Son of Sin (Book 3 of the Forbidden Series)

9

The week passed quickly. Eve had received her acceptance package from Kurtwood with a course outline and the first assignment. She had spent the week at Dane’s using their home studio to plot out her routine with Dane at her side eager to help her out. It was best that way it made it easier to avoid Damien. Since that night when she almost got sucked back into his charm, she had felt it best to keep her distance. Eve left early and came home late hoping to miss him and so far, it had worked.

Dane had taken her home to get her travel bag for their trip to Vegas and then had driven her to the airport. She had never been on a private jet before and Eve found it to be an exciting experience. She travelled with Dane and his parents. Rolland and his family had been invited to join since they were like family. She was told that Chase and Mike Sanchez were attending but had flown out to Paris the week before and would be meeting them in Vegas. Eve wondered where Damien was but had not dared to ask. The matter had been brought up in flight when Dane had asked what Eve’s sister’s name was again, so he did not get it wrong when he met her in Vegas.

Eve’s heart sunk when she realized Damien had gone back to Alberta without saying good-bye. Then again, she had been avoiding him, so it was probably hard to find her, but he had left to collect Mary and Eve couldn’t help but feel spiteful. What did he see in her? Why was Mary so much better than her? She realized her foul mood had started to show when David offered her a drink to calm her nerves; as Canadians, they were all more relaxed on the drinking age. Eve accepted, and before she knew it, she had downed three tequila shooters in flight.

When they reached Vegas, they were picked up by a limo service, where Eve partook in another four shots of vodka from the limo bar and driven to the hotel. By the time she reached the affair and saw Damien standing there with a grinning Mary hanging on his arm Eve was in the worst mood she could be in. The ceremony was tomorrow, but they were all going out to enjoy the town tonight. They were shown to their rooms where Eve emptied the mini-bar and then staggered her way down to see the shows with Dane.

***

Damien had been drinking heavily by the time he had picked up Mary at the airport. He had cleared out the bar in flight on the way there. He needed to fortify himself against an endless evening with her and his parents. In-flight Damien had wished he had more rum when she would not stop rambling about some kid in Sunday school. Damien smiled and nodded, but he was barely paying attention. In the limo, he partook in the bar and topped off the flask he kept in his jacket pocket only to receive a lecture from Mary about the evils of liquor which in turn only made him drink more. He would give anything to blackout.

At the hotel, they had met up with some of the others. He had seen Eve with Dane. She looked sensational in that sleek green designer dress he had bought her, and he found himself wondering what she wore under it. The thought had brought him to an instant erection. The realization that Dane was more likely to find out then he was, only ticked Damien off.

Damien removed his flask and drained it, openly drinking as he travelled with the others. They were shown to their rooms and Damien was thankful for Mary’s strong values and that she insisted on a room of her own. He never even considered arguing the matter with her. He refilled his flask from the mini-bar in his room and then went down to the casino and spent hours at the poker table winning money and drinking himself into oblivion.

Mary complained about being forced to stay at his side. “I’m bored.” She whined in that voice that grated against his nerves. “Why are you drinking so much?” She complained. “You know that it’s no good for your liver. You’ll die a young man.”

“One can hope,” Damien muttered under his breath.

“What did you say?”

Damien reached for his wallet and took out five hundred dollars then handed it to Mary. “Why don’t you go and play some games. I’ll be here for a while.”

“Gambling is a sin.”

“Everything is a sin if you think about it.” Damien snapped. He wasn’t in a mood to play nice at the moment. “Go see a show. I think those guys with the white tiger are performing somewhere.”

Mary glared at Damien with annoyance. “You can be a jerk when you drink.” She hissed. Damien shrugged he was a jerk with or without booze. If she knew the real him, she would run for the hills. Perhaps he should fill her in.

“Look, just find something to do, and I will see you in the morning.” Mary gave up on Damien and finally left him alone around ten. By two in the morning, Damien had won a small fortune and was seeing double. Giving up on poker, he rose to his feet and stumbled out of the casino.

He needed air.

Damien went outside and took a deep breath. Then he took out his flask and had a few shots. He looked over to the side and saw that he had not been the only one needing air. Eve was standing by the doorman leaning against the wall with her eyes closed praying for the world to stop spinning. Damien staggered over and tapped her on the shoulder startling her. “Where is Dane?” He asked.

Eve stared at him for a long moment as if trying to recall who he was. She was drunk, very drunk, then again since he was seeing two of her so was he. “I left him inside. I needed air before I went to bed. I think I drank way too much. Where is Mary?”

Damien shrugged. “Wayne Newton?” He guessed. His libido was in hyper-drive being so close to Eve. It never failed just being close to her made him incredibly hard. She always looked so damn good. Feeling brazen Damien leaned in and nibbled on her ear making her purr, a sound that set his blood on fire. “What do you say we go up to my room and fool around?” He suggested.

Eve pushed Damien away almost falling over with the effort. “I have already told you I refuse to be your mistress… mister.” She poked him hard in the chest. “And you can’t change my mind.” She grinned.

Damien frowned, taking another shot from his flask. “Ok then let’s go have a drink that’s harmless enough.”

Eve thought to herself, being alone with Damien was never a wise idea. “I don’t know.”

“What could happen?” He asked flashing her that disarming smile he was so good at.

Eve supposed it would be ok after all he wasn’t going to do anything in public and it was easier for her to say no to him with others around. “Ok let’s have another drink.”

***

Damien’s head was splitting as he opened his eyes. The morning sun coming in through the window was agonizing. His head told him he had way too much to drink the night before. Damien slowly blinked his eyes open and studied the heap of clothes on the floor. Pants, shirt, jacket, empty flask, bra… bra? Oh God no. Please don’t let the girl beside him be Mary. He had no clue who he was about to face. He had actually blacked out. Damien couldn’t remember anything past the poker table.

Damien turned his head slowly holding his breath and preparing for the worse. He gave a sigh of relief when he saw the pool of dark raven hair cascading over the pillow next to him. Thank god it was Eve he smiled reaching out his hand to touch her silky hair. Suddenly Damien paused his heart leapt into his throat, and his hand trembled at the sight of the thick gold band on his finger.

A wedding band… on his finger!

Damien screamed horrified by the sight and jumped out of bed staring at his hand as if he looked at it hard enough the ring would vanish. Eve startled awake then groaned and grabbed at her head in pain. “Oh God forgive me, and I’ll never drink again.” She promised, hoping the pain would subside.

Damien looked at Eve and saw the matching gold wedding band on her finger and screamed again as he stumbled back against the wall. It was a nightmare come true.

Eve lowered her hands and shot him a nasty glare. “Shh. You’re like a jackhammer in my head.” She scolded.

Damien looked at the nightstand and spotted the wedding license signed and notarized. Oh god, it wasn’t some horrible joke it was real they were married. He was married. Damien had woken up in some crazy predicaments but never married before. Damn Vegas! Getting married that bloody hammered should be illegal.

“Why are you screaming?” Eve asked groggily. “It’s not like you’ve never woken up beside me.”

Damien sat down on the edge of the bed in a huff. “Look at your hand.” He said, furious with himself. Eve lifted both hands and examined them through half-open eyes. Suddenly she screamed and shot up in bed. “Thank you; now we are on the same page.”

“Is this a joke?” She asked scrambling from the bed. Damien held up the marriage license, and she took it from him biting her bottom lip. “Oh wow. This is real. What do we do?”

“We get an annulment.” He said as if the answer should have been obvious.

“What? No, I can’t.” Eve protested. “My parents will never understand.”

“Understand?” Damien shouted. “You married your sister’s boyfriend in a drunken stupor. I don’t think they are going to be very proud of you as it is. What’s one more thing?”

“We can’t annul it though.” She snapped back. “We have obviously consummated the marriage, and some witnesses will say we have been living together. We don’t qualify for an annulment, and I can’t get divorced. You don’t understand how bad that would be to my family. That would be almost as bad as being pregnant and unmarried. I can’t do it.” She said shaking her head.

Damien stood up furiously. He snatched the license from her hands. “So, to save face with your parents who treat you like crap you will force me to stay in a marriage, I don’t want to be in?”

Eve stared him down. “I’m not happy about it either. I wasn’t planning on getting married, but you know what we did it, and now we have to deal with our screw up. So be a man and for once face the consequences of our actions.” She snapped picking up her clothes and going into the bathroom slamming the door behind her.

Damien jerked on his pants and stormed out of his room. He ran down the hotel hall and up the stairs to the next floor where his parents were rooming. He banged relentlessly on the door until his mother answered in her bathrobe. “Damien, what is wrong?” She asked concerned by the look on his face.

He rushed into the room waving the license in the air as his father came out of the bathroom in his shorts. “Oh God Dad. I messed up. I messed up bad; you have to help me.” He begged almost in tears. “You have to fix this.”

“What happened?” Mike asked taking the paper from his son and reading it.

“I had way too much to drink, and I woke up married.” He admitted opening himself up too many lectures. He didn’t care he would listen to every minute if his father could get him out of this.

“Are you serious?” Chase gasped. “You married Mary?”

“No, Eve.” He corrected his stunned mother. “And she won’t let me out of it. She says we don’t qualify for an annulment.”

“Did you sleep with her?” Mike asked.

“Yes. Probably repeatedly.” He admitted.

“Then she is right. She already lives with you. You have to get a divorce.” Mike said handing back the license.

“She doesn’t want one. She’s going to hold me to this. She can’t do that can she?” Damien asked. “I mean it was just one crazy night in Vegas.”

Mike and Chase looked at each other. Mike sighed and sat his son down. “Listen son the laws have been changing there have been some pretty successful lawsuits lately. I suppose since you were hammered there is no prenup?”

Damien dropped his head in his hands. He knew better than to marry without one. How could be so foolish? How drunk had he been? “No.” He groaned.

“Then I’m afraid she is now worth half of everything you are, and if you leave her now, she can sue you for breach of promise and take everything you got. You’ll be supporting her forever. I’m afraid you are stuck with your new wife son.” Wife. Oh God, the horrible word caused Damien to break down and weep like a child. He didn’t want a wife. There had to be a way out.

“Oh God, I messed up.”

“I told you your foolish behaviour would get you into trouble one day.” Mike scolded. “I shouldn’t even tell you this. She is a nice girl, and I should force you to live with your mistake; but if you can get her to leave you in the next year. You can argue that she was just after your money. You might get out of this with a small settlement if you have a good lawyer which we do.”

“Mike.” Chase snapped at her husband. “Don’t you dare. Eve is a nice girl she does not deserve to be treated poorly so he can drive her off. That is horrible of you even to suggest it.”

“Come on Chase. She tricked him into an unwanted marriage.” Mike argued.

“He did that himself because he was stupid. It’s time Damien learns to deal with the repercussions of his stupidity. We are not going to bail him out of this one.” Chase said putting her foot down on the matter. She grabbed her son’s arm and forced him to stand up and look at her. “Now you did something very stupid, yes, but now you are going to live with it. If I find out you are mistreating that girl, I will not speak to you. You will not be welcome in my home.”

“Chase…” Mike tried to reason with his wife.

“No.” She put up her hand to silence her husband. “I have defended you and stood by you while you have done some despicable things, but I raised you to be a better man, and now you will be. If you intentionally hurt that sweet girl to suit your selfish agenda, I will wash my hands of you. Now you will not ruin your sister’s anniversary. So, go back to your room and get dressed. Collect your beautiful new wife and meet us in the lobby. We can explain the situation to Mary and Dane before we reach the ceremony so as not to cause a scene.”

“But Mom…” Chase threw up her hand indicating that the conversation was over. She pointed to the door, and Damien closed his mouth and looked at his father pleadingly. Mike shook his head sympathetically and turned his back on his son. He would not go against his wife. Damien opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. The door closed behind him, and he felt a hopelessness that was almost suffocating. He was trapped, and his parents had left him to the wolves.

***

Eve sat in the shower hugging her legs and crying. She couldn’t believe what she had done. How could she have been so foolish? She had married a self-centred philandering jerk who treated marriage to her like a death sentence. Her parents would hate her for stealing Mary’s boyfriend and treat her like an outcast, but if she left Damien now, she would be branded a tramp and a Jezebel in her own parent’s household. She would be marked until her death. Shunned in her father’s church and house. She couldn’t live with the stigma.

So now she was trapped in a loveless marriage with a man who was likely to cheat and not even hide the fact that he had other women. God, what kind of life was she in store for? Would he leave jet around from house to house, woman to woman and leave her to live her life alone in New York? Would he force her to go with him and give up her dreams? Would he be a kind man after the shock wore off or as selfish and as cruel as the media made the Son of Sin out to be?

She heard a knock at the door and reached to turn off the taps. She had been in the shower for a long time. They probably had to get dressed and go down to meet the limo waiting to take them to the ceremony. “Just a minute,” Eve called wrapping the towel around herself. She opened the door and stepped out into the room. Damien was already dressed for the party. She looked around and saw he had moved her suitcase into his room. He held the yellow and black gown in his hands. There was no smile on his face as he held it out to her. “Thank you.” She said taking the dress from him. “Will you turn around?”

Damien chuckled for the first time that day, but she didn’t see what was so bloody funny. Eve glared at him clutching the towel and gown to her body. “Oh, come on. I’ve seen you naked.” Damien laughed. She indicated with her finger to have him turn around. “I’m your bloody husband Eve I think you can change in front of me.” She just glared at him. “Ok fine.” He sighed and turned around giving her the privacy she requested. It took her a few minutes to get her dress on and a few more to brush out her hair and pin it up.

“I am ready.” She said rejecting the arm he offered as they left the hotel room.

“Are you going to be like this all day?” Damien asked annoyance dominating his tone.

“I suppose I should be ecstatic that I woke up next to a man that thinks a life with me is the end of the world? Would you have preferred if I had been Mary?” She snapped as they got on the elevator.

Damien shuddered at the thought. “Ok, so I overreacted. I had never intended to get married. This was a bit of a shock to the system.” Damien tried to justify his reaction.

“Oh yes, but my dream ever since I was a little girl was to get blind stinking drunk and wake up hungover and married to a screaming playboy in Vegas. So, this is a dream come true.” Eve snapped as they got off the elevator.

“Don’t you snap at me. You’re the one that won’t let me out of this nightmare.” Damien growled. “Let’s face it you get the better end of the deal here.” He said pushing past her his shoulder rudely bumping hers. Eve froze on the spot offended that he would accuse her of taking advantage of him for his wealth. Furious and unsure how to retaliate Eve punched Damien in the arm. “Ouch.” He growled and closed his hand around her tiny wrists holding her at bay as she tried to give him a thrashing in the midst of her tantrum. “Stop it.” He hollered as she struggled against him. “Stop it, or I won’t let you go.” Eve lashed out and kicked him in the shin. Damien released her and hopped on one leg for a moment cursing and swearing to himself.

Satisfied Eve continued to join the group of friends and family waiting in the lobby only a few feet away. Some had shocked and horrified faces while others such as his mother and sister were smirking. Damien caught up to them and scowled at his mother’s smug expression. Unable to retaliate against her he pulled his sister’s hair for her amusement at his expense only to be smacked in the chest and scolded by his mother for being juvenile.

“Now I am afraid that today we have some damage control to do once again thanks to Damien’s excessive drinking,” Chase informed those gathered.

Kat scowled at her careless brother. “Damn it, Damien. This day was supposed to be about me and David, and you had to go mess it up. What did you do now?”

“He unexpectedly got married last night.” Mike quietly informed them making sure the information didn’t get out too soon. “If we are very vigilant we can keep this on the down low for a day or two.”

Kat gasped at her brother. “You got married on my anniversary?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose.” He snapped.

“I can’t believe you. You went and married Mary on my day to spite me.”

“I did not.” He growled. “I married Eve.”

“You married my date?” Dane snapped surprised by the admission.

“Dane…” Damien turned to his angry nephew to try and explain.

“No, don’t Dane me, you married my date! Yours wasn’t good enough?” Dane yelled.

Chase put her hand on Dane’s shoulder to calm the boy. “Dane honey this is neither the time nor the place. Think of your parents. It is not worth it. We will deal with the matter afterward. Go get in the limo.” She instructed.

“Fine but I’m not riding with him.” Dane declared and then paused as he was about to leave. Suddenly the boy turned and throwing his whole body into his swing Dane slugged Damien in the face. Eve screamed with surprise as Damien hit the ground hard. Everybody had been shocked by the boy’s attack. Dane stormed off to wait in the limo not once looking back. The spectacle had drawn spectators, and they had become the center of attention.

Damien shook it off, and Mike helped his son to his feet brushing off the dirt. The elevator doors opened and out stepped Mary. She had been running late getting into her evening gown. Eve cringed at having to go through the whole ordeal again. Mary quickly joined the group not sure why everyone looked upset, but she had a big smile. She kissed Damien’s cheek, hello and Chase cleared her throat with a stern look in her eyes. Damien groaned and turned to face Mary. Taking her hand in his, he said. “Mary, I have some upsetting news.”

“What’s wrong?” She asked concerned for him; Eve could tell her naive sister had no clue whatsoever as to what he was about to tell her.

“I had way too much to drink last night, and I did something you won’t be happy about.”

Mary pulled her hand back suspiciously eyeing him, her tone weary. “What happened?”

“I got married.”

Nothing happened; Mary did not react at all it was almost as if she had not even heard him. Then she spoke. “I’m sorry, you did what?”

“I got married… to Eve.”

Mary turned her eyes on Eve and all Eve could do was offer her heartbroken sister a half-hearted apologetic smile and a shrug. “You married my little sister?”

“It would seem so,” Damien said. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-” He hadn’t managed to finish his thought because Mary had balled up her fist and slugged him with all her might. It had not been as hard as Dane, but there had been enough force to cause his head to snap back as a result. Eve screamed out in surprise again covering her mouth with her hands. She had never known Mary to ever do a hateful or violent thing to anyone in her life.

Damien cursed and held his hands to his face. His father pushed his son’s hands aside to examine the existent of the damage. “You deserved both of those,” Mike told him, “but I must say I didn’t expect either.” He gently tapped his hand on the side of Damien’s face. “There will be a bit of bruising from when Dane popped you, but you’ll live.”

Chase took her son by the arm and forced him to look at her. “Now listen, you two will stay as far away from the cameras as possible. The ones you cannot avoid you smile and pose for. I want to see a loving relationship. We are going to downplay this as a whirlwind romance and not some horrible drunken mistake. Is that understood?”

“I’m an adult, and I can play this anyway I want.” He told his mother.

Chase grabbed him by his tie and forcefully yanked her defiant son down to her level. Her green eyes flashing with intense rage. “Do we have an understanding?” She asked as calmly as she had the first time.

Damien nodded prying his mother’s vice-like grip from his tie. “I got it. Love match. Ok, can we go now?”

Eve snickered; it was nice to see that multibillionaire men got pushed around by their parents too. They dispersed amongst their limos and drove down to the extravagant venue. The sidewalk was littered with television crews and reporters. Paparazzi snapping pictures and security keeping them back. This was a big media event. Dane had been reassigned to escort Mary for the evening for the sake of appearances. A task he grudgingly accepted for his parents’ sake.

Damien and Eve’s limo arrived first. Chase and Mike stepped out first posing for a handful of pictures on the way in. Damien sighed and took Eve’s hand in his. “Let’s get this over with. Big smiles until we get past them and then you can kick me again and go pout in the corner.” She would have kicked him then but he pushed her out of the limo and Eve was instantly blinded by flashing lights.

Eve felt overwhelmed by the commotion and took a step back in retreat. Suddenly she hit the hard wall of Damien’s body and felt his arms wrap protectively about her waist. He urged her forward toward the door and through the media gauntlet of flashing lights and shouts. She heard screams of fans. Women saying, they loved him. People asking for autographs. Photographers begging for pictures, and reporters yelling out questions about his speedy Vegas marriage. How had they known? Eve herself had only known for a few hours. Yet these strangers seemed to have all the information already. Was this the life of a star, to never have a private moment? To have everything you do known and scrutinized by strangers? How could she live this way?

Damien smiled and waved stopping to sign one or two autographs. He paused to answer a few questions for the reporters putting to rest the rumours buzzing around Vegas. Hugging Eve close to his body, he told the cameras that he had been positively knocked off his feet by this stunning woman who would not give him the time of day unless he made an honest woman of her. His heart lost he had no choice but to take the plunge and do just that. His bright eyes sparkled, his smile so warm and loving as he looked down at her, Eve herself could have almost believed him. Then Damien kissed his wife for the benefit of the cameras, a long deep passionate kiss that made her head spin. When it had ended, Eve had been grateful his arms were around her because she was not sure she could stand under her power.

At that moment the couple of honour arrived, and the media circus focused in on Kat and David. Damien took advantage of the distraction to get Eve inside. Once they were out of sight, Damien released her and went to sit down. Not knowing what else to do Eve took the seat next to him. She watched as Damien reached into his pocket and took out his flask. Taking off the cap, he lifted it to his lips and took a sip. “Haven’t you had enough?” Eve scolded. “That’s what got us into this predicament.”

“Get used to it honey; I’m an alcoholic, not a choir boy.” Damien snipped taking another sip before putting the flask away. “Don’t pout; it comes with the rock star territory. It could be worse, at least I’m not snorting blow.” Eve gasped with shock. Damien turned in his seat putting his arm around the back of her chair. “Do you have any idea what you have gotten yourself into? I have no intention of changing my ways for anyone. I’m a rock star, a second-generation rich kid; I’m spoiled and selfish, and I like my life. I drink, I gamble, I swear, and party. I lie, cheat, and sleep around. If you think this little trinket on my finger is going to make, me change my ways you have another thing coming. So, if you are determined to ride this farce out, then you had best hold on tight and grow a thick skin sweetheart because you are about to go for a wild ride.”

“I don’t care it can’t be as bad as the divorce would be,” Eve said softly as the ceremony started to get underway. “But if you think I’m just going to shrink away like some sad little girl because you do something to hurt my feelings you are mistaken. I can give it as good as I get. I can make you just as miserable as you can make me.” She promised.

“I have no doubt.” Damien agreed, slumping in his seat.

Neither said another word to each other for the duration of the evening. Damien sulked at his table drinking and slipping further into a dark mood. Eve decided to enjoy the event as well as she could under the circumstances. She danced with Rolland and her new father in law. She had managed to pin Dane down long enough to apologize and get his forgiveness. He was very understanding she felt given what she had done to him. Dane seemed to hold a bigger grudge against Damien than her.

“He’ll only make you miserable.” Dane had said as they sat at his table. “You shouldn’t waste your time with him.”

“Please understand. I can’t divorce him.” She said taking Dane’s hand in hers.

“I understand, but I think you should reconsider. In this case, I think God would forgive you.” Dane had left her at that point to attend to his default date. Seeing that Eve was alone, Alexander asked her to dance. She did her best to have fun dancing the evening away while her new husband pouted in the corner.

It was a lovely party the only thing that would have made it better would have been if Damien had not hated her so much. Eve did not want to fight with him. Granted things had not turned out the way she would have hoped for, but she wanted to make the best of a bad situation not make matters worse. However, Damien was so filled with rage at the moment he was imposable to get along with. He was a mean and hateful person. Nothing at all like the gentle, giving man she had been staying with. He had been glowering in the corner all night, and she simply did not wish to deal with him.

“May I cut in?” David said tapping Alexander’s shoulder. Alexander bowed out, and David’s arm came around Eve as he took her hand in his. He was a handsome man and a wonderful dancer. His smile was charming and Eve felt just a little funny dancing with him after hurting his son. “So, Damien?”

Eve cringed at the reference. “Don’t remind me.”

“I guess this is your wedding day now isn’t it.”

Eve frowned. “It was not exactly how I expected to spend my wedding day. Nor is he the type of man I thought I would marry. Oh, it’s absolutely horrible.” She whimpered not wanting to cry.

“Now-now, brides shouldn’t cry on their wedding day,” David said his smile easy and his tone soothing. “I know it doesn’t seem good right now, but some of the best relationships started off rocky. Look at Mike and Chase they couldn’t have had a worse start together, and I wasn’t exactly jumping with excitement when I hooked up with my wife.”

“Really?” That surprised her. David and Kat seemed so passionately in love. It was hard to picture there ever being a time when they didn’t want to be together.

“Give him time I’m sure he will come around,” David said with a reassuring smile. “I’ve known Damien all his life. He’s stubborn and thick-headed, but he is deep down a good man.”

It must have been very, very deep down. Right now, a good man would not be the description she would use.