Emily's POV
As I closed the door behind me, I expected the worst.
I expected loud yelling voices, maybe the brawl would even escalate into their wolf forms. ,
My heart went out to Dathan, as I felt guilty for putting him in that situation.
"I think we need to talk." Damon's voice broke into my thoughts.
I froze as I heard him.
Somehow, I've had the guts to do whatever I wanted all the while, maybe it was adrenaline, maybe it was just the fact that I was beside Dathan.
"I'm sorry." I croaked.
"Don't be." He replied, with a wave of his hand.
"I just needed air." I added.
"I hope you got enough?" He asked, looking at my face.
I felt I saw a little smile creep up on his face.
"Nearly." I replied to him.
"Why nearly?" He asked me. "You've been out for almost an hour."
"I'd need more than that to solve the puzzles here." I replied to him, pointing to my head.
"How do you feel about me?" He asked me.
"I haven't had much time to form an opinion." I said.
"You've lived with me for over a month." Damon replied, looking flustered
I wished I had the guts to call him the name at the top of my tongue, but I didn't. Zyna would laugh so hard if I ever narrated it to her.
"In all, it's been more about me than about you. You've got everyone taking care of you. I've only got me." I said instead.
"That's not true. You're Luna. Everyone is at your beck and call." He said, squeezing his face,
"I don't need everyone." I replied, looking away.
"What do you need?" Damon asked, inching closer.
"Someone who cares." I sighed.
"You've got those all around you." Damon sounded so patronising. "As much as it kills me to say, you've got Dathan, me, Nala. Everyone, Emily. Stop being so damn ungrateful."
"Wow." I really couldn't believe my ears.
Damon did not just call me ungrateful. Wow!
"I think that would be all." I said, smiling.
"I don't think so." He replied.
Tears were just at the brink of coming out. I needed to remind myself of all the happy things in my mind if I wanted to keep them at bay.
But it wasn't working. Maybe because there weren't many things to remember.
My whole life was a sad little storybook.
"I didn't mean that." He said after minutes of uncomfortable silence.
I'd made up my mind. I was saying no more.
"Talk to me, baby." Damon said.
And for the first time, ever, Damon touched me. He didn't brush me while trying to pass, or touch my hands lightly while handing me something, or hit me in error, he touched me!
"Please." I croaked.
"No." He said. "Don't do that. I was wrong."
"I try to make things easy. I don't know much, but I'm trying. And things are not any better." I cried.
I knew I couldn't hold on for much longer.
I was at the point where I'd spill on any shoulder that lends itself to me.
"Is that really how you feel?" Damon asked.
"Never mind. It's not like you care. And I don't want to be ungrateful." I said, straightening up.
"I didn't mean that." Damon begged, getting my reference.
"I think I need to retire now." I said.
"But we haven't agreed on anything!" He complained.
"There's no need to. I'm afraid the child in me always rears its head. There's not much to agree on anymore. We already have an arrangement." I smiled curtly.
As much as I wanted the conversation to end, I wasn't too comfortable to get on the bed, lie down, and face the wall like I'd done earlier.
Damon felt like a strange man, one I would not be comfortable around, till he goes.
"I see you don't want to have this conversation any longer." He observed.
"No. No. I don't want to." I answered immediately.
Damon smiled, and closed the distance between us.
The crown of my head only reached his chin.
"We'll have this conversation tomorrow, when we get back from the office." He said, and wanted to kiss my forehead, but I turned away.
"I didn't quite get what you said." I stuttered.
"You'd be going with me to the company tomorrow." Damon said.
"I don't mean to be rude, Alpha…" I started.
"It's Damon to you." He corrected me.
"I just wanted to ask, why?" I asked him. He couldn't take away the one thing that made life worth living in his palace, being away from him. And I got to do that for over eight hours everyday.
There's no way I'd survive that proximity all day, everyday.
"It's the middle of the week, can I at least start on a new week?" I begged.
I negotiated what questions to ask in my head, and that seemed like the right one.
"No. By next week, we might have a change of plans. I've got more than just the company to see to. We're exporting oil, I have a lot of meetings." He explained, with a smug look on his face.
"I'll see you tomorrow then." I replied.
"That's it?" He asked.
I couldn't look at him, cause we were too close for comfort, but I sensed surprise. I sensed the unease that he felt when I didn't question his decision. I made a mental note to do more of that.
"Yes, Damon. I'll see you tomorrow morning." I replied.
Damon took a deep breath and saw himself out of my room.
My mood was ruined, but that's the least.
My plans for the next day too. But I chose to see the bright side. I get to go out of the palace. Meet new people. Wear some of the dresses I bought. Feel pretty.
So I changed out of the gown I wore to the rooft op earlier, back into my sleep clothes, for the second time that night. I bolted my door, just for the sake of it, and lay down to sleep.