Chapter 616: A Walk to Remember

♪ 'Cause here I am… I'm giving all I can. But all you ever do is mess it up. ♫

Katherine and Damien passed by a street performer while walking along the sidewalk. Her face glowed, and she beamed as she recalled something from last year. Squeezing his hand, she looked up at him and asked, "You remember that song?"

"That?"

When they stopped in their tracks, he turned his head and observed the male artist doing a cover of the popular song.

"It's the song we danced to at the charity gala that your family held in June of last year," she recalled.

"Ah…" He softly smiled, reminiscing the eventful night of her in a glowing gown during the bidding which led her to remember a memory they had together. She shifted his position so he was now standing behind her. His arms enveloped her waist, and he pressed a gentle kiss on her hair. "You're right. It feels like it had been a really long time since that night. How'd you even remember this?"

Katherine turned around until they were face to face. Pedestrians passed by them, but she didn't care whoever saw them intimate like this. Sliding her hands up and hooking her arms around his neck, she told him, "I won't forget that night. Ever." His brows slightly raised, waiting for her to continue, so she did. "After all, it was the first time you told me you love me." Tiptoeing to his level, she kissed him and then whispered against his lips, "I love you."

Damien—the man that he was—felt like he was floating. 'Is this how girls feel when their crush looks at them like this?' Because he might be feeling just that at the moment. This woman… The love of his life just professed to him in the middle of a busy sidewalk as if it were just the two of them.

He smiled and kissed her back. "I love you too, Kitten."

"I'm a handful, aren't I? All I ever do is mess it up?"

"You're a pain in my ass."

She cackled, slapping his shoulder playfully before leaning against him for a hug. Even she knew he was telling the truth. "What are you gonna do? You're marrying this pain in your ass."

Damien shrugged but a huge smile cast on his face. "You're a beautiful pain in my ass. Don't you know yet? It's a kink."

Katherine burst out into more laughter. She rolled her eyes at him. He pressed a kiss on her forehead and then pulled her to his side, saying, "Come on. We have to buy some dog treats, or Bear will sulk if he doesn't get any after a walk."

They took their time strolling in the long stretch of the avenue until they spotted a pet store on the other side of the road. She felt something strange behind them, so she naturally turned her head to check, scanning from side to side. There were too many people but everyone else minded their own business. She didn't spot anyone or anything.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know… I just feel like someone's watching." She sighed.

This was what she was telling Damien before, and he brushed her off, telling her that it was just his security. That was obviously the case since he had his men follow her without her knowing. But if this was indeed his security watching them, she didn't like it at all, and he insisted on having them watch her. You see, it wasn't like this before. But after Shadow went down, Damien increased his security. He and his mother kept devising a better system. Was this what Katherine's going to live with, suppose she agreed to his terms?

He looked around, his keen eyes scanning the crowd. Damien whipped out his phone and called Felix, ordering him to have the team sweep the area to look for anything or anyone suspicious. "I'm sure it's nothing, honey." He stroked her arm to soothe her.

Katherine nodded, taking a deep breath, and rolled her shoulders to shake off the ill-feeling. It was probably nothing. These days had been stressful, so it might be just that. She really needed that massage.

They continued to move, and just as they were about to reach the crosswalk, something bumped into Damien's leg.

The two of them looked down, and a little boy who appeared to be around five years old fell on his butt. His face was stained with tears, and more were spilling out of his eyes. He didn't look homeless, though. In fact, his clothes were clean and neat.

Damien and Katherine bent down to help the boy to his feet. Damien's hands were like a giant's for the boy's frame, but he held the little one so delicately. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

The boy didn't answer and only kept crying.

"Oh, don't cry…" She reached and wiped the boy's cheeks, and only then did he slowly stop crying.

"Where are your parents?" Damien probed as he began looking around, trying to see if someone was searching for a child.

The little boy lifted his shoulders, sniffling and biting his finger. Katherine got some wet tissues from her purse and started wiping the kid's face clean. "Do you know where you live?" she asked, and the boy shook his head.

"Come on. Let's find your guardian." Damien took the boy's hand in his, and he and Katherine stood up. Damien was too tall, so he had to bend to hold the boy's hand. Because there were too many people, someone in a hurry nearly knocked the little boy over. Without thinking twice, Damien picked him up and carried him instead, then little arms curled around his neck.

Seeing the sight before her, Katherine's heart fluttered giddily in her chest. She couldn't help but smile, witnessing Damien in another shade.

They waited at the side for a few minutes in case a parent showed up, but no one did. While waiting, they tried asking the boy about his parents' names, or if he knew their number. But the only thing they got from him was his name—Jack, and he was four years old. Katherine and Damien thought that he was a timid child. He seemed really sweet despite barely talking. She could only imagine how Jack's parents must be so worried sick.

"We have to bring him to the police station," Damien suggested. It was a good thing that there was a station not far from where they were. They had to walk two blocks, but Damien had no problems carrying the child all the way there.

The little boy must have been exhausted from crying too much because he dozed off. By the time they reached the station, he'd drooled on Damien's suit.

Katherine explained what happened to a female police officer, and they were led to a small room to wait while the report was escalated. The station was small, and the room they were in only had a table and two chairs.

"If you're tired, we can switch," she offered.

"I'm okay. Though, remind me to have this suit dry cleaned." He smiled and contained his laughter. This was not how he imagined his evening with Katherine would be. It was strange to be holding a child he didn't even know, yet at the same time, he liked it.

"Why are you smiling?" Damien furrowed his brows.

Katherine didn't even realize that she was. Perhaps she liked the view too much. "Nothing. I just thought how you'd be a great father someday."

And as if little Jack heard what they were talking about, he mumbled in his sleep. "Dada…"