Chapter 6 Elsie's Presence

The sky's lit with stars, but the party lights totally steal the show. DJ beats are pounding, guests are dancing like there's no tomorrow, laughs and chatter all mixed up. Fancy food and top-shelf wine keep rolling in, served up by waiters straight to the guests.

But right in the middle of all that hype, there's Damian-chillin' solo, looking all moody. And yeah, it totally caught the eye of his bro, Liam.

"Yo, you didn't bring Elsie here? She's usually all about parties like this, huh?"

Damian's zoning out got cut short when Liam clapped him on the shoulder. "Said she's tired, so yeah, didn't push her," Damian replied, totally winging it.

"That's weird. But eh, whatever. 'Cause last night, she was all pissed at you for not touchin' her, bro. And yet, here she is, still showin' up as your bride. Haha, love makes people see things hella different." Liam laughed to himself.

Damian's eyes suddenly lit up with curiosity. "Elsie said somethin' to you?"

"Yeah. She said you're like a limp dude or somethin' 'cause you keep stalling on touching her. Wait, hold up. Why're you askin' me that? You should be askin' Elsie and apologizin' to her, dude. She was straight-up ugly cryin' last night."

Damian had been feelin' pretty down, especially with Elsie still MIA. But now, Liam's news got his attention.

"So? Did she say where she was headed?"

Liam frowned. "You're weird, man. A pissed-off chick's not gonna tell anyone where she's goin'."

"Ain't what I meant-"

"Whatever, man, as long as she married you, right? It's fine," Liam shot back.

Damian's thoughts were all over the place: If only you knew, Liam. My bride ain't Elsie. Frustration hit hard, so he drowned it with more wine.

"Yo, what're you doin' with that wine? You've had way too much," Liam snapped.

Damian's head started spinning, his legs wobbling like they forgot how to stand. And his mouth? Pure chaos.

"I ain't impotent!" Damian slurred, rambling nonsense. He was convinced Elsie ditched the wedding 'cause he wasn't up to her standards.

"I could touch her-send her to freakin' nirvana," he kept ranting, stirring up even more drama.

Liam knew this was spiraling way outta control, so he hauled Damian outta there, leaving the party to run itself.

But Damian's drunken ramblings and the mess he stirred up caught someone's eye. "Pretty sure there's somethin' big about this marriage that nobody's supposed to know," the guy said with a wicked grin.

***

Liam dragged Damian to the house.

First thing he saw? Elsie (aka Selena) just chillin' there.

"El, your hubby's drunk as hell. I dunno what's up with him. Calm him down, yeah?" Liam said, looking done with everything.

Meanwhile, Selena, who'd been all comfy watching a fashion show and snacking away, froze when the door got slammed on repeat, and the doorbell was going nuts.

Peeking out the window, she frowned. "Who's the guy carrying Damian?" she muttered, confused.

She cracked the door open a bit, only for Liam to barge in like he owned the place, dumping Damian on the couch like dead weight.

"Sis-in-law!" Liam hollered, seeing Selena standing there, totally stiff.

"Huh? Uh, what's going on?"

"There, your delivery. I'm wiped from hauling Damian's heavy ass here. Tell me if his, uh, sword doesn't stand up, and I'll beat the crap outta him. Like, seriously, how could my gorgeous sis Elsie end up with some impotent dude like him?"

Selena blinked at Liam's rant, piecing together that Liam seemed tight with both Damian and Elsie.

"Hahaha, okay, okay, got it. I'll call you if anything, yeah? Now go home, don't go messing around out there anymore," Selena said, trying to play along as Elsie.

Liam raised his hand for a high five, but Selena just stared at him.

"Uh, what's that for?" she asked, confused.

Liam scrunched his forehead. "Ah, nothing, never mind." He stepped back awkwardly. "Alright then, Sis Siel. I'm out!"

"Bye!" Selena waved, all fake smiles.

Liam shut the door behind him and hopped into his car, but his brain was whirring.

"Wait, hold up. Elsie never lets me call her Sis Siel. She'd snap right away. But now? She's all chill? What the hell? That... that's not like the real Elsie at all."

Suspicion crept into Liam's mind about the girl who looked so much like Elsie.

****

Selena had no freakin' clue what to do with Damian.

"Leave him passed out here, or drag him to his room?"

"Ugh, it's so damn hot in here. I'm not impotent. I can handle Elsie. Don't leave me, Elsie!" Damian kept rambling like a drunk lunatic.

"If I leave him here, he's gonna bite my head off tomorrow. But if I take him to his room?" Selena shook her head. "Bad idea!"

She stared at Damian's face, brushing her fingers over his forehead, his sharp nose, and down to his ridiculously kissable lips.

"Man, those features are stupidly perfect," she muttered.

"Would my kid look this hot if he took after Damian? Wait, no! He's all Elsie's, not mine."

Out of nowhere, Damian's hand grabbed hers, pulling her into his arms. Selena froze. "What the hell are you doing?" she stammered, panicking.

In a swift move, Damian flipped her under him, his body hovering over hers.

"I'm not impotent."

And then, bam-a scorching kiss landed on her lips.