Scarred Seductress

Velvet Knives

Marina pressed a nod, wearing a broad smile, her eyes glinting with excitement as she took one last glance around the living room. It was perfect.

“What do you think, ma’am?” the head maid asked.

Marina sighed in satisfaction.

“You love it?”

“Yes, I do…” she concurred, and the woman bowed slightly.

“Thank you, ma’am…” she mouthed and stepped away, returning to oversee the rest of the project.

It was Marina’s anniversary—the day she had said yes to Damien—and like every other year, she was throwing him a small surprise dinner in her vast living room. This time, for some reason, she could feel it in her gut. No doubt he would be all over her when it was over.

“Ma’am?” Her assistant’s voice echoed across the house.

Marina tore her gaze up, watching her scurry through the main door, all tensed up, a file tucked tightly to her chest.

Marina arched a brow. It had better be something really important, or she was going to get it from her for interrupting her mood.

“What is this about?”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I think you really need to see this…”

She shoved the file into Marina’s hand and drew in a deep breath to calm herself. Marina shot her a glare, shook her head, and straight up started ripping out the contents of the file, pissed.

“The test says you both share no blood relation…” her assistant cooed.

Marina’s eyes snapped wide. She took a quick glance, then exhaled in quiet relief.

Of course. Samantha was dead. She had made sure of it.

She scoffed and tossed the file back to her assistant.

“So why exactly did you ask for this test, ma’am? I mean, if you ask me, I’m yet to notice anything weird about Miss Selene…”

Marina shot her another glare, and the girl stepped back quietly.

“I’m sorry, ma’am…”

“She’s not who I feared she was, yes… but it still doesn’t change the fact that she cannot be trusted. Hussies like her would do absolutely anything to get what they want, and for that, there’s no letting my guard down with her still.” Marina spat.

The girl nodded.

“For the anniversary trip… where did you book?” Marina asked, dismissing the topic.

The girl tossed the file onto a couch nearby and dipped her shaking hand into her purse, taking out her iPad.

“You haven’t?” Marina barked, startling her.

“I’m sorry, ma’am…”

“Mama!” Quinn’s voice sliced through the tension, snapping Marina’s gaze toward the grand staircase.

Her eyes lit up as they settled on Damien, walking down the stairs with his daughter in hand.

Marina shoved past her assistant and waited at the landing.

“Baby…” she cooed, throwing her arms open.

Quinn let out a happy giggle and hopped into her mother’s arms.

“Good morning, baby,” Marina said sweetly, then turned her smile to Damien.

Damien walked quietly toward her, darting his gaze around the romantically decorated living room.

“And happy anniversary, baby…” Marina chimed, snapping Damien’s attention back to her.

Surprised. It was that time again?

“So for this year, baby—”

“No trips this year.” He cut her off flatly.

Marina swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as a dry chuckle rattled her throat.

“Honey—”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t afford any breaks right now…” he grunted, not sparing Marina another glance as he moved toward his guards waiting by the entrance, ready to leave.

Then Marina’s assistant spoke.

“Ma’am, Miss Selene’s calling…”

Damien’s feet faltered to a slow stop.

Marina’s stomach lurched. Pain rippled across her chest as she tore away from him. He was going to shut her out on such an important day—yet at the mere mention of a woman he barely knew, he was already captivated?

“Tell her I’ll talk to her another time…” Marina hushed, just about to turn away when Damien cleared his throat.

“She could be calling for something important… something like how her son is doing. You’re the president of the school parents’ board, Marina—you should know your job.” Damien urged, suddenly restless, his eyes darting from the ringing phone to Marina.

Marina scoffed.

The bitter realization struck her to soft tears. Damien was into this woman far more than she had expected—and more than anything, she could tell this wasn’t going to be just a fling.

He was yearning.

“Marina—”

“The world will be on us again, Damien… circulating rumors about divorce and how you can barely even stand me and your child…”

Damien hissed, tucking his face away—only worried about the woman on the other end of the line.

“I’ll be nothing but a topic for a good laugh among my friends… they’ll make up stories about—”

“Fine.” Damien growled, shutting her up.

He exhaled deeply, fingers clawing through his hair.

“You want a trip? Then you’ll have a trip, Marina.” He muttered, shaking his head as he motioned to the still-ringing phone in his assistant’s hand.

Marina scoffed bitterly and tore her eyes from him.

“Tell her I’ll be unavailable for a few days,” she dismissed, sparing Damien no further glance as she headed quietly up the stairs.

“Yes, ma’am…” the girl shuttered, just about to answer the call when it stopped ringing.

Damien hissed, even more restless. For some reason, he needed to hear—more than anything—that she was doing okay.

Ever since their last conversation, he hadn’t had a single moment without guilt. For the condescending things he’d said. For neglecting the fact that she was his daughter’s savior. For straight-up insulting her.

He pressed a small nod to himself.

Yes. That was it. That was definitely why.

Then a text popped onto the screen, snapping Damien right back to reality.

He snatched the phone from the confused girl and scoffed at the message.

She was informing Marina that she would be out of town for a few days.

Damien tore his eyes away and handed the phone back.

“Sir—”

“You do the booking every year, don’t you?” he asked.

She nodded quickly.

“Good…” he mouthed, saying nothing else as he headed for the door, biting his lower lip, a spark of want lighting his eyes.

Whatever it was he felt for that woman had to end by the conclusion of this trip. If it was just about s*x, then it needed to happen. He wanted her—no doubt—and maybe having her would put an end to it all.

Whatever it was—lust, attraction, even pity—none of it was allowed to survive after this trip.

Selene hissed and tossed her phone aside, sinking tiredly into her couch as her fingers clawed through her hair, frustration tearing through her.

“You’re sure you don’t need to see a doctor?” Ava asked with concern, standing from where she sat at the other end of the room and walking over.

“I said I’m fine…” Selene growled, relentlessly biting down on her lower lip, her face flushed with silent anger.

“What exactly happened last night, Selene?” Ava asked.

Selene said nothing, her mind drifting.

She had made Matteo a promise—to kill Ricardo—and she was going to do just that. But more than being humiliated by him, the fact that she had been bought like property by a man angered her even more.

She had waited years to become scheming enough to have men kneeling and crawling before her. Instead, here she was—a man’s property.

The very one she was out to destroy.

She scoffed.

Fate was playing smart this time.

“Selene…”

“I’ll be out of town for a few days,” Selene said.

Ava exhaled, pressing a nod as she sat beside her.

“For a shoot, you said…”

Selene said nothing.

Ava nodded again.

“Don’t worry about a thing. Just do your job. I’ll take care of Leo while you’re gone,” she added with a warm smile.

Selene stood and met Ava’s gaze, the seriousness in her eyes forcing a hard swallow from Ava.

“It’s… it’s not just for a shoot?”

“I’ll need to meet your mom, Ava. I need her help with something.” Selene said, turning to walk away when Ava sprang to her feet in one swift motion, eyes blinking hard, fear etching across her face.

If Selene was asking for her mom, it only meant one thing.

“Don’t tell me you’re up to what I think you are, Selene?” Ava choked, already breathless.

Selene said nothing, only flipped her long hair over her shoulder. Her mind was made up.

“Have you forgotten she made you promise that old man was the last time? You can’t—”

“Oh please, not again, Ava… I’m really not in the mood to hear you preach…”

Ava swallowed herself into silence.

“Just send word to your mom that I’ll be in town for a few days and that I’ll be needing her help. It’s that easy.”

Ava lowered her gaze as tears gathered quickly in her eyes. She knew better than to try and talk Selene out of it.

And her mother—no doubt—would help. She was too good at that. She had taught Selene well.

“So who is it going to be this time?” Ava asked quietly.

Selene rolled her eyes and headed for the stairs.

“You know I don’t give spoilers, Ava… wait till the show is everywhere.”

Ava sighed.

Selene’s voice trailed into soft laughter, her footsteps echoing up the stairs as she disappeared from sight.

“I don’t know, I thought that was funny…”

Ava shook her head and sank back into the sofa, closing her eyes as fear rippled through her.