HOPE(54)
Damon glanced at the building and then shook his head. “No, my time here is over. I’ve got many other things to look forward to.”
Chapter Twenty
Damon dipped his hands in the bowl of water and began to rub off the dried blood from his hands. His knuckles were bruised from hitting the guy with the hood. He’d let loose the monster. The moment the guy touched his woman he’d been dead.
“I thought your days of killing were over,” Don said.
Penny sat in the main bar with Shelley. The bar had been closed the moment he’d entered. Don clearly saw what he had to say was important. The customers were sent home.
“They are. The men gave me no choice. They were going to kill me and do worse things to Penny. I promised to protect her.”
“You’ve got a thing for this girl.”
Damon ground his teeth together. “She’s more than just a girl,” he said.
“You’re in love with her.”
Damon didn’t answer and continued to scrub his hands of the blood.
“I thought you said you’d never love a woman.” Don was standing opposite him with his arms folded over his chest.
“I did. I never expected to feel love for anyone. Penny is worth it though.”
“Because you’ve taken her cherry?”
Damon stood up. He grabbed Don by the shirt and slammed him against the wall. “She’s not like that. Don’t you fucking dare start talking about her like that.”
Don covered his hands with his own. “Release me, Damon, before I forget you’re a friend.”
He stared at the other man for several minutes and then released him. Damon thought about what Pearce had said. “Just because you haven’t got the guts to make an honest woman out of Shelley doesn’t mean the rest of us are not prepared to do the same.”
Damon watched Don’s reaction closely. There was a twitch of the eye, but nothing else gave him away.
“See, you’re a coward. You can’t even admit your feelings for her.”
Don struck. He pushed Damon against the wall with his hand wrapped around his throat.
“Is that what you want? You want to die at my hands? It is easy for you, Damon. You can declare your undying love without any consequences. I can’t do that. Others will kill Shelley because of me. What I did with you in the past cemented my future. I can help build a better world, but I can’t have all the benefits. I’d rather no one knew the truth, and Shelley is safe.”
Damon felt awful.
Don released his hold and took a step back. “I’m happy for you.” The other man folded his arms over his chest.
“Why?” he asked.
“What happened to Tristan Kendrick’s family was not an accident. They targeted the woman he loved and the children she birthed to him. It drove him insane. If anything ever happened to Shelley I’d go crazy. She is to be protected at all costs.”
Damon ran a hand over his face. “I’m sorry.”
Don murmured agreement. “What did you want to tell me?”
Damon explained everything about Penny and what Edward had said to him.
“So, it is true. Grimes finally wants to take over the whole of New York. I should have known. He hated it when you took the best fighter from him.”
“Who?” Damon asked.
“The first man you took down. He was the best fighter in Grimes’s area. That fight was bloody. Everyone knew it was going to be a fight to the death. Grimes hasn’t been the same since.” Don shook his head.
“That fight was years ago.”
“Revenge is a dish best served cold. Grimes wasn’t known for being a very good person, Damon. He was a master manipulator. He’s probably promising his men a life of luxury and sex.”
Damon shook his head. “They’re not going to find that here.”
“We know that. These men need a cause to fight for.”
“You need to come out to the farms, Don.”
Don shook his head. “It’s what he wants.”
Damon disagreed. “He’d not expect you to know he’s there. I think if you’re there it will throw them off the scent.”
“What are you suggesting?” Don asked.
“You need to reach out to Jordan. The rumour is Grimes has taken Tristan’s land.”
“A battle is not what this world needs, Damon. We need to stop fighting.” Don turned his back to him.
He saw the slump to Don’s shoulders. Don was tired.
“Then talk to Grimes in front of everyone. Reason with him or just kill him. You’ve got to do something. I don’t want to fight anymore either,” Damon said.
“You’ve killed three men tonight.”