Page 129 of Deathless & Divided

Tommas smiled and pushed up from the chair. “I’ll be here to pick you up bright and early. Confession before pleasure, as the saying goes.”

Damian scoffed. “I never confess anything.”

He had nothing worth confessing. Nothing he wanted forgiveness for, anyway.

“Whatever. It’s tradition for the Rossi family. Suck it up. Knowing you, you’re going to need a couple of extra hours for penance.”

“Hey—” Damian stopped himself before adding, “Probably. Get the hell out of here already.”

Tommas’ hands flew up. “Going, going.”

The moment his apartment door closed, Damian picked up his cell phone and dialed a familiar number. Lily’s cheerful voice picked up on the second ring. Damian cringed at the noise level in the background.

Approved club, he reminded himself. There were also a group of body guards Terrance had appointed for the girls for Lily’s last hurrah. That did not help the swell of jealousy building inside Damian’s chest.

“Hello?” Lily asked.

“Sweetheart.”

Damian could practically feel her smile as Lily said, “You’re not supposed to call me tonight.”

“I think what you’re looking for is that I’m not supposed to see you,” Damian replied.

“Same thing.” The slight giddy tone she sported told Damian his girl had been drinking those ugly green things again. “Oh, he’s cute, Ella.”

Damian felt the growl-like sound claw outward from his throat. “Lily.”

“Hmm?”

“How many drinks have you had?”

Lily laughed. “Definitely not seven.”

“You’re awful.”

“You love it,” she shot back.

Damian smirked. “I do.”

“Good,” Lily hummed.

The final couple of weeks leading up to their wedding had been hard. Not just because of the mess going on around them but because Damian knew how he hurt Lily by keeping what he had from her. They didn’t talk about it a lot but he figured they didn’t have to for her pain to be clear to him.

She didn’t understand. She didn’t act like she did.

But Lily loved him.

That was what mattered most to Damian.

“Why are you calling?” Lily asked.

“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t making a run for it.”

“Liar.” Damian flinched. Lily caught what she said quickly enough and muttered, “Kidding. You’re still going to be waiting at the other end for me?”

“Always.”

“Then I’ll meet you there.”