d wanted to hurt her. As if she’d done something to him other than care for him.