Damon

By V.R. Paille

The Brethren are in the middle of a war, but that isn’t going to stop the explosion between them.
Ava
Princess of the Brethren.
My Dad adopted Damon when I was only five. We’ve always fought like brother and sister. My family is under attack and the one person I am supposed to be able to count on is Damon, my adopted brother. We can’t seem to stop fighting either. We used to be close.
As a kid, I used to tell him I was going to marry him. I always get what I want.
Damon
Orphan. Adopted by Edge. Ava’s Protector.
Edge raised me like I was his own and Ava was my sister. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with her.
But I did. So, now I’ll keep fighting with her so no one knows how much I really want her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: V.R. Paille
• Release date: Jan 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005062460

V.R. Paille

I write slow burn romance. I love falling in love, no "insta-love" here.I currently live in Texas with my husband and son. As long as it isn't pouring rain you can find me outside with a book, writing, or chasing my son around. I'm a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and work with my husband in his gym. On our off days, we fish and day dream of one day sailing the world.

Book preview

Prologue: Damon

Thunder booms overhead and my door creaks open. Shit, I curse and then I remember that Edge doesn’t like it when I cuss.

It’s not Edge, though, it’s Ava. She closes the door slowly, the creak drawing out longer and longer. I don’t know if she is trying to be quiet or if she wants Edge to know she has come into my room. With as much noise as she is making, he certainly knows. Lightening illuminates the room, lighting up Ava in her t-shirt, sprinting toward my bed. She dives into the tangled blanket. She rolls around and messes it up even more before her cold feet touch my shin. I push her away, You’re cold.

I know, her teeth chatter.

A clap of thunder shakes the house, and she jumps closer to me. Her icy toes on my leg. Her cold nose on my throat and her tiny freezing hands balled against my bare chest. I hate thunder, she mutters.

I shake my head. She is around burly bikers all day long, but a little thunder sends her running to my room. God’s just having a motorcycle rally in the sky.

Her eyes peek up at me, a small smile blooming on her face. You think so?

Sure, I agree and quickly continue, You can’t stay in my room.

Why not?

I told you last night was the last time you could stay.

I like sleeping with you.

No one else’s little sister sleeps with them.

It’s true. I went to Bryan’s house last weekend. We played video games, ate pizza, watched a scary movie, and demolished a pan of brownies. We didn’t hang out with his sister. She didn’t do any of that with us. She left him alone. We went to sleep, and she didn’t come into the bedroom to sleep with him. Like an idiot, I asked him about it. Now, everyone at school is calling me a baby because I sleep with Ava.

No one else is as good of a big brother as you are.

Ava, I mean it. As soon as the storm is over you are going back to your room, I say doing my best impression of Edge when he’s trying to get her to do something.

She doesn’t look phased. She snuggles further down in covers, simultaneously wedging her leg between mine. I’m going to marry you someday, she murmurs quietly, So I can sleep with you every night.

Before I can think of a good way to argue with her, she is snoring softly against my shoulder. The storm starts slowing down and I think about waking her up. She should be sleeping in her own room. She should not be in mine. I shouldn’t like her in mine. No one else in the sixth grade likes their sisters.

I put my arm around her and wrap her closer to me. Just one more night, then she is out for good, I lie to myself.

Chapter 1: Damon

A body lands on top of mine. I grunt under the weight, wrap my arm around the familiar neck and swear, I will murder you if you don’t get out of my bed.

Bones laughs and punches at me. I’ve been calling your name for twenty minutes.

I open my eye to glare at him. He stands up from my bed and starts shuffling through a laundry basket on the floor. Clean or dirty? he asks.

Sniff test it.

He grabs a shirt and shoves it under my face. I push him away and bury my face back in my pillow, which unfortunately now smells like my dirty shirt. Go away, I order.

Some broad was here a few days ago, Bones says, She just waltzed into Edge’s room like she owned the place.

Bet he loved that, I grumble.

Weird thing is, now she’s back. Sitting in the conference room with coffee and a muffin.

Mina made muffins, I sit up now.

Zucchini apple cinnamon.

Why would she ruin them with vegetables?

Bones shrugs, They are still pretty good. Anyway, he picks up another shirt and throws it in my face, now this woman is sitting in our conference room and Edge told me to get you and Ava up.

I am still not convinced that I want to get up. If the muffins had been just plain apple cinnamon, I would already be downstairs with a mug of coffee. I shrug on the shirt, in case Bones actually gives me a reason to get up. Bones is still rifling through my clothes. This is mine, he complains.

Like I can fit in your clothes, I snap. He’s only about four inches shorter than me and almost fifty pounds lighter. He holds up a shirt, that is in fact his. I roll my eyes as he throws it over his shoulder.

Only you, Ava, and me are allowed in the conference room.

That finally gets me moving. Edge wouldn’t call just the three of us if it wasn’t important. I fling the covers back and stand up. Bones covers his eyes and feigns being blinded. Why didn’t you tell me you were nude?

I always sleep nude.

You are ridiculous, he snaps before heading to the door, Also, you’re in charge of waking up Ava.

No, I shout to his quickly retreating figure. After finding some jeans, I bolt out the door behind him, but he is already gone. Cursing him I storm up the stairs to the third floor. I don’t know anything about some lady downstairs, but I know Ava. She isn’t going to care if it is Jesus sitting downstairs, she won’t want to be woken up.

I open the door to her room. Ava, I snap, Edge wants you up.

She doesn’t move. I sit down on the side of her bed and put my hand on her shoulder. I shake her as hard as I can, but still she doesn’t wake up. I shouldn’t have even bothered trying to wake her up nicely. I make my way to the third floor living room. I fill up a glass with ice and water from the fridge and stalk to her room. I throw the cold concoction on her head. She sits up like she has been struck by lightning.

Damon, her voice is a high-pitched shriek. All of the following words are too high for me to understand. I’m pretty sure only dogs can understand her when she is squawking.

Edge wants us downstairs. Some meeting. Me. You. And Bones. That’s it.

What did you do? her voice is still a few octaves too high, but at least I can understand her.

Nothing. I don’t know what is going on.

She doesn’t look like she trusts me, but she throws her long-tanned legs out of the bed. Standing up and stretching, she starts digging through a pile of clothes on the ground. Another shirt flies at my head. Why is this my morning to get hit in the face with half-clean half-dirty clothes? Is this clean?

I throw it back to her and growl, It smells fine, just get dressed.

I stomp out of her room and slam the door. Edge and Bones are sitting downstairs when I walk in. Edge nods to the chair in front of him. I sink down into it just as Mina sets a steaming coffee mug in front of me. I wasn’t sure about her at first. She got caught in the middle of a fire fight almost a year ago. They concocted this crazy scheme to get her to be one of our old ladies. I fought against dating her from the start. Turns out, she wasn’t really interested in the young guys of the club. She fell for Edge, hard. It took him a while to admit his own feelings. The day he did he tattooed her name on him and moved her into his room. They got married a month later, so I guess she is sticking around. Which is nice. She makes Edge happy. She also cooks for us and keeps us well stocked in coffee.

What is about to happen isn’t going to be good. Edge states. He doesn’t beat around the bush. He’s never been one to mince words. I like that about him.

I sip the coffee. This is really good, I interrupt.

Bones sits forward like he is a conspirator, She puts nutmeg in the coffee.

Edge rolls his eyes, but he smiles at Mina over my shoulder. He has got it bad. I want you two to come to this meeting because I know you will have Ava’s back. She’s going to need support.

I sit up a little straighter. Ava’s going to need support? I question quietly.

Edge nods. I can see by the set of his jaw that he isn’t happy about whatever is about to happen. He runs his hand down his face and says, I’m up against a wall here, boys. Ava’s mom waltzed in and handed me papers. Either I let her see Ava at least once or we are going to court. It seems silly to drag her into court. She will be eighteen in a few months. I doubt Hayley would get anywhere in the court system.

Ava’s mom left when Ava was only a few months old. As far as I know, she’s never been in touch.

Then why are we doing this? I interrupt.

Edge looks over at Mina. Some silent communication passes between them. He sighs, Because a girl needs her mom. Ava’s old enough to make the decision for herself.

Like hell she is, I mutter.

Edge cuts me a sideways look. I sip my coffee to keep from saying more. So, Hayley is in the conference room, waiting to meet Ava.

You really think it is a good idea for Ava to meet her mom for the first time at the crack of dawn?

Edge’s smile is evil as he comments, Hayley set the meeting time.

Bones hoots, She certainly doesn’t know Ava.

Mina sets down a tray of muffins smiling at Edge. I roll my eyes. They are seriously like lovesick teenagers, it’s sickening. It is like watching parents’ kiss.

I take one of Mina’s muffins. They are delicious, even if they do have vegetables in them, definitely worth getting up for this early in the morning. Ava stumbles downstairs. She’s got on makeup, skirt, a skintight top, and her motorcycle boots. I advert my eyes as she flings herself into the chair next to mine. Need coffee, she complains.

Mina sets a steaming mug in front of her. It’s only half full because everyone knows Ava is going to doctor her coffee with a ton of milk and crap. She gets started on ruining the perfectly good coffee while the three of us stare at her. No one wants to be the one to tell Ava what is about to happen.

Chapter 2: Ava

I feel everyone’s eyes on me as I pour copious amounts of sugar into my coffee. I glance up and snap, It’s my coffee.

Dad shakes his head at me. I am about to argue when he silences me with a look. I know that look. Something is happening. Something bad.

What is it? What happened? I run through all the things that could have gone wrong. Is someone dead? I look around the room. Uncle T-Bone is sitting at the end of the table looking sour about something in his hand. He runs his hand through his big red beard. His son, Slater, is across from him. I can’t see Slater’s face, as usual it is covered by a hoodie. He is scarred from something that happened in his childhood. T-Bone slides the paper across to Slater and I remember that we got our report cards yesterday. Slater’s clearly isn’t good if Uncle T-Bone is frowning at him.

Bones and Damon are next to me, of course. Mina, my stepmom, is busily cooking in the kitchen. She sets a heaping plate of waffles in front of me. I glance up. Waffles? They are my favorite, but we rarely get them because it takes so long to make them for so many people.

I continue taking attendance and see Doc sitting on the counter talking to Mina. She is laughing at something he is saying while he seems to be doing some little dance. Tech is standing on a chair messing with the router on the top of the counter.

I look back at my Dad. What’s going on?

Ava-girl, he starts and then stops. He runs his hands over his face and through his hair. When he looks back at me, I notice the tired bags under his eyes. Whatever is happening is wearing on my Dad. My heart tightens. This is going to be really bad. I’m actually a little afraid of whatever he’s about to tell me.

A while ago, your mother came by and wanted to discuss meeting with you. I’ve put her off as long as I can, but she wants to go to court for custody if I don’t let her see you this once. So, she’s here, waiting to meet you.

Why? What does she want? my heart is racing as I look to my dad for more answers. Fears and insecurities from being left by her resurface in an instant. In a single moment, I suddenly have too many jumbled up feelings. I feel like a five year old version of myself wishing on birthday candles for my mom to love me enough to come back. I’m also righteously angry and indignant about being forgotten for so many years. She better have a good reason for suddenly launching a wrecking ball into my life.

He shrugs, Don’t know, but I need you to do this for me.

Something in the tone of his voice makes me look at him. I mean really look at him. He’s got bags under his eyes. New wrinkles on his forehead from frowning. More gray hair than I remember noticing the last time I really looked at him. A year ago, things started heating up with the Russians, for no apparent reason. It bothers Dad that he doesn’t know why a war began, maybe even more than the actual war itself. He has been stretched thin because he is constantly trying to protect us and figure out why the war is happening. In the last year, I’ve watched my dad age pretty severely.

It hasn’t been all bad, we met Mina because of the war. She’s made my dad happier than I have ever seen him, even with everything else going on in our lives.

Of course, Dad, I tell him even though I’ve got a heavy lump in my stomach.

I stare at the waffles in front of me and suddenly don’t feel like eating. Not even waffles can settle my nerves. Let’s go, I tell Dad.

Eat your breakfast. She can wait.

I really don’t want to eat right now.

Bones reaches over for my plate, I’ll take the waffles.

Damon smacks his hand. Let her eat them.

I push the waffles towards Bones, I really just want to get this over with.

I stand up, making my decision final. Dad, Damon, and Bones are right behind me. I stop and stare at Damon and Bones, a silent question in my eyes. I told them to come for support, Dad supplies quickly.

I feel a little better knowing that they are coming with us. Damon came to live with us when I was five and he was eleven. Bones moved in four years later. Dad became their legal guardian and raised us like we were siblings. They just don’t call him Dad. They call him Edge. I think they were both old enough to really remember their families and the bad memories of their fathers. It is a strange arrangement, but it works for us. They are the closest thing I have to brothers. We lean on each other for support. I’m glad that they are going to be there.

Dad opens the door to the conference room and steps through the threshold first. I hear a voice nag, You’ve kept me in here for twenty minutes. You could try to be on time.

Dad’s shoulders tense but he doesn’t reply. I step in behind him and stop when I see my mother for the first time in my life. We look a lot alike. Long black hair and round coffee colored eyes. She stands up and we are eye to eye. So, we are both fairly tall, above average for women and have thin curvy figures. My wide hips that look great in hip hugger jeans are definitely from her. Our biggest differences seem to be the way we dress. She looks like a professional. She is wearing a suit with a skirt, pearls, and heels. Every hair on her head is perfectly put into place. Her makeup is light and natural. Her skin is like porcelain.

I have on a jean skirt, a tank top, and my standard motorcycle boots. My makeup is heavy, especially around my eyes, just the way I like it. My skin is tanned from hours outside on my bike. I may look just like her in build, but the way I dress, I am definitely my father’s child.

I sit down on the other side of the table from her.

Ava, I’m Hayley, your mother, she introduces herself as if Dad hasn’t already filled me in.

The moment is almost surreal. For years, I dreamed my mother would come back, apologize for leaving me, and we would become the best of friends. We would be like the Gilmores. Instead, in a bizarre freaky Friday moment, she is Emily and I’m a more rebellious Lorelei. I almost laugh. Almost. Instead I say, Dad told me. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you? I’m meeting the woman who gave birth to me for the first time in my life and the best I can come up with is nice to meet you. It sounds lame and trite echoing around the room. Bones, sensing the tension in the room, steps forward, I’m her brother, Bones.

Hayley’s eyes widen and she turns a shocked face to Edge, You had children before Ava. You would have been so young.

Too young, he barks.

My dad—and I guess Hayley—had me when they were only sixteen. To have fathered Bones, Dad would have been eleven.

Adopted, Bones amends quickly. I hate the way the word adopted sounds coming out of his mouth. As if the fact that we don’t share blood makes him less a part of our family.

Hayley’s eyes turn toward Damon, waiting on an introduction. I’m Damon, his eyes dart to me. He stops talking, not explaining how he is connected. I’m almost disappointed when he doesn’t call himself my brother and at the same time I’m not. We were close. Closer than brother and sister. Now, we still fight like brother and sister but something has changed. There is a fissure between us that has changed our whole relationship. I’m not really sure exactly what happened, but I feel like Damon and I are one fight away from something big happening. Something that will change our relationship forever. I’m not sure if the change will be for the better or worse.

Again, Bones pops up trying to break the tension in the room, Also, adopted.

Hayley seems to judge both Bones and Damon for a second but then she decides not to comment further on them. She peels her gaze away from them and it lands squarely back on me.

You turned out so beautiful, her voice almost cracks.

I want to make a joke, but I can’t seem to find the words. I cannot believe she is actually sitting in front of me. It feels like some sort of dream where I am floating above everything happening, watching it like a television show, not an actual participant.

Okay, Hayley, you've seen her. Now what do you want? Dad's voice is hard and gravelly.

Hayley’s eyes turn to cold marble. I told you I wanted to meet her. I didn’t mean just spend five minutes with her. I would like to get to know her. Maybe make arrangements to see her more regularly.

Why? Dad and I both ask the question at the same time. My voice is cautious. His is unyielding steel.

Hayley rubs the spot between her eyes as though massaging away frown lines. "I had a cancer scare. I’m fine. No cancer. But it made me reconsider some of my life choices, including you Ava. I have always regretted that I just left you and never came back. I would like