Free Warped by Alicia Taylor Page A

Looking deep into his eyes I plead with him to understand what I’m about to tell him, needing him to see how much I mean the words I say. I can’t let Tom be a problem for my end game. Damon needs to accept him for this to work.
    “Damon, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to Tom.  Tom and I are just friends, you know that.”
    “Ella, I don’t trust him–” I cut him off before he has a chance to continue.
    “Damon you don’t know him. He’s the only friend I have left. Hell, he’s the only family I have left, since losing Pops and my sister...” My eyes fill up as sadness takes over.  He pulls me in close and soothingly rubs my back.
    “Shhhh beauty, it’s okay. We don’t need to talk about it. It’s okay.”
    I nod my head into the muscles of his chest, taking a moment to gather my emotions.  I almost spoke about Lydia, which was reckless. I have decisions to make before my secrets come out. I have to wait before I talk to him about that but eventually I will need him to know the truth. I'll need to tell him who I am, why I’m here. Whether that will be at the end of my game when I’ve broken him or if I ask him for forgiveness and to give us a chance remains to be seen.
    Damon continues to rub my back. It’s soothing and I feel calm again, so I lift my head to meet his eyes.
    “Please give him a chance Damon. I know you will like him and he only wants the best for me.”
    “I don’t like it Ella. How would you feel if I went and had lunch with an ex?”
    Heat rises in my cheeks. That is not the same thing at all, and doesn’t he see that he already does that now every time he sees Leona?
    “Damon, it’s not the same. Tom is just my friend, nothing more. What about that bitch Leona?” Anger starts to infect my good mood. Damon rolls his eyes, but wherever Damon goes she is running along like a lost puppy. He has to know she thinks she has some sort of claim on him.
    “Leona and I are just friends Ella. We happen to hang out in the same places. It’s nothing more.” That’s just laughable.
    I raise my eyebrows and stifle a laugh. Damon doesn’t miss it though.
    “She is, Ella. She is just my friend and she has been through stuff. I don’t turn my back on someone when they need help,” he says seriously.
    “If she is such a friend then why is she so rude to me? She made it clear that I was in her territory, and then she turns up at the restaurant,” I huff. I can feel anger building inside me again. Why I let that bitch get under my skin I don’t know, but she does. When we are in a room together it’s like she is taunting me, like she knows something I don't and is laughing behind my back.
    Damon shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know, maybe you misheard her? I don’t know why she turned up at Maze. Did you tell Spence where we were going?” he asks.
    “I didn’t mishear her Damon, she was rude, and I will always be a problem for her but I don’t want to fight about it.”
    Damon sighs in defeat and moves to wrap his arms around me.
    “Okay, how about we do something tonight? We can go to The Hunter and you can bring Tom. If it will make you happy, beauty I will give him a chance.”
    Smiling up at Damon I feel like I have won a small victory at his willingness to try for me. Things would be so much easier if they would just get along. Tom is the only person who knows the real me. I can be myself with him, there’s no pretending. I need him in my life and Damon needs to get used to that if we are going to stay together.
    “Thank you for giving him a chance. I know when you do you're going to get along.”
    “I will give him a chance Ella, for you, but don’t expect us to be best buds, okay?”
    I nod my head, “I have to go. I will text you if Tom can make tonight. Shall I meet you there? Say seven?”
    “Yes. I have to go into the office. Spence wants to discuss more about the hotel venture. He loved your ideas by the way. I think you’re on to something.