Original Sin Ch. 01

Damon stopped his car in front of the wrought iron gate and handed his invitation to the guard.

"Welcome to the Rolland residence, sir. Have a nice time," said the guard and signaled for the gate to open.

Damon smiled to himself, accelerated and went through. After two unbearable months his quest finally came to an end. The woman he was looking for lived in the house of Eric Rolland. And he didn't need an excuse to meet her; he was invited by Eric's son, Alex, to his homecoming party. This was his chance. He would find the woman responsible for his brother's death and he was going to make her pay dearly...

Catherine decided to wear the black strapless cocktail dress. "Never underestimate the power of the little black dress," she thought. The dress was perfect. It molded itself to the curves of her body. She brushed her golden brown mane and resolved to smoke her eyes with black pencil, even if her aunt claimed that it made her look like a tramp.

As soon as she finished her make up, Cynthia stormed into her room without warning. Catherine pretended to look in the mirror.

"So, my dear cousin, you are determined to use all your charms on Alex tonight," said Cynthia, not bothering to hide her sarcasm, stung by her beauty.

"What is it you want, Cynthia?" Catherine asked softly, long used to her cousin's bitter comments.

"I want your brooch. I....I, I seem to have forgotten mine at the ranch and I would like to wear it tonight. It always pleases Aunt Elisa, you know," Cynthia made her request.

'You should be more careful with your stuff. This brooch is heirloom," Catherine pointed out.

"And you should be more careful with your behavior," Cynthia bit back." Or do you think that you and Alex missing all day went unnoticed?"

"Here's the brooch, Cyn," Catherine handed it over, smiling slightly. "Now go get dressed like a good girl, you wouldn't want to be late for Alex, when I am on time, would you?"

"I am dressed," Cynthia protested.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I thought that was your night gown," Catherine chuckled, watching with amusement the irritated expression on her face.

"Fuck you!" Cynthia slammed the door behind her.

Catherine looked herself in the mirror one final time and left her room.

Damon looked around the house. How would he be sure? He just found out that in this house lived two women who bore the name C.Rolland, the same name that signed the last letter his brother ever received... "Johnny, I'm sorry, but the money you gave me is gone. I never loved you. I lied to you. I didn't suffer a miscarriage, I had an abortion. Did you think I would keep the child of penniless fool? Get on with your life and forget everything about us."

This letter, these words would be imprinted in his memory forever. All he had was this letter, a jewelled brooch with the letter C, and a photo of this woman wearing the brooch, all things that she had given to his brother. Unfortunately, the photo was torn and he couldn't see the woman's face. God, he would avenge his brother's death... He had arrived late, only to find his brother lying dead on the floor holding a gun in one hand, and this damn letter in the other...

He thought he heard his name and turned around. He smiled when he saw Alex and the two men shook hands.

" Damon! Damon Bradley! I can't believe you've made it! Welcome! I'm so glad you're here, it's been such a long time!" Alex greeted him warmly.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," Damon smiled. "So, how was Europe?" he forced himself to act interested.

"Europe was great "Alex said impatiently. "Sorry to leave you Damon, but I'm looking for someone special, if you know what I mean," he smiled. "Someone from the family will show you around. Tell them you're a friend. We'll catch later!" Alex almost ran away from Damon.

Damon nodded and began to make his way to the veranda. Preoccupied with his thoughts as he was he didn't notice the woman on his right. She seemed to be running away from something and didn't notice him either. She bumped on his shoulder spilling her drink allover his shirt.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry," Catherine said, her voice filled with dread.

"Don't be, I was the careless one," Damon made an effort to sound polite.

He lifted his eyes and his gaze locked with hers. "God, she's a fallen angel," he thought to himself. Long golden brown hair, all tousled, as if she had just got up from bed after wild lovemaking. Deep set green almond shaped eyes that look straight into his soul. A little proud, straight nose and full lips in the most seductive shade of pink he could ever imagine existed. He saw her breast heaving, and he was sure he could see her nipples hardening through the flimsy material of her dress.

Catherine raised her head and found out that before stood the handsomest man she had ever seen. His silk blond hair made her ache to run her fingers through it. His intense burning brown eyes made her want to look away, yet she could not. She could only follow the line of his strong cheekbones and rest her gaze on a smile that made her go limp.

"I' m going to get a towel," she said backing away from him, trying no to look at his broad chest.

Damon grabbed her wrist. "Don't." Looking at her confused expression he continued, "I mean, this shirt is ruined. A towel will be of no use."

"I'll see if I can get a clean shirt for you," she said trying in vain to free herself from his grasp. "But you have to let me go so I can do that," she smiled looking up at him.

"No I don't," Damon stated. "I'll go with you. Even if you find a shirt for me, I can't change here in front of everyone."

"I wish you'd change in front of me," Catherine thought to herself.

"Unless you would like me to perform a private show for you," he smiled mischievously.

"No, I'm not that selfish," she returned his mischievous smile. "I wouldn't want the other girls to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity."

Damon was stun by her reply. No other girl had played him that way before. He slowly released her wrist from his grasp.

Catherine guided him upstairs. As he was admiring the straight column of her back and her round firm buttocks something occurred to him. "You are allowed a lot of freedom in this house, taking me to the family bedrooms."

"I am. I am a family member, otherwise I wouldn't run around the family rooms. And the bedroom we are heading to is mine," she said, waiting to hear his reply.

"Could it be her?" Damon thought to himself. She was beautiful, sexy and she was flirting with him as blatantly as he had flirted before with her. It would be hard for his brother who not to have fallen for her. It had to be her.

When she reached her bedroom door she stopped for a minute as if she was hesitating. "But I wouldn't let a man whose name I don't even know enter my bedroom," she looked straight into his eyes.

"Damon Bradley."

"I'm Catherine Rolland. Pleased to make your acquaintance Mr. Bradley." She felt his eyes roaming allover her body and shivers run through her. "Now, we may go inside," she said, regretting almost immediately, as his eyes were fixed on hers.

Catherine softly closed the door behind her and unwrapped the elegant box that lay on her bed. She had no idea why she was giving Alex's present to a stranger. She handed an exquisite white cotton shirt to Damon. "Here," she smiled awkwardly at Damon. "It was not originally for you, but you are in need, and I have to make up for ruining yours. I hope it fits". God, he looked absolutely dashing in his suit...

Before she could reach the door, Damon grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going?" he asked her harshly.

"I will be waiting for you outside, while you are changing. Then I'll show you to your table," she said holding her breath.

"I thought I was going to put up a private show for you. Isn't this why you brought me here?" he asked her gazing deep into her green eyes. "Oh, no little slut, you do not fuck with me this way, the way you fucked with my brother," he thought to himself.

"No. I already told you I wouldn't mind sharing you," she smiled wickedly, looking straight into his eyes. What devil made her say that?

She turned to leave, trying to free her wrist, but she felt herself spun around and slammed against the door. Before she could protest, Damon's mouth slanted over hers in a hot demanding kiss. She felt his tongue gaining entry into her mouth and tried to struggle against him, her fists beating his broad chest. She whimpered into his mouth when she felt his fingers clenching her buttocks, dragging her closer to him, sending shivers through her body, until she felt his hard, pulsing cock pressed intimately against her belly, burning her. She felt an excitement unfurl low in her pussy and trickles of moisture dripping down her thighs. That was it! Now she had to fight back for real.

Damon was unprepared for the fierce blow that landed on his cheek. He let her immediately and stepped back away from her. Catherine saw his cheek redden and her finger imprinted on it. The same devil that made her provoke him now made her regret.

"I'm so sorry. Forgive me," she managed to say through her ragged breathing.

His eyes were reduced to two burning slits as he gazed upon her, until she could no longer look at him.

"I will be waiting outside," was all she could say and she slowly opened the door, leaving him alone.

"She is truly amazing," Damon thought to himself as he was changing into the clean shirt. She had flirted with him, and he believed she had lured him into her room with every intention of seducing him. But the way she shivered when he kissed her hard up against the door... She wasn't as experienced and cool as she seemed. Maybe she wasn't the one he was looking for. Or maybe this was all part of an act, inflaming men only to laugh at them afterwards...

He found her waiting for him at the staircase. She was strangely peaceful, and God, she was even more beautiful than ever. She looked at him, trying to hide the admiration she felt. He was even more handsome than before. Tall, powerful, forbidding... Someone she had better not trifle with, as he had shown her. The shirt was perfect for him. Good thing she hadn't given it to Alex...

"Shall we go?" he smiled breaking the silence.

They descended the stairs and she guided him to the garden, crowded with people trying to find their sits.

Damon stopped at the door and touched lightly her arm. "About before... I'm sorry, " he began to say.

"Well, since we both are sorry, then we may as well put it behind," she smiled.

The hell Damon wanted that! All he could think of was crushing her against the wall, kissing her fucking her hard until she fainted in his arms, even though she might be the one who destroyed his brother. "I didn't mean that. I wanted you the moment I saw you, only I didn't let you find out the way you should," he said.

"If I had let you, you would have fucked me just for foreplay," Catherine admitted to herself silently. This thought made her knees go weak and she lost her balance.

Damon grabbed her by the waist. "Are you all right? You almost fainted," he said finding out he genuinely cared and at the same time wondering how could this be possible.

"You're such a stud, all you have to do is kiss me and I get pregnant," she mocked him, yet holding on to him for support. Damon felt he could slap her hard across her beautiful face without any remorse.

"Catherine, are you okay?" Alex said approaching them. He froze when he saw how she was holding on to Damon. "What happened?" he demanded.

"No, I was feeling a little dizzy from the heat, that's all," she lied. "I was escorting Mr. Bradley to his table and he was kind enough no to let me fall and humiliate myself in front of all your guests," she said, reluctantly freeing herself from Damon.

"I see you two have already met," said Alex. "Damon and I studied together at university, you know. We were rather close friends, sharing almost everything," he said looking sharply at Damon.

"That's true," Damon smiled. He saw Alex putting his hand around Catherine's waist, dragging her closer to him and jealousy coursed though him. He fixed his eyes on her and smiled broader when he saw her full lips, slightly swollen by the onslaught of his mouth. And then he realized how reluctant she was to be touched by Alex. Alex must have noticed this things too because he could hardly stay calm.

"So, she is your special one you've been looking for," Damon continued. "Is it formal?" he said never taking his eyes off her.

"It will be soon," Alex said pulling her even closer to him. "Won't it my love?" he addressed Catherine.

Catherine forced herself to smile at him. "I think we should show Mr. Bradley to his table," she said trying to change the unwelcome subject.

"Damon will be sitting with us. After all, he is a close friend," said Alex looking intensely at Damon.

"I am honored," Damon smiled back at him. It bothered him that Alex was his rival, he had been a close friend. But she was truly something else...

Damon took a sit next to Cynthia who welcomed him immediately, watching Catherine sit next to Alex.

After a while Alex asked her to the dance floor. Catherine not wanting to turn him down in front of her uncle and aunt accepted. Damon watched her all the while. She was a sensational dancer.

He tried desperately not to think of her turning his attention to Cynthia, realizing she might be the one responsible for his brother's suffering. But she stood no chance before Catherine. As much as he wished it wasn't true, she was probably the one who destroyed Johnny. She was beautiful, sexy, flirtatious, and witty. She was simply amazing. Johnny would have to be blind not to fall for her...

He noticed the brooch Cynthia was wearing and swallowed hard. It was identical with the brooch his brother had. If Cynthia was wearing her own, to whom could the one he had belong?

"Your brooch is beautiful," he said to her. "It must be really expensive."

"Thank you, it's actually heirloom. Our grandmother gave one to me and one to Catherine but she has lost hers," she lied blatantly. "She can be very careless about stuff, she can even be careless when it comes to people.

That was it. The brooch his brother had was given to him by Catherine. And now she was throwing herself on him, oblivious to the fact she was engaged to Alex. She would continue her life, having messed up Johnny's, marrying Alex, probably because of the security and luxury his money would offer her, although she clearly felt nothing for him. Oh, he would make that slut pay...

"Tell me, what is your relation to Alex? You and Catherine, I mean," he asked Cynthia.

"Catherine and I were adopted by the Rollands when we were about eleven or something. Our parents were killed on an airplane crash on their way to Buenos Aires, and since the Rollands were close friends with them, Mr. Rolland offered to care about us as if we were his own children. We have called them Uncle Eric and Aunt Alisa ever since, but the truth is they have been like real father and mother to us, "she said pretending to muffle a sob.

As Damon paid no attention to her state of distress, she continued. "Catherine has been very attentive to you, Damon. I understand she invited you to her room," she said waiting for his response

Damon starred at her incredulously. He didn't like her at all. "I had a situation and she offered me some help," he said firmly.

"No doubt she did," she smiled wickedly. "After all, you're Alex's friend, and she tries very hard to please him. She had a little something with some guy and now she is trying to make it up to Alex".

Damon was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Everything was pointing to Catherine's direction. Her careless behavior, her flirtatious manners, her effect on men, the little something with some mysterious guy...

Cynthia decided to finish him off. "She's like a glass, Damon. All bright and crystal clear, but you never know how many have drunk from it." With that she left him to celebrate her victory.

Damon excused himself and approached the dancing couple,

"Mind if I cut in?" he asked Alex.

"No, not at all," he answered reluctantly. "I have some guests I have to tend to anyway. I have neglected them for a while," he said smiling.

Damon took his place in front of her, and right then the music changed to a sensual rumba piece. He saw her uneasiness and smiled teasing her.

"So, this is the girl you really are. Roaming around the house half drunk, inviting men up to your room while your fiancé is looking for you," he said locking his gaze with hers.

"Alex is not my fiancé. And the only man I've invited to my room is you," she whispered.

There was such art in her statement that Damon found himself unable to speak for a minute.

"You didn't say anything about being drunk," he pointed out.

"I would rather people believe me drunk. That would justify my actions," she said heatedly.

Just as she was going to spin around, Damon dragged her up against him. "What does that mean?" he demanded angrily. "I know you do not welcome Alex's attentions, when you crave for mine," he said running caressing fingers over her thighs, pulling her closer to him.

She shuddered as she felt his fingertips sinking in the soft flesh of her hips, and she was sure she was going to have bruises tomorrow. She tightened her arms around his neck wanting trying to escape his bruising fingers.

He chuckled, and she could kill him happily that very moment for that. She felt something for him, and he would use her passion against her, while he extracted his revenge. His original plans were changed. He was going to have her, no matter what, and he would make her suffer his humiliations. He was even prepared to use his own desire for her against her, only for the single cause of revenge. Only he wouldn't fall for her, like his poor brother...

"If I had wanted too, I could have fucked you before," he whispered huskily into the pink shell of her ear. "I would fuck you hard up against the door and you would have loved every minute of it, wouldn't you Cathy?"

"Stop it," she whispered helplessly.

"Yes, you would have loved it. You would beg me to pound you senseless with my hard cock, beg me to make you come, come hard. And even then, I wouldn't stop, I would only fuck you harder, until you fainted, either from the pleasure or from the pain," he breathed into her parted lips. "But I wouldn't miss the chance to fuck your lovely mouth too," he smiled tracing a finger over her lips, feeling her tremble.

"Fuck you, Damon," she said, realizing that she spoke his name for the first time. "Let me go," she demanded angrily, still whispering though.

"No one's holding you Cathy," he said letting her go so eagerly she was almost disappointed.

She stood there, watching him walk away, unable to understand him. Damon Bradley was like no other guy she had ever met. The only one worth a second look, the only one who could make her knees weaken at his mere presence, lose her mind with his sexy voice, her whole body shiver with his touch. The one who could tame her. But there was something else behind the lust in his eyes she couldn't make out. From the corner of her eye she saw Cynthia smiling at her, showing her with a slight movement of her head Alex, who had been watching her all the time, his eyes burning with anger and hurt. Oh, why had Damon come? To fuck up her life even more than it already was?

She walked through the crowd into the house, wanting to be away from everyone and everything. She halted abruptly when she heard her Uncle speak.

"Of course, Damon! I insist that you stay my boy! You are always welcome here and Alex will be delighted for sure. I can not possibly allow you to drive all the way back to your ranch tonight!"