The Devil's Game (16 page)

She pulled the instrument closer to her and grabbed the bow with her right hand. It felt good in her palm. Slowly she pulled it across the strings and the sound of it sent a chill down her spine. It reminded her of Damien’s voice. She tried a couple chords, testing it out, and made a couple slight adjustments.

There was a song she thought she remembered. Being one of her favorites, she had played it so many times. Her fingers fell into place on the fingerboard and she bowed the strings, closing her eyes as she felt the vibrations of it. She hadn’t even realized how much she missed this until now. When the last note ended, she opened her eyes to see Damien sitting on the couch, looking awestruck.

“Vivaldi,” he said and she nodded.

“From The Four Seasons.”

“That was incredible.”

“Thank you,” she said, blushing. “It was the only song I could remember.”

“It was perfect. And perhaps the next time I owe you an apology, I’ll just bring home some sheet music. Any requests?”

“That you don’t have to apologize to me,” she said hesitantly.

“I promise to try,” he said.

“That’s all I ask.” She stood and put the cello back on its stand. “Where are you going to keep this?” she asked.

“I think it looks nice right there next to the piano,” he said, standing. “Don’t you?”

“It does. And it might have to stay there, because I don’t have room for this in my apartment.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Then I guess you’ll just have to come down and play it for me from time to time,” he said quietly.

Karina didn’t know what to say to that. Part of her wanted to clap her hands and say yes, absolutely, but deep down she knew she could never bear it. This was going to hurt enough when she had to leave.

“What do you say we give Romi the night off and go out for dinner?” he asked.

“I’d like that,” she said, forcing a smile.

They enjoyed a casual dinner (by Damien’s standards) at a popular restaurant in downtown Miami. They were seated at a small table for two, and even though the place was packed, Karina felt like it was only he two of them. She barely even remembered what they ate, except for the dessert—a chocolate torte that they shared.

“Will there be anything else?” the waiter asked when he stopped by to collect the empty plate.

Damien looked at her. “Do you want anything else?” he asked.

“Nothing that’s on the menu,” she said with a playful smile.

“That will be all,” Damien told the waiter, not taking his eyes off of her.

The waiter walked away and she excused herself to use the restroom, leaving a restless Damien at the table.

Karina was still grinning as she walked out of the bathroom—until she saw Tabitha sitting in her seat across from Damien. As she neared the table, Tabitha caught sight of her and gave Karina a nasty little smile before turning her attention back to Damien. It was all she could do not to slap the woman as Karina calmly walked over to them.

“Oh hello,” Tabitha said in a sugary voice when Karina stepped up to the table to stand next to Damien. “Kari, right?”

“It’s Karina, actually,” Damien corrected her.

“Oops,” she said with a giggle. “My mistake.”

“So what brings you to our table?” Karina asked, attempting her best smile.

“Well, I was attending a private function in the back room. Gregson’s birthday in fact,” said Tabitha, shooting a glance at Damien. “And I happened to catch a glimpse of Damien out here. I thought what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t stop by and say hi?”

“What kind of friend indeed,” said Karina.

Damien covered his mouth as he gave a little cough, and though he was suppressing a smile behind that hand, Karina could see it in his eyes.

“By the way,” Karina said, shifting closer to Damien. “I wanted to tell you that you were wrong about the museum gala last weekend.”

“Is that so?” Tabitha asked with a frown.

“Yes, I didn’t find it boring at all.” Karina rested her hand on Damien’s shoulder, and she felt his hand on her lower back. “In fact, I think it was the most fun I’ve ever had at an event.” She looked down at Damien who was holding his chin, focusing on the table. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

He raised his eyes to her, trying not to laugh. “I’d have to agree one hundred percent.”

The waiter came back with Damien’s credit card and the slip for him to sign.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Tabitha said, though she clearly wasn’t.

“It’s been a pleasure as always, Tabitha,” Damien sighed, sliding the card back into his wallet. “But Karina and I are going to head home now.”

“It’s so early, though,” she pouted. “You really should come join the party in the back. And Karina, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Damien muttered. “I appreciate the invite,” he said, “However—”

“Damien Bishop!” someone shouted, and Karina and Damien both turned around so see a man coming their way. “I thought that was you,” he said, shaking Damien’s hand. “What are you doing here?”

“Gregson,” said Damien. “We were just having dinner.”

“And who might you be?” Gregson asked, flashing Karina a toothy smile as he extended his hand.

“Karina,” she said, accepting it before shifting closer to Damien as she noticed Tabitha rolling her eyes.

“Pleasure to meet you.” Gregson turned back to Damien. “How are you, man?”

“I’m good,” said Damien. “And yourself?”

“Couldn’t be better. It’s my birthday party going on back there.”

“So I heard. Happy birthday,” said Damien.

“You should come have a drink with me. We haven’t talked in forever.”

“Thank you, but Karina and I were about to head home.”

“Oh, come on,” said Gregson. “One drink. You aren’t going to say no to the birthday boy, are you?”

Damien sighed but smiled.

“No,” he said. “Of course not.”

“Excellent.”

Damien took Karina’s hand, and the four of them walked into the private room in the back.

“There’s a good reason why he and I haven’t talked in a while,” Damien whispered to her. “We won’t be staying long.”

The private room was packed with people. In the center was a table laid out with food, and a small bar lined the back wall.

Tabitha mingled back into the crowd while Karina and Damien followed Gregson to the bar.

“Can I get three shots of Patron?” Gregson asked the bartender.

“None for me, please,” Karina said. Straight tequila was the last thing she needed.

“Come on,” said Gregson. “It’s just one shot.”

“She said no,” Damien told him firmly.

Gregson frowned but turned to the bartender and told him only two.

“Is there something else you would like?” Damien asked.

“Water would be nice,” she said, and Damien requested it.

Damien lifted his glass to Gregson. “Happy birthday.”

“To old times,” said Gregson, and Karina caught the look in Damien’s face. He didn’t care for this man any more than she did.

Word got around that Damien was in the room, and everyone wanted to say hi. He introduced her to most people, but it was obvious they were more interested in him, so she wandered off, content to just people-watch. As she stood in the corner, sipping her water, Tabitha sidled up next to her.

“So who are you, exactly?” she asked.

“Um, Karina Watson.”

Tabitha rolled her eyes. “How do you know Damien?” she asked. “What’s your angle?”

“I don’t have an angle,” Karina told her. “And how I know Damien is none of your business.”

Tabitha moved so that she was now standing face to face with Karina.

“Everyone knows that Damien is the most eligible bachelor around. You can’t honestly think some nobody like you is going to land him.”

“First of all, I’m not trying to
land
him. But if I was,” Karina gave her a patronizing smile, “I’m pretty sure my odds are way better than yours.”

Tabitha narrowed her eyes. “You little—”

“Ahem.”

Tabitha turned around to find Damien right behind her.

“Do you mind if I borrow Karina for a moment?”

“Oh, of course,” Tabitha said in the fake sweet voice of hers. “We were just having a friendly little chat.”

“I’m sure you were,” he said as he reached for Karina’s hand, pulled her into him, and led her out of the room. “What was she saying to you?” he asked.

“Apparently you’re the most eligible bachelor around,” she told him.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Let’s get out of here.”

Damien handed his ticket to the valet and then turned to Karina while they waited.

“Is there anything else you want to do before we head home?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Any suggestions?”

He stepped closer and wrapped a tendril of her hair around his finger.

“I suggest,” he said, “that we head back to the house and spend the rest of the evening tangled up in each other.”

The door behind him opened, and out of the corner of her eye, Karina recognized Tabitha walking out of it.

“I think,” Karina said, pressing her chest against Damien’s, “that’s a splendid idea.”

A smile spread across his face as he lowered his lips to Karina’s mouth.

The valet attendant returned with Damien’s car and he released her. Karina caught the look on Tabitha’s face just before the vile woman walked back into the restaurant.

She knew it was petty, but Karina couldn’t help the feeling of satisfaction as she slid into the Mercedes.

“Why do you even bother with her?” Karina asked as Damien drove.

“Excuse me?”

“Tabitha. Why do you allow her to think you two are friends? Why not tell her to, well, to fuck off?”

He laughed. “Trust me, I’ve been tempted to. Especially tonight,” he said, taking Karina’s hand and kissing it.

“Then why don’t you? Why the charade?”

“That’s just the way it is with these people,” he sighed. “We all pretend to get along to get what we want. Take Gregson for example. Two years ago, he poached one of my best VPs. Then three months later, he let the guy go.”

“Did you hire him back?”

“I couldn’t trust him after that. Meanwhile, Gregson acts like it’s water under the bridge. Unfortunately, his security systems run off our software, so I have to act like it as well.”

“But what about Tabitha? What does she offer you?”

“Tabitha is a gossip who runs in a lot of the same circles. I stay on her good side to keep the rumors to a minimum.”

“It seemed like you were doing more than staying on her good side at the engagement party.”

Damien looked at her with a sheepish smile.

“I have a confession to make,” he said. “I was trying to make you jealous.”

Karina’s hand flew out at his chest before she even realized what she was doing.

“Ouch,” he groaned, rubbing his chest. “You know, it’s not smart to attack the driver while he’s driving.”

“I can’t believe you,” she said, massaging her hand. She’d forgotten how solid his chest was.

“I’m sorry,” he said, reaching for the hand that had just assaulted him. “It was childish. I didn’t know how else to get your attention.”

“That’s the second time you’ve apologized to me today.”

“Does is still count if I’m apologizing for something that happened over a week ago?”

“I think that makes it worse.”

“I’m really sorry, Karina. Can you forgive me?”

She thought about that night and how jealous she had in fact been, even if she hadn’t been willing to admit it. And it was that jealousy that had sent her into Damien’s bedroom after the party. He’d manipulated her, and Karina wanted to be mad at him. But as she looked at him glancing her way, waiting for her forgiveness, she knew she wouldn’t have been jealous if she hadn’t felt something for him. And wasn’t she just as guilty of trying to manipulate him once she knew what he was trying to do?

“No more tricks,” she said. “No more games.”

“Agreed,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

The next several days flew by, no matter how much Karina wanted time to slow down. Damien worked as little as possible, retreating only to his home office when necessary. And there were no more business trips, despite what the itinerary said.

Tom still stopped by most days to check in with Damien, and Karina could sense his irritation at the whole situation, even though he said nothing to her.

As the last day drew closer, Karina wondered how she was supposed to say goodbye. She wondered if Damien even wanted to.

Her room was rarely used anymore—it was mostly just a place to keep her clothes. Even some of those had migrated into Damien’s closet out of convenience.

And before she knew it, her last weekend in Miami had arrived.