Damien the Wolf: Book 1: Trust in Me

Chapter 14

It wasn't long before men filled up the room and took, what looked like, assigned seats in the chairs around us. Damien's Father sat in the chair across the table. All the men had confused looks on their hard faces. 
"I called this meeting," Damien started after the last chair was filled and the doors were closed. I spotted the twins sitting side by side, but I didn't see my Father. That, I didn't mind. If I ever saw him again, it would be too soon. 
"We have an inside threat. Some of you sitting here know this threat and are waiting for him to call upon you to take something very important from me," Damien said. Chatter stirred up between the men sitting around the table. Father had men sitting in this room ready to fight and die to capture me again. That was what this meeting was about. 
"If you turn yourselves in now, you will be granted a free ride to pack your things and leave unharmed. That is my promise to you. But hear this, if I find out one of you is plotting against me to take Sofia from me, you will be killed," His voice was, as first, calm and even, but then it changed and he was pissed. I hated that side of Damien. Though, I didn't see it much, I still hated it. 
"So, if any of you would like to confess, now is your time," Damien said. He stood beside me, both hands on the table, waiting. Silence filled the room and it was annoying. 
"Well, no confessions?" Damien asked after a long moment of silence. Nobody moved, but all of them had their eyes on me. It was nerve racking and I couldn't take it anymore. Pushing away from the table, I got up and made my exit quickly. 
"What the hell is wrong with you people!" Damien shouted before the doors closed. 
"Are you ok?" one of the guards asked. I nodded, walking away from them. They could be Bentley's side. I might have just handed myself over to him. Damien. The doors opened and one of the twins came out and took me back inside. Damien had one of the men against the wall, his hand around their throat. The table was flipped and chairs were thrown everywhere. Coffee was splashed on the cream colored wall adding a stain on it. Damien stood on one side of the room with a man under his grip and everyone else stood on the other side of the room, near the door. Damien's growls filled the room and echoed off of the walls until it died down. He man fell and gasped for breath as he scrambled to get away from Damien. When Damien turned around, his face was hard and his eyes were pitch black. The black darkness he had for eyes met mine, which were probably filled with fear. When I backed up, an arm caught me. One of the twins was still beside me. 
"Sofia," Damien said. I stood there, scared to move as his eyes changed from black to his deep blue that I loved so much. He came toward me, urgent and it scared me. But, I knew no matter what, he wouldn't hurt me, so I let him take me in his arms. 
"Until I find out who I know is on my side, you all have to earn my trust back. It won't be easy, but if you really are on my side, you'll earn it," Damien said. Then we left. Us, his brothers and his parents left. As we walked out, some started to put the table up and set the chairs around the table. The guards stayed still as we walked by and went to the house. When we got there, it was early. I didn't hesitate to crawl back into bed fully clothed, shoes and everything. 
"Sofia," Damien said. 
"I know," I said sitting up. I took my shoes off along with my sweater. He handed me one of his tee's and I slid it on over top of my tank and jeans. After sliding my jeans off I crawled into bed and took off my bra, dropping it beside the bed where the rest of my clothes were. Damien got into bed beside me but he didn't lay down. So, instead, I laid my head in his lap, my face pointing to his stomach and I wrapped my arms around his waist, well as far as I could. His hand rubbed up and down my back. 
"I'm sorry," he said softly. 
"For what?" I asked rolling on my back to face up at him. 
"For the way you saw me a little bit ago," He said softer. All I could was hug him. 
"Come on, let's lay down," He said. He wrapped me in his arms immediately and I cuddled closer to him. We laid in silence for a very long time. Neither of us moved or talked.
My own Father...my mind raced as memories flooded my mind of what he did to me. The beatings were unbearable but what hit me the hardest were the things he said to me. He said those things to me... nobody loves you... nobody cares for you... nobody wants you... you're pathetic... you're worthless. Those words played over and over in my mind and as much as I tried to push them away, I couldn't. They were embedded in my brain and my heart. After a while, Damien's light snores, almost soft growls, filled the room. At least one of us could sleep. Father had his men in this house and they were waiting on his command to take me from Damien. I felt so helpless and so defeated, though I lay in Damien's arms. At moments, he snarled and held me tighter, then let go and continued his soft growls.
It felt like hours before sunlight came through the windows and sent a light shade of pinks and blues on the floor. A soft tap on the door and one of the twins came in the room. 
"You're awake?" He asked me softly. 
"Couldn't sleep," I told him. He nodded, understanding. 
"What's up?" I asked him. Damien held me tighter under the covers. 
"Some of the men are fessing up and they wanted to speak with Damien before they left," He said. I told him I'd wake Damien up and send him down. He thanked me and left. After a few more moments of silence, I rolled over in Damien's arms and pulled my head back. His arms tightened around me as I left soft kisses on his cheeks, nose, jaw and by his ear. 
"Damien," I said softy into his ear after placing a kiss on his temple. Not a move from him. 
"Damien," I said again a little louder. His deep blue eyes fluttered open and he stretched, rolling on his back. I placed myself on his chest as one of hands went under his head and the other wrapped around my waist. 
"What?" He asked closing his eyes. 
"One of the twins came in here," I started. His eyes flashed opened and he looked down at me. Now I had his attention. 
"What did he want?" He asked sitting up a little. 
"He said some men confessed and they wanted to speak with you before they left," I told him. He growled. 
"He said they are waiting downstairs," I told him. Another growl left his chest before he wrapped both arms around me.
"At least they are confessing. I'll talk with each one and gather as much information as I can before they go," he said. He got up and started getting dressed and I did the same. 
"Where are you going?" He asked me. My eyes flashed over to him. He was only in pants and he looked sexy as ever. I went over to him and put my hands on his perfectly toned chest as his arms wrapped easily around my waist. 
"I don't want to be alone," I admitted in his chest. His breathing stayed even. 
"I'll send one of the twins in," He said pulling away. I caught his arm as he pulled away and he looked down at me. 
"No, Damien. I don't want to be without you," I told him. His hands went to my face. 
"I don't want you to get hurt," He said to me. Too late. 
"I'll stay out of the way, Damien. Please," I asked, almost begged. After a minute of us staring into each others eyes he nodded. Tank, jeans, boots and a sweater. My hair stayed down. After I brushed my teeth, he was in his button up with a tie on. I never understood why he always dressed so nicely. My hands pushed his away and I tied his tie after he tried a few times. 
"I figured by now you'd be a pro at this," I told him as I tightened it a little around his neck. 
"Well when I'm not completely focused," He trailed off and I understood. He took my hand in his and we went downstairs. When we got to the top of the stairs, there were 8 men standing there. Their heads were down, as if they were ashamed. Bentley was no where to be seen. No doubt he had heard about it and was furious. 
"So, here's how this is going to work. I am going to talk to each and every one of you, then I will let you go," Damien said. The 8 men looked up.
 "You said we would be let go, unharmed," One said. They knew Damien's way. 
"Did I say anything about touching you?" Damien asked. He led me down the stairs and into a room. One of the twins brought in a man and he sat down on the other side of the table. Not once did he make eye contact with either of us. 
"Why?" Damien asked. The man took a deep breath. 
"He was convinced that one of you killed his wife," He said. My breath stopped in my throat. That wasn't possible. 
"He's just trying to cover his own tracks. Do you know where I was the night that happened?" Damien asked. Damien had put me in the corner so they couldn't see me, but I could see them. 
"I was here, taking care of my Mother who was ill," Damien said. Damien asked the man a few more questions before setting him free. 
One after another after another came in. They all said the same thing. They all thought Damien killed my Mother. 
"That's not at all possible, I was caring for my Mother who was ill," Damien said through clenched teeth. They had to have a solid reason behind why they were saying that and I was going to find out. So, I left the room, grabbed one of the twins hands and pulled him up the stairs. 
"Sofia, where are we going?" He asked as I drug him. He could have stopped me any moment but he didn't. I went to the room and got a jacket. 
"Take me to Bentley," I told him. His face was shocked. 
"What-no," He said in protest. He wasn't winning this. 
"I need to talk to him. I knew I couldn't go alone, so I need you go to with me, please," I asked him. He thought for a moment. 
"Just for a minute," He said. We walked out of the house without Damien getting a hold of me. He led me outside and into another house. 
"Where is Bentley staying?" I asked one of the maids. 
"Who wants to know?" He asked from behind. I turned, furious.
"You do realize your little minions keep saying that Damien killed Mother. Why would they say that? What evidence do they have that he killed her?" I asked. My voice cracked a little, but I kept it strong. 
"I never loved you or your Mother. It was an act. I wanted a son to carry on the status Alpha so it could stay in the family. But instead I got a daughter," he said it like it was a bad thing. 
"I'm not that bad of a person. If you took the time-," I started but he stopped me. 
"Do you know why I told them Damien killed your Mother? I did it because I wanted Alpha. I wanted to rule again, to be leader. But no, instead I get stuck with a bunch of woosies that fall at the first sign of defeat. But not me. It's going to take a lot more than a little promise from Damien to get me to fall," He spat at me. He was selfish and he wasn't backing down without a fight.
"Just now this," He started. "You might be alive today, but one day you'll die and when you do, I pray to God that it's at the will of my hands."