Your First Love My First Payday

Damon Blackwoods first lovethe one he was always meant to havewas finally back in New York. They had been locked in a volatile, toxic dance of love and hatred for over a decade, their relationship all-consuming and messy.

And me? I had been Damon Blackwoods gilded cage pet for three long years.

On Day One, Tori Harrington publicly humiliated me by trying to tear my dress off. Damons eyes shifted slightly, but he said nothing.

On Day Two, Tori slapped me across the face, left, then right. Damon simply asked her if her hand was sore.

On Day Three, Tori aimed a gun at my stomach, threatening to shoot the child I carried. Damon cupped her hand, guiding her aim.

When I demanded to know why he was doing this, he said:

Using you to keep Tori happy is a price Im willing to pay. Youre worth the trade.

Honestly, I was pretty happy too.

I never wanted the baby anyway, and I knew a five-million-dollar wire transfer would hit my account the moment it was over.

Damon didn't know I was actually on his mother's payroll. My real job was to be the irritantthe perfect foil to push him and Tori back into their destructive, passionate embrace.

My contract was up in one month. I was almost free.

...

I squeezed my eyes shut, but the searing pain I expected never arrived.

When I opened them, I saw it: Tori Harringtons lips curled into a faint, knowing smirk, her eyes fixed solely on Damon Blackwood.

You think if you pretend not to care, Ill let her off the hook so easily?

Damon didnt respond. They stood there, framed in the tension of their years-long standoff.

I managed a strained, bitter smile. He wasnt pretending not to care. He truly didnt. I was just the hired shield, a pretty, disposable distraction he used to keep other casual flings away. Three years hadnt managed to warm his stone-cold heart one degree. Expecting him to save me now was just delusional.

Im going to kill this baby, no matter what!

Bang.

The bullet struck my lower abdomen.

Shit. That actually hurt.

Blood instantly welled up, pouring through my clutching fingers. I was slick with sweat from the shock and the sudden, wrenching agony.

Damon Blackwood, if you have any shred of a soul, get me to a hospital, now!

He finally frowned, and that minimal sign of distress was enough to make him move. He stripped off his tailored suit jacket and draped it over me. I saw it clearly in his eyes: a deep, unmistakable flash of disgust.

Stop right there! Toris voice sliced through the haze. Walk out that door, and the only thing left between us is hate!

Damon froze. He started to turn, preparing to abandon me.

I reached out, my trembling fingers catching the edge of his sleeve. He scowled, probably assuming I was about to beg or plead for him to stay.

But I just managed to whisper through cracked, dry lips, my voice barely a thread:

Re-re-remember... to wire... the money...

He raised an eyebrow, a strange, almost amused smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Fine. Sierra Vaughn, you truly are a piece of work.

Right there, right in front of my face, he transferred five million dollars to my account.

Finally satisfied, I let my eyes drift closed.

I was loaded onto a stretcher and rushed toward the nearest trauma center. But the security guard at the emergency entrance stopped us.

Sorry, we cant admit her here.

Too weak to argue, I could only manage to peel my eyes open slightly. Damons men were arguing fiercely with the hospital administrator, but it was useless. We were turned away.

It happened at five hospitals in a row. Not a single one would take me.

Through the fog of pain, I heard someone say:

Ms. Harrington gave the order.

Tori Harrington. Always Tori Harrington. That woman was trying to murder me, and Damon was letting her. Ruthless. Cold-hearted.

Men really couldn't be trusted.

A sickening, twisting pain shot through my stomach again and again. The white blanket theyd wrapped me in was completely saturated, dyed crimson. I couldnt even bring myself to look down. For the first time, I felt something close to despair.

I used the last reserves of my strength to grasp a bodyguards hand.

Take me... to the Blackwood... estate...

The next time I woke, I was staring at the familiar, tight-lipped, not-quite-smiling face of Mrs. Blackwood, Damons mother.

I tried to sit up, and she gently steadied me.

Easy, easy now. Dont strain yourself, dear. Youve been badly hurt.

I took a deep breath, marshaling all my training, all my professional gold-digger finesse. When I looked up again, my eyes were glistening, brimming with manufactured tears.

Madam... I truly cant do this anymore... Please, Im begging you, let me go!

Mrs. Blackwoods expression shifted. She offered a few perfunctory words about how hard Id worked, then the subject turned quickly.

Your fathers gambling debts to the Blackwood family arent settled yet, you know.

I gripped the bedsheet, my knuckles stark white.

A debt-ridden father, a sick mother, a younger brother needing school tuition. When I first met you, I thought, Surely, no one can be this tragic.

I pressed my lips together, offering a weak, self-deprecating smile. She was right. Life was a cruel joke. Fate loved to toy with the desperate. And it was exactly people like me who were so easy for them to manipulate.

Mrs. Blackwood patted my shoulder, sighing dramatically.

Tori is only fighting with Damon because of you. Thats a sign that she cares, my dear.

Just hold on a little longer. The contract ends soon, and then youll be free. Otherwise... you know what will happen.

I lowered my head and nodded softly. I had zero leverage to refuse.

...

Id only been recuperating at the estate for two days when Damons call came through.

Are you well enough yet? You got paid, now you need to do your job.

Theres a high-stakes real estate tender on the West Side. Get over here.

I pouted. One of the main functions of a cage pet was to be an attractive accessory at the masters various social functions. Thinking about the bullet wound Tori gave me, I felt a deep reluctance.

Damon must have sensed my hesitation. An instant notification popped up on my phone.

One million. Thats a rush fee.

Money makes the world go round. God, I loved money.

My face instantly transformed into a dazzling, professional smile. I chirped into the phone:

Im on my way, sir! I cant wait to see you!

There was a rare, brief pause on his end. After a beat, he simply said:

Stop being so glib.

I ignored his baffling mood swing and sped over to the tender meeting.

I arrived to find him and Tori locked in a tense, public argument over a key parcel of land.

I just got back, Damon, and youre already trying to spite me? Tori crossed her arms, her gaze sharp and cutting.

Damon was equally unyielding, slamming the base of his glass on the table with a dull thud.

The Blackwood organization has planned this land for years. You think you can just show up and claim it?

I hid in the back, happily sampling a plate of hors doeuvres. I never imagined I would be dragged into their mess again.

The lights suddenly cut out. The last thing I felt was a dull, sickening crack against the back of my skull.

When I opened my eyes again, I was suspended hundreds of feet in the air.

Damon Blackwood, are you deliberately fighting me because of her? Toris voice crackled through a one-way speaker.

A digital screen lit up inside the iron cage I was trapped in. I could clearly see Damons facecompletely emotionless.

I glanced down. The ground was impossibly far away, an untouchable abyss. Falling from this height would mean nothing but a messy splatter. I shuddered instinctively, and the cage groaned, a loud, protesting screeech.

That was when I realized the horrifying truth.

Tori had deliberately put me in a rickety, rusted, ancient cage.

A sudden gust of wind tore past, and a sheet of metal ripped away from the cage floor and plummeted downward.

Ah!

I couldnt stop the scream from ripping out of my throat, and I immediately curled into a fetal position in the corner. The wind whipped my hair around my face. The absolute terror of the situation made me cry, not the acting kind, but real, silent, panicked tears.

Damon, your little pet is weeping. Doesnt that make you feel sorry for her? Toris voice returned, laced with malice.

I stared at his cold, detached eyes through the electronic screen.

His dismissive voice finally came through the speaker.

No.

Tori sneered.

The rigging above the cage emitted a sharp ding sound.

Then I started to fall. Rapidly.

This is it. Im going to die. These rich people are genuinely insane.

The expected impact didnt happen. A massive air cushion had been rigged up at the last minute to catch the cage.

But the relief was momentary. My heart slammed back into my throat the next second.

I was in an enclosed sanctuary. And all around me were wild wolves.

The broken, flimsy cage was the only barrier I had.

The camera inside was still streaming my ordeal to the other location.

The pack was tearing at my party dress. I managed to avoid one, only to find another closing in. They surrounded me, drool dripping from their jaws. My heart plummeted. All the glib banter was gone. These animals looked genuinely starved.

They worked the gaps in the cage, making them wider and wider.

I heard Toris laughter in the speaker, right next to my ear. Arent you going to save your little beauty, Damon?

A massive wolf finally squeezed through a large gap and lunged straight at me. I threw a desperate, pleading look at the screen. But Damon Blackwood just watched my terror, calmly taking a sip of his tea.

The wolf clamped down on my leg. More and more injuries appeared on my body. The stitches in my abdomen, the ones from the shooting, finally gave way, and the pale gown was soaked in fresh red blood.

My consciousness faded in and out. I still don't know how I was ultimately rescued. I only vaguely heard Damon talking to one of his subordinates.

Does she really care for me that much? Shes been through all this and still wont leave?

The subordinates voice was shaky. It... it appears so, sir. Ms. Vaughn seems genuinely devoted to you.

Damon laughed.

No. She only loves money.

...

I had modern medical science to thank. When I woke up again, half my injuries were already healing.

But I didn't get more than a few days of rest before Damon summoned me again.

Another partners birthday gala. Another compulsory appearance as his arm candy. Rich people always have too many parties. It was exhausting.

The room was lit by warm chandeliers, a sea of clinking glasses and chatter. It was a scene Id witnessed countless times during my three years with Damon.

I was leaning down to grab a dessert when Toris voice, sharp and sudden, cut in.

I heard Ms. Vaughn used to work in a nightclub. Why doesnt she perform a dance for us?

Before I could reply, Damon spoke.

She doesnt dance.

Right. I dont dance. My primary skill was mixology. For a moment, I actually felt a flicker of gratitude toward him.

Tori pressed her lips into a thin line and stared intently at Damon.

To save you years ago, I was forced to drink until I was incoherent, humiliated by those men. And now you wont even let her dance for me?

Damon fell silent.

He tightened his grip on his wine glass, then turned to me and only said two words.

Go dance.

But my wounds havent healed... Im still in pain, I pleaded.

He didnt say anything, but his eyes conveyed a cold, non-negotiable command.

I had no choice but to change into the revealing costume and take my place among the professional dancers. Countless sticky, judgmental eyes stabbed at me from the crowd. The whispers were crude and cutting.

Jeez, Blackwood was hiding this little firecracker?

When can I borrow her for a night?

My body was covered in bruises and raw sutures; to them, it probably had some perverse, abusive kind of beauty. I felt like a slab of meat on a cutting board. Like the cheapest commodity. In three years as a cage pet, this was the most profoundly humiliating moment I had endured.

In a flash of blinding light and noise, a gunshot rang out. Screams erupted, and the crowd scattered. Someone was attempting a hit in the middle of the party!

I instinctively tried to flee, to save myself.

But someone shoved me hard from behind. I stumbled, falling directly toward Damon Blackwood.

Pfff. A dull thud.

I knew that sound intimately. It was a bullet ripping into flesh.

It hurt. Badly.

Shot in the chest. My ribs were probably shattered.

As I lost consciousness, Damon caught me in his arms. His brow was furrowed. His voice, for the first time, held a disbelieving tremor.

You... you love me that much?

I tried to open my mouth to deny it, but my body failed me, and I passed out.

This time, I was given proper medical attention.

For several days, Damon didnt bother me. He just stood silently at the foot of my bed, his eyes holding a strange, unreadable quality. A mix of conflict, maybe even a struggle of conscience.

But what did his internal drama matter to me?

My contract had five days left. I was about to walk out the door forever.

I slept soundly, fully embracing the sick leave.

Until Tori came calling.

She tossed a stack of photos onto the bed in front of Damon. They were pictures from my old life working as a bartender at a high-end club. In every shot, the back of the same mans heada regular customerwas visible.

Damon, I checked. Shes connected to the same people who tried to ruin you.

Tori stood, arms crossed, waiting for his response.

Damon only glanced at the photos, one after the other. He said nothing.

Tori frowned, then, for the first time, lowered her defenses. She knelt beside his chair, her eyes damp.

I almost lost you this time. I realized, in that moment, how much you mean to me.

Damon, lets stop fighting, okay? Deal with her, and well get married.

I watched as Damon reached out a hand to her. It trembled slightly.

But the words he spoke next plummeted my mood into a deep, freezing trough.

He said:

Alright.

He had me dragged to the Blackwood Annexthe Vaultthe dark, high-ceilinged room where family business was settled, and punishments were meted out.

He spared me only one look as I was taken away. It was icy. Whatever faint trace of emotion I thought I saw in his eyes was instantly extinguished.

My hands were bound behind my back. Whip after whip lashed across my skin. My flesh tore, bleeding freely. When I passed out from the pain, they woke me with buckets of ice water.

Tell us! What is your relationship with the Sullivan family?

My mind was hazy. Sullivan family? I dont know what youre talking about...

My interrogator sneered and started a new round of lashing. My wounds, which had only just begun to heal, burst open, festering and oozing.

When it was clear I was failing, he grabbed me, bringing a searing hot iron to my chest.

AhhhhStop! It hurts! I screamed, the pain bringing me instantly, violently back to consciousness.

The man smiled, a terrifying grin.

This mark will stay with you forever. Every man who touches you will know exactly what kind of filth you are!

I struggled to look down. Branded into my skin was a single word, a symbol of utter shame.

My eyes flinched away as if scorched. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

I regretted it. I shouldnt have gotten involved in the world of the ultra-rich. I should never have gotten close to Damon Blackwood.

I had barely an inch of uninjured skin left. Three of my fingernails had been ripped out. My breathing was ragged and wheezing, like a broken bellows.

I knew I was dying.

The interrogator chuckled and tossed me out onto the street like a piece of trash.

In the throes of fading consciousness, I heard Mrs. Blackwoods voice.

Oh, my. She looks utterly ruined.

The contract is up. You can go now.

...

Damon Blackwood had been unusually agitated lately. He was about to marry the woman hed yearned for for years, yet he couldn't stop thinking about Sierra Vaughn.

He kept recalling her lazy indifference. Her cunning, fox-like sharpness. And the image of her in his arms, bleeding, having taken a bullet for him.

He summoned his subordinate.

Where is Sierra Vaughn? Its been days. Is she complaining that the Vault is too dark and boring?

The subordinates face went white with panic. He immediately dropped to his knees.

Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Vaughn... she died...

Damon Blackwoods expression froze instantly.