346 Take It Off

Katherine subconsciously crossed her now clean arms in front of her chest as though she was covering herself. Her eyes widened as they stared, gawking at Damien who just asked her to take off her shirt. "W-What do you mean take off my shirt?! Why would I do that?!"

Damien's thick brows knitted at her reaction. He let out another sigh before he told her again under gritted teeth, "Just take off your shirt."

She watched as he removed his black trench coat and tossed it on the counter next to her. Her stare followed his hand movements and saw him reach his back, his hands grabbing handfuls of cloth and pulling his t-shirt off him. She had seen Damien remove his shirt in this manner countless times before and it still didn't fail to affect her. She had to swallow in an attempt to quench her thirst.

Damien tossed his white t-shirt to her and she caught it. He was now shirtless in front of her, showcasing his ripped torso and making her cheeks blush.

"W-Will you stop doing that?!" she stuttered as she tried so hard not to gape at his bare and perfectly formed chest.

"Stop what?"

"That—that… You… You can't take your shirt off like that in front of me." She cleared her parched throat. Why was it so ridiculously hot in here so suddenly? Or was it only Damien?

Furrowing his brows, he was evidently confused at her words. "How am I supposed to take off my shirt then? Are there any other ways?" he asked in a serious tone.

Katherine gulped again, fanning her face with her slightly shaky hand as she suppressed the urge to roll her dark brown eyes at him. Why did he have to strip his shirt like that? Why did he have to strip his shirt at all?

"Are you going to remove your top or do I have to take it off you?" 

His question startled Katherine that she snapped her head towards him, her eyes landing on his sculpted abdominal muscles… and they traveled south… and then she saw the beautiful ink on the skin of his V poking out from underneath his dark jeans – a combination of orange hues and black. "What's that?"

Damien followed her gaze on the waistline of his jeans where a part of his huge tattoo was showing. He had forgotten about it and the fact that she hadn't seen it yet. Quickly grabbing the trench coat beside her, he wore it on him, closing the buttons and tying the belt securely to cover his bare torso. "Nothing," he answered. "Wear my shirt. Yours is dirty."

The corners of her mouth curled down into a frown, disappointment written all over her face as she gazed at him. "Why wouldn't you show it to me? That was a new tattoo, wasn't it?"

"Kitten, I swear. If you don't change right now, I will do it for you."

Clenching her jaw, Katherine was annoyed at him. How could he brush it aside and leave her in the dark? Why couldn't he just answer her? Irritated, she knitted her brows and glared at him angrily.

His eyes darkened with lust but he refused to look down past her neck despite his hard-on pushing against his jeans, begging for some action. This woman—his woman—was mad at him. But all his sick mind could think about at the moment was to punish her—push her against a wall and take her—from glaring at him and taking her damn time to cover herself up again.

She sure was taking her revenge. He wasn't the only one capable of making the other bothered. So she continued to look him in the eye, her movements slow as her hands looked for the hem of his shirt before she wore it on her.

And when Katherine was again fully clothed, Damien just wanted to rip the shirt—his shirt—and tear it off her again. This was a bad idea. And he started it. 'You idiot,' he cursed at himself.

"Happy now?!" she bit out.

Tentatively raising his hand, he snaked it behind her head, his fingers lacing through her hair before he tugged the hair tie, releasing the strands of hair that was trapped and letting it cascade down past her shoulder like a waterfall.

Inching closer with their gazes never leaving each other, Damien pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes closing as he calmed himself and told her in almost a whisper, "Why do you like making things so damn hard for me?"

Katherine took in his fragrant scent, inhaling his minty breath as much as she could and leaning onto him, letting herself mold against his body—because she couldn't help herself. "I want to see your tattoo..." she breathed, almost pleading—she was dying to know what it was and why he got one. The curiosity was killing her.

The corner of Damien's mouth curved up and he softly chuckled. "You can't."

"Why noooooot?" she whined, her voice tainted with annoyance. Damien had been keeping things from her and she couldn't accept it. "First, you didn't bring me with you and you're not telling me what happened to you this afternoon either. Now you're not going to show me your tattoo?" She was exasperated, playfully hitting him on the chest with her fist.

He captured the same fist and pulled it up to his mouth, kissing the bruised knuckles ever so gently and did the same with her other hand. "Not today."

"Why not? When?"

"When you're ready."

"When am I ready?"

Damien's sexy chuckle filled the bathroom and it annoyed her even more.

Tilting his head to the side of her face, he spoke in a low and husky voice, his breath caressing her skin as he did, "When you're ready to see me naked." And he kissed the part just below her ear.

Damien felt her shiver in his arms before letting her go. "Let's go. Or they'll be wondering what's taking us so long in here."

He casually strolled out of the bathroom like nothing happened, leaving her still standing awkwardly while his words echoed in her head: 'Naked. Naked. Naked.' She shook her head from side to side in an attempt to bounce his words out of her head.

Katherine took her time to compose herself. She wet her flushed face with cold, running water and fixed Damien's shirt in place that was loose on her. So she tied it on one side and tucked it in her jeans so she didn't look like she was wearing a dress before she came out of the bathroom. 

She went to the living room and found everyone – Styles and Amelia on the left, the Alpha and the Beta Team on the right, and Damien in front of his men. She had yet to figure out what was going on when a familiar man walked up to her with his head lowered.

She had only realized who it was when the sullen man bowed before her and coughed, "I… take back my words… Daddy…"