Summary: At Lucy’s birthday party, Damien and Ellie start their investigation on her shady boyfriend.
Note: (most) characters belong to Pixelberry Studios. Male!MC (Allen).
Pairing: Damien x OC (Ellie)
Damien Nazario let out a low impressed whistle when they both hopped out of the taxi in front of Lucy’s house. He had already seen photos of Robert Zucko’s property before and searched for it through the satellite images, but it was another thing seeing it in reality. The mansion occupied half of the block.
“Yeah, Robert is rich.” – Eleanor said with a bored voice and rang the bell. Someone from inside the house asked for their identification as Damien looked around them. They definitely were in the richest part of the city. Lucy’s and Robert’s neighbors were as rich as them and their houses were as big as theirs. After a few seconds waiting, the automatic gate opened, letting them in.
“How many times you’ve been here before?” – he asked Ellie as they walked towards the big house, her arm in his.
“Just a couple of times. As I said, I avoid Robert’s presence in my life and both times he was here. Watching me like a hawk.”
“This was before or after that kitchen incident?”
“The first time I came was when he groped me on their ‘moving in together’ party. The second time, we just barely greeted each other, but he kept following me and Lucy everywhere inside the house as if I was going to kidnap her or something. I guess it was when I got promoted Art Editor at Mortif, last year, and we wanted to celebrate. But Lucy had to stay at home because of Robert’s crazy rules, so I came to at least talk to her. We didn’t celebrate much though. My idea of celebrating is going out drinking at a karaoke bar and singing until I have no voice left and I can’t walk straight, not being watched by my best friend’s boyfriend inside his own house.”
“Well, that’s understandable why you don’t want to meet him. And what about this?” – he tilted his head to the mansion. – “Have you found anything suspicious here?”
“Like a secret passage?” – he rolled his eyes to her teasing. – “Well, there’s a bunch of rooms, so probably we’ll have some work to do. But I know Robert has an office here. And that there are cameras everywhere.”
“Yeah, I noticed it.” – Damien said. – “And a few bodyguards too. I don’t know if all pub owners are this crazy rich.”
“Or this paranoid. Robert has his own private driver. Sometimes he goes out with a personal bodyguard.”
It definitely was suspicious. Why would a pub owner need so much security? Damien searched for Robert Zucko online. There was nothing about him, as if the man didn’t exist. Not a single account in any social media. His only mention was in zuckospoint.com, the pub website. Nothing else.
He knew by now that Lucy and Robert met one day at his pub, when she went there for a happy hour with some coworkers. She invited her best friend too, but Ellie was stuck in a meeting at work that ended up late that day, so she didn’t go there. Apparently Robert was impressed by Lucy’s beauty and easygoing personality and offered a round of drinks to her and her friends. On the house.
They finally reached the mansion front door. A upbeat music could be heard from the inside. They had just stopped in front of the big and heavy door when it fled open and a small blonde figure stepped out and jumped into Eleanor’s arms.
“You’re here! Welcome, welcome!” – Lucy James beamed seeing her friend.
“Lucy, I can’t believe you started the party without me!”
“Nonsense, the party has just arrived!” – the women shared a laugh, hugging each other again. Damien caught himself smiling at them. Lucy caught him too. – “Oh, you must be the famous Damien.”
“Yes. Lucy, this is Damien. Damien, my best friend Lucy.” – Eleanor introduced them both.
“It’s a pleasure meeting you, Lucy. Ellie told me a lot about you.” – Damien had his best charming smile on his face. That grin that always helped him get some personal information when he was investigating something or someone. – “Happy birthday, by the way.” – they shook their hands before he casually rested his hand on the small of Ellie’s back. – “Oh yeah, I brought something to you, I hope it is up to your taste.” – he gave her the wine bottle.
“Oh, you didn’t have to, but I appreciate it either way!” – the Asian woman giggled, rolling her eyes to her best friend. – “So. I knew that you had a couple of dates when Ellie was in New York, but I didn’t know if you still were seeing each other. Are you two dating now?”
Eleanor and Damien exchanged a glance.
“Well, duh. Why would I bring him here if he wasn’t my date? We started dating two weeks ago.” – she put an arm around his waist.
“Yes, Ellie came in like a tornado into my life. It all happened pretty fast.” – Lucy chuckled:
“This is so Ellie!”
“Hey!”
“We’re still kind of figuring out, but I’ve never connected this fast with someone before.” – Damien kept saying. The dating part was a lie, but everything else was true.
Things were like a whirlwind with Eleanor Zhou. Everything happened so fast, but he felt that he would never get tired of her. It was that damn Park’s charm. He always fell under their spell.
Ellie smiled back at him as he tightened the grip around her waist.
“Aaaw, you’re so cute, guys! Both so hot and beautiful! The chemistry between you two can be felt from miles away!” – Lucy squealed with dreamy eyes. She slightly remembered Nadia with all that hopeless romantic trait. Damien knew why Eleanor liked her so much and wanted to protect her; it was the same feeling he had for Nadia Park. – “Oh, please come in!” – Lucy gestured them to follow her inside the house. – “Please, make yourselves comfortable. There are food and drinks in the kitchen. Would you guys like a tour on the house? We changed a few things since you last came here, Ellie!”
“I’d love to!” – she answered, with her arm still around Damien. She leaned closer to whisper into his ear: – “Seems like she bought our little white lie. Good job, Nazario.”
“Let’s not sing victory songs yet, Zhou.”
They followed the little blonde woman inside the house. Lucy introduced them to the people there – her coworkers, some old college friends of hers and Ellie’s, her family and a few of Robert’s friends – and showed them around. The living room was twice the space of Eleanor’s entire apartment. They had an industrial scale kitchen. A jazz song played, matching with the environment.
There were a few guest rooms – which her family was taking for that weekend since they were from Maryland – and other rooms filled with rich people’s stuff: home theater, an indoors pool, a room for games…
“Lucy.” – they heard a deep and low voice coming from behind them. They turned around and Damien saw a very well dressed man with dark hair walking out of another room. He watched them with narrowed eyes. – “Showing our house off again?”
“Well, Ellie and her boyfriend deserve the best hostess ever, don’t you think?” – she said walking to his side and hugging him. He put an arm around her shoulders protectively. Damien calculated that Robert Zucko was an inch shorter than him.
“Eleanor, long time no see.” – he greeted her with a tilt in his head. Ellie gave him a small smile as Damien felt her grip tightening around him. She immediately tensed when the other man showed up. – “And who would have guessed that you would finally settle down and find a boyfriend in New York? I guess I’ve never met any of your partners before.”
Damien saw Ellie ready to bark back at him, but he was faster and extended his hand to Robert. He definitely didn’t like Zucko.
“Damien Nazario.”
“Robert Zucko.” – the man said, although he already knew that. They shook each other’s hand with a firm grip. – “Good luck, Mr. Nazario. This is a feisty one.” – he said, gesturing to Ellie as if she couldn’t hear them. She was literally shaking with anger, but decided to just look away. It was Lucy’s birthday. Her friend didn’t deserve it. – “I like mine sweeter and calmer.” – he kept talking, pulling Lucy even closer to him. The blonde woman’s face turned red and Eleanor never wanted to punch that disgusting mocking smirk out off that misogynist bastard’s face more.
“Well, both Ellie and I are trouble.” – Damien forced a chuckle. – “And I guess it is all about the right time and right place, right? I was single for the longest time before meeting Ellie too.” – he grinned at her, rubbing her back affectionately. Eleanor’s eyes still glared at the man in front of them, but she melted a little under Damien’s touch.
“And the right person too.” – she smiled back at him, before kissing him in the cheek. Damien noticed that Lucy watched the whole exchange a little tensed too, but she soon relaxed as she saw Ellie calming herself again.
“How adorable.” – Robert said emotionless. – “Well, please, make yourselves comfortable.” – he gestured vaguely to the house before turning to his girlfriend. – “Lucy, a new package had arrived and I have to go take it. Don’t worry about me; it’s your birthday and you’re supposed to have fun. I’ll be back before you realize it.”
Lucy looked a little disappointed, but she simply nodded. Something in her reaction told Damien that she was used to not asking her boyfriend some questions. Robert kissed her before addressing to them again. “Have a nice night, Mr. Nazario. Eleanor.” – they both greeted him and he took off. Damien noticed that a bodyguard appeared from nowhere and followed Robert Zucko out of the house.
Lucy suddenly seemed less cheerful. Eleanor on the other hand, seemed much more calmer now that there were just the three of them again.
“What about there?” – she pointed to the door where Robert came out a few moments before. – “Is that the boss man’s room?”
Lucy James was all smiles again.
“Yes, that’s Rob’s office. You’ll mostly find him there when he’s at home. Sometimes I joke that if he had a bed there, I would never see him around the house anymore.” – the two women laughed as Damien registered in his mind where Robert Zucko’s office was located in the house. He would take a look there later.
They returned to the tour. Lucy led them to the backyard. There were some kids playing inside the pool – mostly her nieces and nephews and little cousins; Lucy James had a really big family – and a professional cook by the barbecue.
“So the party is mostly taking place here and in the living room.” – Lucy concluded the tour. – “Do you want something to drink?”
“Please.” – Eleanor was almost pleading. She still felt altered because of Robert. She just so fucking despised him.
The birthday girl led them back to the kitchen, where there was a professional barman making drinks. Ellie took a glass of champagne while Damien asked for his favorite rum. As they ate some fancy hors d’oeuvre, Lucy left them by themselves to take a look around the party and welcome the new arriving guests.
He saw Eleanor letting out a contented sigh as she savoured her drink.
“Feeling calmer?”
“Yes.” – she answered. – “Thanks for backing me up there. You were much more sophisticated than I would ever be. I was about to tell him to go fuck himself.” – he chuckled softly.
“Yeah, I could see it in your face. And Robert is a fucking jerk, you have every right to hate him.”
“Yeah, I haven’t been his favorite person since that incident.” – she shrugged. – “The feeling is reciprocal.”- they finished their drinks in silence and decided to go mingle with the other guests in the living room.
Ellie spent the next half hour chatting with Lucy’s mom and sisters, allowing Damien to identify where the cameras were installed. There was one in each corner of the spacious room. He was introduced to the James family as Eleanor’s boyfriend. Everybody seemed to approve them as a couple.
Lucy announced that the barbecue was finally ready and everybody started to walk towards the backyard of the house.
“Since Robert’s not at home at the moment and Lucy is too busy being a good hostess…” – Eleanor said with that mischievous smile on her lips as they followed everybody else. – “…this is the perfect moment for another tour around the house. And this time we will see all the forbidden places.”
“I like the way you think, Ellie.”
They casually slowed their pace, letting all the other guests walk in front of them. They easily found the hallway that led to Robert’s office.
“There’s a camera right there.” – Damien leaned in and whispered in her ear, his hand in the small of her back. She followed his gaze. The camera pointed out to the corridor they were about to enter. “But I believe Robert’s office is out of its sight, by the way it is positioned and the distance. Which means that Mr. Zucko is very private about his things.” – she nodded. – “We have to make sure that, whoever’s watching through it, they can’t be suspicious about us going there.”
“Okay. So we have to provide a distraction, right?”
“Exactly.”
“I know exactly what to do.”
Suddenly, she pulled him in and her lips met his in a hungry and breathless kiss. Damien felt the wall against his back as Ellie pressed her body on his. He instantly kissed her back, his heart pounding inside his chest.
“Let’s just say that we’re so crazy for each other and we finally found a moment to ourselves…” – she whispered in his ear.
He put his hands on her hips and, with a swift move, changed their positions, pinning her against the wall.
“…So we just needed to hook up in the first darker place we found in the house.” – he concluded her thought, putting light kisses all over her neck, making Eleanor shiver slightly.
“Exactly.” – their lips met in another heated kiss and they pushed each other until they were pressed against the office door. – “Are we out of sight yet?” – she asked, her breath heavy because of the kissing. And because of Damien’s stiff crotch pulsating against her belly, making a heat rise between her thighs.
“I believe so.” – he murmured, before reluctantly pulling out. – “Dammit, Ellie, how will I be able to work with you teasing me like this?”
“Calm down, D, this is all part of the plan. We can have some fun later.” – she grinned mischievously at him. – “But now we have some work to do.”
He nodded. Luckily, Robert left the door unlocked so they entered the room making no sound.
It was a typical office room, with a leather chair behind a wooden desk with a computer on it, in the center of the room. Across the table there were two other leather armchairs. There were no windows.
They put on the gloves that he carried with him and, while Eleanor analysed the bookshelves, Damien investigated the desk closer. Obviously, the computer required a password to unlock it. But luckily again, Robert was more like a paper than a computer guy, so the private investigator found some promising documents in the first and second drawers. Those papers were filled with tables with dates, schedules, places and names in it. He took a pic of one of the docs before putting them back to their place.
“Well, this is interesting.” – Damien said when he opened the last drawer. There was a semi-automatic 9mm pistol inside it. – “Do you think our friend Zucko has some troublemaker clients that like picking up fights in his pub out of nowhere so he has to own one of these?” – he asked Ellie, as she approached him and looked at what he was referring too.
“Fuck!” – she murmured. – “Please, I don’t think he would use this to scare some drunkards. All you have to do is just threaten taking their alcohol from them.”
He agreed with her.
“Either way, there must be a reason why he has one of this.” – he wrote down the gun brand and model on his notepad.
“Do you think he uses it to threaten Lucy?” – she glanced at him with a worried expression in her face.
“Let’s not presume things here. Maybe it is just for his personal security.”
“Why would someone want to kill a pub owner?”
“The world is a crazy and wicked place, Ellie.” – she didn’t seem relaxed by it. – “Anyway, have you found something?”
“Yes, actually.” – she showed him a safe in the back of the shelf, hidden behind some books. – “Unfortunately it requires a password.”
“But it is something.” – he wrote the safe specifications down too.
“Are we done here?” – Eleanor looked around the office one last time, nervously. – “This place is giving me claustrophobia.”
“Yes, we’re done.”
He hurried her out of the room and gently closed the door behind them. Ellie still looked a little pale and he knew it was because of the pistol.
“Don’t worry, Ellie.” – he tried to comfort her with a calming voice, his warm hand rubbing her bare arms softly. – “Everything’s going to be okay. We have some great clues, I am sure we’ll have enough proof to incriminate Zucko in no time.”
“I’m just worried about Lucy. What if he’s been threatening her life?” – she murmured, her eyes searching his. Eleanor never looked more vulnerable to him.
“We’ll help Lucy.” – he said, hugging her.
“Thank you, D.” – she hugged him back. – “Well, we should go back to the party now—”
But before Ellie could walk away, he pulled her by the wrist and next thing she knew, she was facing the wall.
“You know, I still haven’t forgotten what you promised me moments ago.” – he whispered in her ear and she felt a shiver of excitement traveling throughout her body with Damien pressing himself against her, his chest on her back. – “That we could have some fun after work? So what happens if I take you right here and right now? Will people notice?” – his voice was husky with desire and his breath was hot and heavy against her skin.
“Only if we’re not quiet enough.” – Ellie murmured back, smiling devilishly, her fear and worry instantly replaced by arousal and lust. She arched her hips to his and felt that he already was so hard for her.
“Fuck, Ellie, I want you. So bad.” – he kissed the nape of her neck, making her groan softly when she felt his hot mouth there and his hands traveling down to the hem of her dress, pulling it up. – “I’ve been holding myself back since we were interrupted by Freddie back in your apartment.” – she giggled, before whispering back, her heart beating faster:
“Take me, D.”
“Gladly.” – he said, playfully biting her earlobe as his rough hands explored her bare legs. Eleanor bit her lower lip when he found the waistband of her thong and slid it down to her ankles.
She moaned when his fingers touched her sensitive core, making her stretched legs tremble a little. It was insane how even her bones begged for him.
“You’re a bad girl, Ellie.” – Damien said, feeling that she was already so wet and so ready for him. – “Are you this excited to do it with the possibility of people finding us out?”
And then, before she could answer anything, he held her by the hips with both of his hands and thrusted roughly and swiftly in her. Eleanor gasped with the intensity of it, her hands gripping the wall. He groaned too. God, she was tighter than he remembered.
Before she could take the sensation of him all inside her, Damien started moving his hips against hers frantically, making both of them moan with pleasure. The contrast between his warm body and the cold wall was maddening.
“Oh, D…“ – Eleanor moaned softly as he kissed her shoulders and neck.
“You’re so tight, Ellie.” – he whispered into her ear, his breath hot against her skin. – “So perfect.”
Eleanor knew they should make no sound, but it was impossible to not moan with his body rocking against hers, Damien filling her like that with every new thrust bringing her close to the edge, especially after so much time apart. She was so addicted to him.
“Oh, fu—” – she gasped again when his finger started massaging her clit. She arched even more towards him as his other arm tightened around her waist, preventing her from falling, since her legs started shaking. She was so close.
“Yes, Ellie.” – he said, his breath heavy too, feeling her body tensing. – “Come for me.”
He didn’t need to order her that, because she already was doing it.
“Damien…!” – Eleanor hid her face in the wall, muffling her cries as she hit her climax.
Her dripping sex tightened and throbbed around his and Damien pinned her again onto the wall completely, pumping into her a few more times until he released himself inside Ellie, groaning throughout his own orgasm.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, panting, his chest pressed against her back, the sensation of their clothes clinging to their sweaty bodies. Eleanor still was shivering a little with pleasure when Damien kissed her cheek:
“I missed you so much.” – he said before pulling out and closing the zipper of his own pants.
She slowly turned around to face him. She already had that mischievous grin back into her flushed face.
“Me too.” – she answered and he leaned in for another kiss. God, he was so drawn to her. He was unable to keep his hands to himself when he was close to Eleanor Zhou.
But, somehow, Damien managed to pull out and put her panties back to its right place around her hips. Ellie giggled when his hands squeezed her buttcheek before letting go.
“Do you think they heard us?”
“I don’t know. And I don’t care. I just needed you, D.” – she said, smoothing his jacket and then her own dress. He smirked at her.
“Has anyone told you that you’re a kinky one? Next time we’ll do it properly.”
“I’m looking forward to it, but this was the best quickie I had in ages.”
“I guess you meant of your life.” – Eleanor rolled her eyes, but she still was grinning.
“You are so conceited. Now, let’s see if anyone heard or missed us.”
She intertwined her fingers with his and led him back to the party, both of them back into the cameras sight. Everything was normal and no one seemed to notice their absence. The adults were chatting with each other, drinks on hands and the kids still were playing in the pool.
As they watched the people around them, oblivious about their investigation and little adventure, Lucy approached them, smiling widely.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been spending more time with you, Ellie!”
“It’s okay, Lucy, I know duty as the birthday girl calls.”
“Have you guys eaten the barbecue already? It’s divine! And I will cut the cake soon. The kids are starting to demand for it.” – she rolled her eyes, making the couple chuckle.
“I guess I’ll get myself some food. Do you want something, Ellie?” – Damien asked her.
“No, I’m satisfied.” – they shared a look, grinning at each other, both fully aware about what her ambiguous reply referred to.
“Okay, I’ll get some ribs for me then.” – he squeezed Eleanor’s hands one more time before letting go and walking towards the food, leaving the two friends to talk in particular.
“I hope you’re both enjoying the party. And people loved Damien! He’s so polite! And so charming!” – Lucy said when they found themselves alone.
“Yeah, I know.” – Ellie giggled, unable to stop her eyes from following him through the crowd. – “…And the party is great. But more importantly, are you enjoying it? It’s your birthday, so you should be the one having the most fun.”
“Of course I’m having fun!”
And that was a lie. Lucy might have forgotten it, but Ellie knew her for ten years and could tell when her best friend was lying to her. Lucy always looked away and there was a little wrinkle between her eyes whenever she told a lie.
“Okay… what about you and Rob? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” – the wrinkle was still there. – “We’ve been good. He’s just been working more lately, as you can see.” – she frowned, disappointed.
But as soon as those words left her lips, Robert Zucko himself showed up in the patio. He easily identified Lucy through the people and hugged her tightly.
“Rob, you’re back!” – she squealed, happy to see him. Ellie stepped away from the couple and held back an eye roll as they hugged. Damien was soon next to her, offering her a glass of wine. She accepted it.
“Of course I am, and I’m so sorry I had to go work in your birthday party, babydoll. But I’m making up for it.”
The song was suddenly cut short and everyone turned to them, stopping talking… And then Robert Zucko slowly got in one of his knees, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket. Lucy gasped in shock.
“Lucy James… will you marry me?”
And Eleanor Zhou almost choked on her drink.