Entangled With The Mafia

Chapter 18: Guilt

Damien

When the Huxley girl leaves with Mr. Pascual, Damien feels something deep inside him that he hasn't felt in a long time.

Remorse.

He invited her for a purpose, and that was to entertain Eduardo. He was well aware that she was not fond of the job, Ethan told him, but he couldn't afford to relieve her of these duties. Now with Theo determined never to entertain again, he had to find a permanent replacement. And Huxley is a perfect replacement. Well, not perfect, but suitable. So, he invited her to his party so she could keep Eduardo entertained.

But after seeing the pleading in her eyes when he said Eduardo could accompany her to the bathroom, which was just an excuse to get away, he knew something inside of him twisted about uncomfortably. She was both pleading and accusing him simultaneously, all with her eyes.

Elizabeth touches his shoulder. "What's the matter with you? It's like you're not even enjoying yourself." He wasn't. He only threw these parties because Elizabeth insisted and because it was a way to please his business associates. He killed two birds with one stone, but lately, he's been meaning to tell her that he'd rather not celebrate his birthday at all. He didn't like celebrations. His father didn't either.

"I'm not," he tells her. He glances at the door again. They aren't back. They'll take a while. He knows this because he knows Eduardo. He never misses an opportunity to seduce a beautiful woman. Damien knows his reputation well. Eduardo has been a business partner for years and started negotiating with the Kellers when his father was still alive. He's also a close family friend. He only ever respected Theo, according to Theo herself. "You know I hate gatherings."

She pouts. "I thought you'd enjoy it. You can't blow out your candles with a sour face, Damien."

He fixes her a look. "Don't you f*****g dare. I'm not blowing out candles like a preschooler."

She's upset at this, and it's amazing how she always reacts this way when he contradicts her about the f*****g candles. He's been doing this for eight years, yet she's always disappointed. She turns her back to him and continues talking to the senator's wife. He couldn't attend tonight, so he sent his wife in his stead.

He stares at the door again. He's compelled to go out there. She's just an employee; this is her job, and he shouldn't feel this guilty. But he does. He can't deny it. He glances around the table. He finds Ethan watching him closely, stroking his hairless chin. He knows Ethan knows. Right now, he doesn't care. He'll deal with the consequences later.

He stands from the table and starts for the door. He's halfway there when Giorgio Menichelli's son, Enzo, stops him. "Keller, we have something urgent to discuss."

Damien can't possibly imagine what it is he wants. He doesn't even know why Elizabeth invited them. They're troublemakers, especially him, and they haven't had business with them in over ten years. He takes a drag of his cigar. "It'll have to wait, Enzo. I have something urgent to attend to."

He shrugs. "I'll meet you at your office at ten tomorrow." That time will be inconvenient, but Damien nods. Mostly, he does it because he wants to be rid of him. He steps through the doors and hears a scream. His heart accelerates. He strolls down the dark corridor. He sees their silhouette in the distance. Eduardo has her crushed against the wall and, from what he can tell, has his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams. He takes a drag. It's not too late to turn back and act like this never happened, but again, his conscience. He's never felt this way before, and he didn't know why it was starting now.

He makes his decision in a flash. He walks towards them without making a sound. He can tell she's struggling against him. Then he hears the characteristic rip of material. Another grunt from her, then from him. Damien hears him hiss and then a sharp sound, like a slap.

He decides to intervene now. "Mr. Pascual, what do you think you're doing?" He refrains from calling him by his first name.

There's a menace in his tone. "Go back to your party, boy. This is no concern of yours."

Damien feels something blooming in his chest. It's dark, vicious, and dangerous. Boy. He's always detested being called that, even when he was little. He felt belittled and insignificant. "That's where you're wrong. She's my employee. And you will get your hands off her if you don't want any trouble."

Eduardo scoffs. "You must think I fear you. You're mistaken. You're not half the man your father was. You'll never be. You're just a spoiled boy who wore his daddy's suits and now thinks he's a man. Go suck your mother's t**s, Keller."

There's that word again. Boy. And the mention of his sweet, dead mother. He balls one fist, but the other is still holding his cigar. "Don't make me prove you wrong, Eduardo. I'm no longer the boy who used to sit on your lap. I will have you killed if you disrespect me ever again." He makes the decision then and there. He will kill this man. If not now, eventually. But he'll be dead.

He leaves the girl's side and moves towards me. He's a tall man, taller than Damien. But Damien never feared him. Even as a boy, Eduardo Pascual never intimidated him, though he tried. "You'll regret this."

Damien smirks. "So will you."

Eduardo starts walking away. Damien stares at the girl's dark form all the while. She's breathing hard, and he can feel her gaze burning holes in him.

"I want to go home," she says. A sob escapes her, but she attempts to disguise it. He can't stop thinking about Eduardo and his disrespect in his own home.

"Of course. Meet Diego outside. He'll know what to do."

She walks past him, and he catches a whiff of her scent—lavender, grass, innocence. There's something undeniably pure about her; even Ethan mentioned it. Perhaps this is why he felt the need to end what Eduardo was about to do.

As soon as she's gone, he slowly walks back to his party. To the guests he knows want him dead, to the whole illusion Elizabeth created. This isn't what he wants. Never was. He stops at the door and sees Eduardo close to Ethan, pointing fingers. People are beginning to stare. Even Theo is near them, smoking her cigarette and watching Eduardo through slanted eyes. He wasn't expecting Eduardo to return to the hall, but he's prepared for anything. He doesn't regret his decision.

He approaches the table and hears everything Eduardo is saying. "That insolent pig! Does he know who I am? I could end his life with half a word. He could be dead before any of you can even blink!"

"I'll hold you to that, Eduardo." He watches as Eduardo whirls around, eyes as hard as a stone. Elizabeth gives him an accusatory look. Ethan looks disappointed. He doesn't care what any of them think. This is his house, his rules. The girl is his employee. His. No one else's.

"You mock me, Keller. You think this is some kind of game, like the ones you played when you were a boy?" Boy. "You defied me because of a worthless w***e? You'll regret your decision."

"You already said that, Eduardo." He reaches into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. The cigar isn't helping at all. He lights one and takes a long, satisfying drag. It calms his nerves instantly. "And I'll tell you this; you'll eat your words."

Eduardo scoffs. "We'll see about that."

He collects his belongings and storms out of the room. The senator's wife stands and says goodbye. She's spooked. She's not accustomed to dealing with criminals. In her world, there are no threats and no mention of w****s. Elizabeth accompanies her to the door. Her cheeks are red, and she's smiling apologetically.

Ethan knows why Eduardo is in such a state, so he doesn't mention it. Theo, on the other hand, taps Damien on the shoulder. He looks at her and shakes his head with distaste. "A buzz cut? You're pushing it, Theo."

She runs a hand through her short, spiky hair. "I wanted to prove a point. I don't want to be pretty anymore."

He turns his back to her. "Inform me when you're back to normal."

She grabs his arm forcefully. "You know what's funny? You never stood up for me before. Ever. Yet, it's so easy for you to defend that worthless barmaid and defy Eduardo. He's a family friend! He's powerful, and you'll get us all killed. Just like you got dad killed!"

He studies her. Her nostrils are flared, and she's glowering. He sees the remnants of the cocaine she was snorting in the bathroom right on the tip of her nose. It's barely noticeable, but he's always been observant. "Theo, get a grip. We all made sacrifices to get to where we are. You've never complained before, so don't start now."

She scoffs. "You're such a pussy."

He turns his back to her, only to face a fuming Elizabeth. "You ruined everything, Damien. How could you, after all the trouble, I had to make this perfect?"

He looks at them, really looks at them, then leaves the room. He's got more important things to deal with. Tomorrow, he'll arrange a meeting with Gary. Eduardo Pascual is next on his list.

But first: Devon Tyler.