Cracking Coconuts

Problem #14: Image is Everything

When they joked about making their couple a threesome, it was supposed to be just that - a joke. Yet, the next morning, they begin to wonder if the car had been bugged. 

Is He Really Saintly: Cat, Saint and Mera in a Threesome

Saints and Sinners: Cheating or Open Relationship?

"They spelled my name wrong," said Amira.

"That and the threesome bit," said Cat. 

Damien sat and stared at the two as they calmly ate their breakfast. These two had an odd sense of priority or humor. He wasn't sure which. 

"Really? My publicist has been calling continuously for the past two days."

Amira remembered. She had stopped by to get a firsthand account of what the truth was. That was after fussing with Damien that he had left her out of the loop.  She also mentioned something about it not being as bad as the thing with Madelynn.  When she asked about it, Talya had told her to ask Silas. Then, she left saying that she had to balance out a narrative that might bolster his bad boy image without making him sound like a womanizer.  

"What else am I supposed to do? I can't even leave your house. Not really how I expected to stay at your place," said Amira as she ate another bite of her omelet. 

She had tried to go to work yesterday, but having been trailed for most of the way, she called out. Luckily for her, her boss was getting ready to do the same thing. Somehow, they had found out her job. Of course, they thought she was one of the decoys, but still.  It was hard to go undercover at bars when everyone knew who she was now. No sneaking in anymore. So, she was now on vacation indefinitely while they figured out a new position for her. 

It was at that moment that she had some resentment. She didn't want to, but it slowly crept up on her like a supernatural force.  Amira had been working continuously since she was a teenager. Sure, she had breaks or vacations, but right now, her whole position was uncertain. Her job was a huge part of her identity. What would she do without it? She was not meant to lounge around at home. Despite what Cat thought, she enjoyed the work of her job. 

 Instead of spending the night in Damien's bed, she'd cuddled up with Cat in one of the spare rooms. Damien was so sweet that he didn't even say anything this morning. 

When Damien walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulder, she had to hold back a flinch. Still, she knew he could feel her shoulders stiffen when he pulled away.

Instead of saying anything, he took a step back and leaned against a nearby wall. 

"Well, I'll leave you two girls alone. I'm going to  . . .umm. . .my studio. Let Talya know if you need anything."

Amira had to hand it to Cat. She waited until they heard a door close before speaking. 

"It's not his fault."

"I know. I just. . ."

"Amira, you can't punish him for this. If anything, you knew something like this might happen."

"I knew the paparazzi might happen, but I lost my job," said Amira as she stood up. This was more than just some pictures. This was the effect on her real life. Her career. Everything she had built. If they broke up, what would she be left with: no job prospects and a home terrorized by paparazzi wanting a glimpse of Saint's ex. She knew some women may see this as a need to hold onto him more, but she didn't. She saw it as a line between Before Saint and After Saint. What would there be when he was gone?

Cat was not intimidated. She continued to speak calmly. "It's just a hiatus."

"Indefinitely. I might as well look for jobs now. You can't be undercover when all of your info is common knowledge. I don't even know what I would do. This was it for me. I was going to climb up the ladder. What now?" She walked away only to turn back around. "I have always taken care of myself. Now, how will I do that? I had plans."

"Plans change. Sometimes for the better." This time, Cat did stand up. She was not going to let her friend throw this away. "I know it is for the better. He makes you so happy. Don't throw this away."

"Cat, I  . . ." Although words were coming at her a mile a minute, she had no words to express herself. 

"I'll take care of you," whispered a voice behind her. 

Amira turned around to find a shy Damien. He hung near the entrance, with his eyes on the floor. Amira felt her face flame with embarrassment. How much did he hear?

"I'll take care of you," Damien repeated. 

Cat made herself scarce, but not without miming that Amira needed to talk to Damien. 

"It's my fault."

Amira shook her head, but remained on the other side of the room. She needed the distance, so that she could feel everything without his warmth flooding her senses.

"It's not. I knew this when we met."  It was the reason behind her hesitation. 

"Probably not to this extent," he said. She couldn't disagree. She hadn't thought that far ahead. Personally, she didn't follow celebrities either. Now, she was the celebrity. 

"I know how much your job meant to you. Hell, it was what brought us together that very  . . first time." 

He took one step forward and then stopped when she took another step back. He turned away from her eyes and wrung his hands forcefully as he spoke. 

"Before you think I am trying to bribe you or something, I just want to say this is temporary. You are staying with me already. Now, you just stay here while you get everything sorted out. It's my fault that you are in this position. So it's only fair."

He took another step forward, watching her carefully. She didn't move this time. 

"When you are back on your feet, we can talk about this again. Just stay. Please. Even if you were to leave, I need to know you are safe. If something were to . . . " He trailed off as he watched her walk to him with slow, but sure steps. 

"I'll stay," she said as she stood in front of him. His head dropped in relief. It was just so hard to be mad at him. This wasn't his fault. She knew that, but he was still trying to make things right. He lifted his head to meet her eyes. 

His hazel eyes hid nothing, so she could see everything. The desperation. The vulnerability. The longing. 

Was this how he saw her? Could he see the same feelings in her own eyes when he looked at her? Was that why he was able to sense things about her that no one else did? 

If only those magazine covers could capture this side of Saint, they would probably sell twice as much. This side of him was worth more than the sexy rebel that everyone else saw. Then again, this Saint or her Damien was for her eyes only. 

She lifted his hand and cupped his cheek. His eyes closed, relishing her touch. He didn't care that he gave her the power to destroy him. Amira grew up, learning to hide yourself. Never let people see that you hurt because that was where the power lied.  Yet, Damien didn't care. So she knew that she had to care for this power because Cat was right. She couldn't waste this chance. 

"We'll figure this out together."  She didn't know if they would, but she knew her best chance at finding that content feeling would be with him. Not against him. 

Damien opened his eyes as she spoke. His eyes shifted as they searched her. Feeling content in what he read, a smile slowly settled on his face. 

"Thank you," they said simultaneously as Damien bent his head against Amira's. They stood like that for several minutes, feeling no need to do anything, but feel each other.