Chaoter 14

Damian sighed heavily as he took the elevator up to the penthouse that Caroline's mother and father had occupied for the last ten years.

He knew after Rafferty Rochester lost his millions in multiple bad investment deals Alessandra's mother had paid for the penthouse and allowed them to stay in it.

Everyone on the Upper East Side thought it was because she had wanted her grandchildren raised where she could keep an eye on them. In reality, Sophia Kingston wanted to be able to control her grandchildren and daughter.

Today Damian was meeting both.

When Caroline had called to tell her mother she wished to see her, Alessandra had been happy. Too happy for Damian's taste. She had given them a day and time.

Caroline had been at his condo when she had made the call. The look on her face when she was done made him pull her into his arms and rub her back until she quit shaking. If Caroline was this upset about telling her mother, Alessandra must be planning something.

The day before they were to be at Alessandra's, Damian had done a little bit of research. And by research, he asked his cousins what was going on with that family. It also gave him a good excuse to visit Tophyr and the baby. So he went to Brooklyn to see his family.

Bron, as they were calling her, had her mother's blond hair. It was covered by a pink hat but he had taken it off to see what color it was. She was so small but that was because she was a premature. She was the cutest baby he had seen in a long time and that wasn't because he was obligated to say that. He truly believed what he said.

Tophyr was back to her full glory. She had been painting Derek and Bron when he walked in. The best thing about their job was that they could stay home with the baby until it was time to seek a nanny or daycare.

His young cousin-in-law smiled at him then set down her paints. It just so happened at that time Bron cried out. Tophyr plopped down beside her husband, took their child and very carefully maneuvered to a position so she could nurse the baby. That was how the conversation took place. Damian should have been repulsed but the bond between mother and child was an unmistakable one.

Having all the information he needed, Damian went to meet his future mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law with a cleared head.

The elevator slid open and the first person they saw was a butler. The older gentleman nodded and was going to lead them to the living room when Caroline waved her hand in dismissal. Damian snatched her hand as they stepped out. There was no

way he was going to allow her to do this alone.

She smiled up at him then took the lead into the living room.

As he walked in, he thought his tastes were expensive. He had nothing on the woman who had decorated this space. Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, and many other prominent designers were broadcasted loud and clear in the room. It looked as if no one ever sat in that room.

"Caroline!"

They both looked up at a tall blond, fake blond, woman. Damian noticed she was well dressed. At the moment she had on tight black skinny jeans, a white camisole and a plaid shirt. She wore black Louis Vuitton pumps and diamonds dripped from her ears. As she pulled Caroline into her arms, Damian noted there was something in her eyes that wasn't warm at all. She was calculating something.

She pushed her daughter away from her and looked at her. "You look so good. What have you been doing to your hair?"

Caroline ran a hand through her blond hair. "Nothing. I just got it shaped."

Alessandra smiled at her daughter then turned that harpy gaze to Damian. In a span of two seconds her eyes narrowed on him. "And who is this young man?"

"This is Damian Stark." Caroline's voice was tight. She knew her mother better than anyone and he took her warning what it was worth.

He took a step back when her mother came towards him. Alessandra smiled warmly but it didn't reach her eyes at all.

"I'm not going to hurt you, dear," she said as she extended her hand to him. Very carefully Damian placed his in hers. "Nice to meet you. I'm Alessandra Rochester, Caroline's mother. Please do come in."

Caroline didn't move at first but when Damian squeezed her hand, she looked up at him. Obviously she had forgotten he was holding her hand. Together they followed her mother into the well-used living room.

"Can I get you something to drink, dear?" Alessandra asked.

"A Coke would be lovely," Damian answered.

She ventured into the kitchen as they situated themselves on the couch. They could hear Caroline's mother talking to someone. Caroline flinched. The other person was obviously her grandmother.

A few moments later Alessandra ventured back with the older version of herself. Sophia Kingston had pale blond hair that was wound around her head in an intricate

braid. She wore a simple blue dress with a string of pearls. If she were younger, she would have been in silver heels. As it was, she was in silver flats that flattered her outfit. Damian could admire a well-put together woman.

When she was settled on the love seat facing them, she lifted her head and squared her shoulders. "Caroline." Caroline nodded her head as she sipped the tea her mother hadn't asked if she wanted. Her gaze shifted to him.

"I have not had the courtesy of being given your name."

Damian set his glass down on the coaster and looked her square in the eyes. "I'm Damian Stark, ma'am. You might know my grandfather, Rupert Stark."

She nodded. "Rupert was a very intelligent man. I met him right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He moved to New York to enlist."

"Yes, ma'am. He was one of the soldiers at the Battle of the Bulge."

"When he returned he opened his business and never looked back. He always had a dark cloud in his eyes though. It wasn't until he met your grandmother that he started to heal."

Damian was the one to nod. "Not many know the tortures of war unless they have served. I may not have served but I know what those soldiers have gone through. I see it through my lens." He noticed Caroline was staring at him.

Sophia looked at him long and hard. "You have an old soul, young man. I bet your grandfather is proud of you."

His smile was sad. "I think he would have been. He died when I was seven."

"Oh, I am so sorry, son. I didn't know. I would have been in Italy at the time so I wouldn't have heard. My, this world has lost some good men." She took a sip of her tea then turned her attention to her granddaughter. "Caroline, what a pleasure it is to see you. I assume you have come here for a very real reason."

Damian didn't like that tone. When he looked at the woman beside him, he noticed she was used to it so she didn't react as much. She placed her tea on the coffee table and looked at him. When he tilted his head in question, she nodded.

When she turned her gaze back to her family, there was a fire in them. "Mom, Grandma, I have some news. Damian and I are getting married."

It took a moment for it to sink in but when it did, Alessandra cheered. She started ticking things off on her fingers. Sophia added things here and there. It seemed Alessandra was more into it than Caroline was.

Damian cleared his throat, drawing both women's attention to him. "We don't want you to help with anything."

There was sudden silence. Alessandra looked between her daughter and her daughter's fiancé with this look of shock. She tried to formulate words, her mouth moving like a fish out of water.

"You can't be serious," she said when she found her voice.

"We're dead serious," he replied. "I know what you did to Caroline after my cousin broke off their engagement. I know what your husband did and how that affected your family. For the last ten years all you've wanted is your girls to marry someone with enough money to take care of you. Luckily Cassidy's husband doesn't give a damn about who he married except that she was beautiful. Tophyr Hurst knew of your scheme and put an end to it."

Alessandra sneered at the mention of his young cousin. "That bitch meddles too much."

"Watch your language when you speak of my family." Damian's tone was harsh as he put the woman in her place.

Sophia decided to step in. "Young man, you can't possibly think we're simply going to stand by while a member of our family gets married."

"You can and you are. I'm not going to argue with you about it. We've discuss this and we don't want any of you there."

Alessandra shoved to her feet. "I don't give a damn what you want. I will be at my daughter's wedding whether the two of you like it or not."

Caroline was on her feet facing down her mom. "All my life you have controlled what I did and who I saw. No more, Mom! I'm doing this on my own and I don't want you there. This wedding is for me, not you. I love Damian, not his money. That's all you love. I'm done being the one you live your life through."

"I'm glad you're standing up for yourself," Sophia said.

Her granddaughter turned on her as well. "You're just as bad. You were the one who put my mom up to it. You blackmailed her about this penthouse and you tried to control us. I'm done with it. I'm marrying Damian, you're not invited and you're not getting any money from either of us. If you try, I'll have Jim Hurst or Dayton Stark slap an extortion charge on you. Do I make myself clear?"

Caroline's mother laughed coldly. "Then you have no family."

"Actually, she does."

Everyone turned around at the sudden voice. Dayton stood in the doorway with his hands crossed across his chest. Derek stood beside him with his hands in his pockets. Even Dani was there with her arms crossed and her foot tapping angrily. This was the Stark family no one wanted to mess with. The only family more impressive was the Hurst family.

Dayton stepped forward and placed something on the table in front of Sophia. "Word to the wise: next time you want to blackmail my family, do it when one's not a lawyer."

Caroline looked at him. "Blackmail?"

"Your grandmother tried to blackmail my father with information. She was going to lie to his parole officer about him using drugs. He would have gotten ten years for parole violation. Alain brought it to my attention this morning. Derek told me you'd visited yesterday and I had a bad feeling. I figured I'd find you here."

She turned around. "Grandma, is that true?"

"This boy is simply mad because you are marrying his cousin and…"

Derek cut Sophia off immediately. "Dayton is happily married to Izzy. There is nothing between him and Caroline anymore."

"How dare you?" Caroline demanded. "You couldn't allow me to have a happy moment before you tried to stick your claws into everything. I'm done, Grandma. I'm done with this family and I'm done with your manipulating me. I'm sorry it took so long for me to say it."

She stood and headed for the three people she knew cared for her. Her mother grabbed her wrist and squeezed.

"If you walk out that door, don't ever come back," she hissed.

Caroline jerked her hand away. "Don't worry. I won't."

Damian watched her breach his family before he stood. He didn't say a word as he followed her. He could hear Dayton say something as Dani and Derek followed them. His cousin joined him at the elevator and they rode down together.

Once they hit the first floor, everyone piled out and headed for the glass door that led outside. As soon as she got out, Caroline breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. She was free of her family.

"Hey." She turned around at Dani's soft voice. The other woman stuck her hand out. "No hard feelings?"

Caroline smiled. "No hard feelings and thank you."

Dayton smiled at her. "So what are you going to do now?"

"I'm heading to the gallery. Damian's showing opens tomorrow night and I'm nowhere near done."

The others laughed as Damian pulled her to him and kissed the side of her head. She was where she belonged and she felt good about it.