The Badboy Prince Just Can't Resist

Chapter 43- And There Was Henry's Handkerchief

ANNALISE
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"You heard me. How many girls have you slept with?" I asked, wanting an honest answer. Damien gazed at me, trying to cover up that he was taken off guard.

He hated feeling like he didn't have the upper hand.

"I don't know how to answer that." He gazed at the locked box behind me.

"Don't act foolish with me, Darius." I used his real name, and his eyes immediately cut back at me. I felt like a mother having to reprehend a man-child.

"I'm being honest, Annalise. Many of the girls were from clubs that I don't remember. I only used it as a distraction, kind of like drinking or taking mesgra." He scratched behind his ear, I could tell he felt guilty about it.My eyes softened, realizing it was another coping method after his mother's death.

"Could you have a disease?" I asked in all seriousness.

He immediately laughed, grabbing onto the chair for support,"I haven't slept with that many girls, shortcake. I think I would know by now," he winked at me,"I haven't slept with a girl since I met you."

"I would hope not." I bluntly stated.

"Is that jealousy I see yet again? You are feeling a lot of envy today," he smirked at me.

"I just don't want to be another one of your... distractions." I explained, taking another sip of the xamba juice.

Damien's smirk dropped, letting his wall down. I watched as his pupils dilated, and a soft smile appeared on his face,"There are many things that you are to me, Annalise Woods. Ever since I met you, I have felt like the Darius before my mother passed. Simply put, a distraction is certainly not what you are to me."

The seriousness of the conversation made the air deafening. I slowly took another sip of the juice, realizing we were having quite deep conversations and I needed to be more drunk for this.

I changed the topic,"What was your first time like?"

"I was young, probably around fifteen. I was highly intoxicated with my stable friend from the kingdom. We were wandering the streets at night foolishly, chanting Deltora cheers and making quite a ruckus. We passed by a pleasure house, and I remember a young girl was apprenticing there. She approached me, giving me more alcohol and the rest of the night was a blur." He swirled his drink around the cup.

"So you've never been with somebody whom you've actually had feelings for?" I curiously gazed at him.

"No, but I have heard it is quite different." He peeked up at me, intrigued in my response.

"How so?" I wanted him to continue, taking the bait.

"Being with somebody whom you love... you are having intercourse with them because you like them. Not just that you want a quick fix, gaining pleasure from the feeling and not the person. With somebody you like, it seems it would be more intimate. As if you want to pleasure them and not just for personal gain because you love them. I believe it would be more pleasuring watching them become undone then yourself."

His gaze was intense as I took in his words. I slowly understood that with the look that Damien was giving me, he wanted to one day do so with me.

We were taking things slow, and I believed it was because Damien held more respect for me, as well my body. I then understood doing so with him wouldn't be a "distraction", that it meant something special to him.