I'm sorry for the long wait, but I can't say it'll change any time soon. RL is getting in the way. It's a long chapter though, I hope that makes up for the wait a little.

Thank you Carol for beta reading the chapter and Mirna for pre-reading! Love you, girls!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. However, I do consider the plot line as mine. Don't be a thief!


Starcrossed Lovers

Chapter 10

.

.

"Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I'm not living."

― Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

.

.

Elena POV

It had been a full week and she was quite proud of the fact that she had successfully avoided Damon for that amount of time. It hadn't been easy. Tyler kept bugging her to give his friend a chance. The poor guy had no idea about their history though. He was just trying to play matchmaker because he believed that Damon needed a woman by his side. Little did he know that Damon and she already had been there, done that.

During her time away from her ex-lover, she'd been very busy trying to find a publisher in hopes of signing a contract so her book could be released. Luck was proving to be elusive so far. Many of the contacts she'd made had not panned out. They'd promise to read her manuscript but then nothing. There just seemed to be no interest in publishing the book of an unknown author with no experience other than a small hometown magazine.

If she had been a pop star, famous actress or even a recognized journalist working at a known magazine, she would've had no trouble landing a book contract. Damon had been right. She would need help to bring her dream to fruition. Her hopes and dreams were intermeshed with the manuscript. So much of her energy and time had been spent reading and re-reading, researching and editing, she needed to bring this novel to life. Seeing her book on the shelves in all the major book stores was her ultimate goal. However, she'd need to find some firm that would take a leap of faith and publish an unknown author.

It was utterly and completely frustrating to know that there was nothing she could do on her own to ensure that her writing would be catch the eye of a publishing company. When she had gotten a phone call from a certain Rebekah early one morning to ask if she could arrange a meeting, Elena had been shocked to say the least. It was then she remembered that this was the Rebekah that Damon had talked about the last time she saw him.

She'd wanted to decline the offer and tell the woman she wasn't interested. How could she possibly let the opportunity of a lifetime slip through her fingers? If she refused, Rebekah Mikaelson wouldn't bother to call her again. Her golden opportunity would officially be blown to bits. If that occurred, she'd have no chance of getting the novel published. She hated the fact that Damon had probably run interference to get her the interview. The man did know how to persuade the ladies. It would be beyond stupid for her to turn down the Mikaelson meeting.

Here she was, standing at the front desk to ascertain where to find Rebekah Mikaelson's office. "Just take the elevator at the end of this hallway and go twenty stories up. Once you arrive there, take a left turn. Ms. Mikaelson's secretary's desk is right there. She will be able to help you further," the girl behind the desk explained, smiling at her politely before returning to her work.

Elena nodded and thanked the woman. Turning on her heels, she made her way to the end of the corridor where she got into the elevators. The interior was made of marble. She didn't dare guess about the construction costs of this building. The walls were smooth. The floor was shiny. It was so clean that you'd never guess people actually walked on it all day. Everything looked entirely professional. The atmosphere was stark and bleak. It was discomforting to Elena. You would have thought that the building would have a more customer appealing ambiance.

It suited Damon to work in such an environment. Being coldhearted and unattached was second nature for him. His *devil may care* attitude came easily. It was understandable witnessing firsthand the depressing environment that he worked in. It was easy for her to see him operating in this habitat. She could never work at a place like this. The darkness would suck all the inspiration out of her. Sure it was modern and all of that, she preferred a place with warm and inviting colors to make people feel welcome. A friendlier aura would probably lead to more productive employees too.

After a few minutes of waiting, the elevator finally arrived. Quickly she stepped inside and pressed the twentieth floor button. Luckily she was alone in the elevator giving her a few extra minutes of comfortable silence before walking into the lion's den. Her nerves were on edge. She felt like she was going crazy. What if Rebekah hated her manuscript and told her to not to give up her reporter's job.

She'd always been insecure when it came to her own writing skills. For some reason, she always thought others did a better job than she herself did. Those fears kept her from actually looking for a publisher till now. Fears of getting rejected were a paramount concern to her. She didn't want to be a failure in life. Failing to get this book published would be a fatal blow to her writing career. There was no way she would put herself on the line again if Rebekah shot her down today. Elena could pretend to be strong and fearless all day long, inside she was a bundle of nerves. A lost soul who was frightened of the world around her.

She would never admit it out loud but often she was plagued with self-doubt. The inability to do certain things really roiled her. Matt always laughed at her and emphasized her faults. He belittled her all in a concerted effort to make her feel bad about herself. When their relationship finally ended, he made a point of telling her it was her fault he fucked others because she was ugly, lacked passion, and was an amateur in the bedroom. In Matt's worldview, he had to seek pleasure elsewhere because she just didn't do it for him. His words had stung deeply and left lasting scars.

Everything changed when she met Damon. He was so nice and his compliments did alot for her psyche. She actually started to believe she was pretty. When she discovered how easily he had been able to move on, the self-doubt once again made its presence known. Had he told her she was beautiful just to get her into his bed? Did he lie about enjoying the time he spent with her? Honestly, she didn't know what to believe anymore. Those damn insecurities were nearly paralyzing her again.

Just like that, the elevator arrived at the tenth floor. Releasing a soft, but annoyed sigh, her moment of solace was now over. A little more time to take some deep breaths to help calm her nerves would've been wonderful. No such luck though. The doors finally opened. Her eyes widened and her breath hitched. There stood none other than Damon Salvatore causing her to silently utter a few colorful metaphors.

Damon stepped inside the elevator, suddenly the space inside felt much smaller and much hotter than just a few moments ago. Of course he would be wearing another expensive looking suit. He was always dressed to the nines! The corners of his lips curved upwards in a small grin once he realized who he was sharing the elevator with. Her cheeks reddened and she felt her heart hammering against her ribcage.

"Hello Elena, it's nice seeing you again," he said, doing his charming eye thing. His voice was husky and dripping with sex. She must be cursed, there was no other explanation. Of course, he would get into her elevator. She couldn't wait to escape the confined space and run away as fast as her legs would carry her. There was no way she could remain in the same elevator with Damon. The tension was suffocating. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. A panic attack was next if one of them didn't get out of there soon.

"Hi," she answered, quickly dismissing his presence and looking the other way. He must have noticed the way she was trying to avoid him.

Suddenly he stepped forward till he stood right in front of her blocking her view of the exit. When she finally found the courage to look into his eyes, she saw his infamous smirk gracing his face. His blue orbs were full of mischief. Quickly she inhaled and with a bit of difficulty, she swallowed down that lump in her throat. It felt like her lungs were pleading with her for more oxygen. The effect this man still had on her was overwhelming.

"You don't look happy to see me," Damon dully noted, his hand moving towards her arm and softly brushing her skin. The spot felt as if it was on fire and she closed her eyes to calm her nerves for a second. This was not the way she should be reacting. Her mind should not be dreaming about fucking him again. They ended things a long time ago. It would be foolish to make the same mistake twice. The negatives far outweighed the positives in their situation.

She could continue with this crappy attitude of hers if she wanted to have her heart ripped out again. Why on earth could she never act responsibly around Damon. Why couldn't she stay strong and tell him to fuck off like she did with all the other guys that hit on her. He made her feel weak yet strong at the same time. It was entirely ridiculous and beyond frustrating.

"I'm just nervous for my appointment with Ms. Mikaelson," she replied automatically, deciding it would be a bad idea to tell him the real reason she was so jumpy. It wasn't that much of a lie, she actually was afraid of Rebekah's opinion. That wasn't the main reason she was scared at the moment. It was the way her body reacted to his. It was unnerving how Damon affected every single fiber in her body. That fact was what made her worry the most.

"Don't worry! She can be a little intimidating, but she doesn't bite. At least not that I know of," he smirked, winking. She desperately wanted to wipe that grin off his face. It was like he could see right through her, like he knew she was lying to him. Damon suddenly stepped closer. Quickly she pushed herself against the rear of the elevator. Her breath hitched. "Damon, what the hell do you think you're doing?" she murmured, her lips slightly quivering in both anticipation and terror. Oh no, this couldn't be happening. She pushed him away a year ago. There was no way she would be able to repeat that. It had been hard enough the first time.

"What does it look like, Elena?" he breathed out, her name lingering on his lips. His body was currently pressed against hers, his nose nuzzling in the crook of her neck. She tried to push him backward with all the force she could muster. Her body was nothing compared to his. After a few seconds she finally let herself relax in his embrace. In that perfect little moment, she forgot about everything and simply enjoyed having Damon so close. His arms wrapped tightly around her small frame making her feel safe and comfortable in his embrace.

"We can't," she whispered against his chest, her words loud enough to reach his ears. It would be almost too easy for her to fall for him again. In her mind's eye, she could picture them sharing a bed and fucking until dawn. They excelled at being fuck buddies. She needed more than that now. The feelings she had for him were genuine. Many a night, she found herself lying awake with tears filling her eyes thinking of Paris and the man she left behind. Damon pursued relationships with no feelings involved. She couldn't go there again, she despised being only thought of as an easy lay.

"We're not doing anything wrong here, Elena. If you're thinking about other things that's not my problem. I'm being a true gentleman," Damon argued, inhaling her scent deeply and pulling her even closer to his chest.

"A gentleman? You're forcing me into some kind of twisted hug and now you're saying your intentions are entirely honorable?" she almost shouted, her eyes spitting fire when she looked up into his. The grin that spread across his face made her want to slap him into next week, but there was no way she could pull her arms free from his iron like hold.

She actually considered kicking him in the balls before he spoke again. "You're just too much fun to play with, Lena. You get entirely too riled up. The only thing I'm guilty of is giving you a friendly hug." A friendly hug, was he even being serious? He looked far too smug for her taste . She hated the effect he had on her.

When the elevator bell sounded suddenly, she almost shrieked, too far gone to realize they'd arrived at her floor. She let out a relieved breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Once Damon let go of her, she took a step back, waiting for the doors to open. "Rebekah's office is that way," he pointed before stepping out of the elevators to walk the other direction.

She simply stood there, frozen in place. A look of shock crept across her face. As she watched him walk away, there was only one thought that kept haunting her: Damon Salvatore was not going to let her walk away again. She had no idea how she felt about it.


"Thank you for your time, Ms. Mikaelson," Elena smiled politely once she left Rebekah's office. The meeting had gone remarkably well and she found herself rather fond of the blonde. Rebekah was one tough lady, but at heart she meant well and was a damn good business woman.

They hadn't yet agreed upon a settlement, though Elena had a good feeling about their deal. Rebekah had promised to read the manuscript as soon as possible. Afterwards she was to let Elena know if her novel would be up for consideration and hopefully publication. She definitely seemed interested in the storyline and characters. It was a positive development. None of the other publishers Elena had spoken to showed any interest whatsoever.

Rebekah didn't seem to care whether Damon liked Elena or not. The blonde had made it perfectly clear that her opinion wouldn't be swayed based on whether an acquaintance knew or favored a particular author.

She was always happy to listen to propositions and suggestions. Rebekah said she only published books she liked herself. It was something Elena respected about Rebekah. It gave her a good feeling about this publishing house.

Secretly she was relieved that Damon tried to help her out which led to this major opportunity. No, she would never admit that out loud. He had been right after all. A little nudge wouldn't do any harm. That didn't mean she was going to jump in his arms and thank him for being so considerate. She was grateful for his intervention, but that's as far as it went. It was dangerous to get close to a man like Damon Salvatore. It may not happen intentionally, but he had the means to decimate a girl's heart. It had taken her a lot of time to pick up the shattered pieces of it after her initial involvement with him.

Seeing him again brought all those buried feelings to the surface. They were supposed to have stayed locked away forever. If she allowed herself to care about him again, he'd have ample opportunity to lower the boom on her heart once more. The feelings she had for him made her weak at the knees and susceptible to his charms. He was not a man she should hang out with. She was certain it was his picture beside the word heartbreaker in the dictionary. Damon liked to have fun and be carefree. He didn't want to have to care about the girls he dated. She had no desire to be his flavor of the week for a second time. The first encounter left her reeling in the wake of Hurricane Damon.

Speaking of the devil, "Well, hello Elena, how did your meeting go?" he questioned, his irritating smirk gracing his features. He knew he had the upper hand at the moment. She could see he was enjoying this way too much for her liking. He knew just which buttons to push. Her momentary bout of weakness in the elevator had given him an opening. Damn him, she wasn't going down without a fight.

"It went well. Now if you will excuse me, some of us still need to work to earn money," she answered without hesitation before turning around and walking towards the closest elevators, needing to get out of there as soon as possible. She didn't trust Damon not to try anything with her.

Too bad Damon Salvatore didn't take no for an answer. He quickly followed her, grabbing her arm just before she was able to push the elevator button, causing her to stop. "What? No thank you, Damon, for being such a gentleman and helping me make my dream come true?" he mocked, raising an eyebrow.

"Like I told you before, I don't need your help, Damon. I appreciate you trying to do something for the greater good, but it wasn't necessary." She could have thanked him, told him she was grateful for what he did, but something about him triggered her inner bitch. She wasn't a rude person but in that moment that's what she wanted him to hear.

"Elena, Elena," he singsonged, shaking his head. "I see you're still as much the little temptress as you used to be." The approving smile that crossed his face made her stomach convulse. It took everything in her power to control her emotions and not smack him. Why did she have to fall for such an arrogant bastard?

"Can I move now?" she questioned, annoyed. He was still blocking her from stepping into the elevator. "You're wasting my time," she added, a determined look in her eyes. She was starting to get a little impatient. She knew he was only trying to do something nice, but for some reason, that's what she hated most. Why would he do something nice for her when all he wanted was to get her out of her clothes and into his bedroom?

"Don't get your panties in a twist, sweetheart. How about we go out for lunch together? You know, do some catching up?" he proposed innocently, surprising her once again. Her eyes almost popped out of her head while she kept staring at him in silence. What the hell? Did she hear that right? Her ears must be deceiving her.

It must have been obvious that she was aghast because he suddenly explained: "Friends do go out from time to time, you know? We both live in the same city now, there's nothing wrong with grabbing lunch together. It's not like I'm asking you out on a date." Might as well have been, she thought. Since when did Damon have female friends he did not sleep with? Then again, it wasn't like she knew him that well either.

"So we're friends now?" she stated, though it was more like a question. What the hell were his intentions? Did he seriously want them to be friends, or was it some kind of setup to get her between his sheets? She'd give anything to be able to read minds right now.

"I suppose, why not? We've known each other for a while now. We get along rather well most of the time. You're not the worst company in the world, Elena," he smirked. A confident look began spreading across his face. For a moment he seemed to be a little unsure about his offer. She actually wondered if she'd imagined it. In a blink of the eye, that smug confident look was on full display.

"We slept together, Damon, more than once if I might add. Friends don't sleep together. I'm not interested in a friends with benefits relationship," she explained, still a little wary. She didn't know what he was getting at and it unnerved her more than it should.

"No need to remind me, I remember - quite vividly - how you screamed my name at the top of your lungs," he stated, making her blush furiously. "I have no interest in a fuck buddy relationship either. I'm a busy man. A successful lawyer is not an easy job. I don't have time for relationships nor do I have any expectations. When I need sex, I go to a bar and choose a nice lady. The next morning we're both happy and go our separate ways. It's easier that way. Why would I want to complicate things and go for a prolonged relationship?" he asked, flashing his infamous eye thing.

"Still afraid of actually settling down?" she summarized, hitting a soft spot. That's the Damon she knew, the one with commitment issues. He hadn't changed one bit. She was actually surprised that Katherine was out of the picture. Temporarily out of his life she thought. Tyler told her they broke up a few months ago due to Damon's habit of working late into the night. The woman couldn't stand not being his number one priority anymore. Damon dumped her so he had the time to concentrate on becoming the best lawyer he could be. He needed peace at home to work and with Katherine hanging around, he couldn't concentrate.

"I'm not scared of anything, Elena. I simply enjoy my life better this way," he argued, given her a warning look. She was treading on dangerous ground here, but she honestly couldn't help herself. Why on earth did he think relationships were so bad? What really was going on in his mind? Why was he so jaded about love and establishing a relationship? If she had some semblance of a clue, maybe she could understand him better.

"If I recall correctly, you are afraid of heights or was it just the Eiffel tower?" she smirked, raising an eyebrow. Go Gilbert, she thought victoriously.

Damon shook his head and let out a soft chuckle. "You don't give up, do you?" he remarked. "I admire your fearlessness and perseverance, but I don't feel like talking to a therapist. If I did, I'd find a professional. You chose the wrong profession, Gilbert. You would have been an excellent psychologist," he deadpanned, clearly in a defensive mood.

"Did I hurt your feelings?" she went on, totally crossing the line. His face changed from controlled numbness to furious to confusion and back to numbness. She honestly didn't know whether to run or goad him further. She was pushing his buttons like no one ever had or dared to. It was affecting him.

"Arrogance is not an attractive look on you, Elena. Now I suggest you leave before I say something I'll regret. I was just trying to be friendly. You're pushing your luck. I thought that being friends might have been a good idea, clearly I was wrong," he stated, before walking away without so much as a backward glance.

Once again she was frozen to the ground. Had she made a mistake? Should she have trusted him and believed that no ulterior motives were involved? Regret surfaced and she felt bad for treating him the way she had. Maybe, just maybe, she had been wrong. Maybe he actually was a good person at heart and deserved a chance at being her friend - without benefits.


"Elena? How was your day?" Caroline smiled, once Elena arrived home. They currently shared an apartment. When Elena decided to move to the city, her friend had suggested she come and live with Tyler and her. They had a nice flat, though the rent would be much more interesting if they could split it in three.

"Okay, I guess," Elena mumbled softly while placing her coat on the peg. After Damon left her standing at the elevator, she'd left the building and went grocery shopping. He hadn't contacted her. It left a bad feeling in her mouth that she'd been such a bitch to him. Being mean to him had come so easily to her. She had no idea why his presence triggered something so deep inside of her.

"What happened?" Caroline questioned, immediately knowing something was up by Elena's lack of response. Elena smiled at her friend, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"Nothing special. I just had another run in with Damon. I don't want to talk about it," she admitted, letting out a deep and frustrated sigh. New York had been her home for less than two weeks and she'd already seen him more than she wanted to.

"You look sad," the blonde stated, looking at her friend worriedly.

"Do you want to watch a movie tonight? Maybe eat some ice cream and gossip?" Elena questioned, successfully distracting her friend. She needed someone to take her mind off Damon. There was no better choice than Barbie herself? Caroline always knew how to make her forget about her problems.

"I have a much better idea, Gilbert. We are going clubbing tonight. Tyler can get into the most expensive clubs for free since he's a Lockwood. We could use that to our advantage," she stated happily, a sly smile spreading across her features.

"I don't know, Care, I'm not really in the mood to get drunk," Elena remarked, shaking her head. She used to like going to parties. The relationship with Matt changed her. He didn't let her go out alone. He'd always accompanied her to made sure she didn't even drink a drop of alcohol. Her job was to be the designated driver so he could get drunk as a skunk and not worry about getting home afterward.

"Don't be such a party pooper, Lena. It's going to be fun. Who knows, maybe you can find a nice guy to hook up with, if I remember correctly, Tyler also has a few other New York friends besides Damon," Caroline proposed, clearly already making plans to play cupid.

"The last thing I need is another man in my life, I'm perfectly okay being single," Elena stated, convinced she was speaking the truth. Why did she need a man? Men hurt her. Matt had nearly broken her completely. Thank, but no thanks.

"Elena, it's been a year and a half since you got laid. Believe me, you need a man and soon," the blonde argued, clearly not convinced in the least.

"I don't need a man for sex, Caroline. If I feel frustrated I'll use my Lelo vibrator," she answered, shaking her head. God, sex was the last thing she needed right now. She had to focus on getting her book published instead of having naughty fantasies.

"I know how in love you are with your little sex toy, but there's nothing better than the real thing, Lena. Seriously, I wouldn't know what to do without Tyler by my side," Caroline smiled dreamily, a heavenly look graced her face.

"Enough about sex, how on earth did we change the subject from going out to having sex?" Elena exclaimed. It was so typical Caroline to try and set her up. If she agreed to going to that club tonight, her friend would without doubt invite some of Tyler's friends. However, she didn't feel like staying home alone either. She needed a distraction after her long stressful day. Maybe going out wasn't that bad after all.

"You're coming right? You're not going to stay on your own?" her thoughts interrupted by the blonde.

"Yes, I will come. One condition though, don't you dare to set me up on a date. If you try, I'm going to chop Tyler's balls off. You'll have to get your own vibrator best friend too!" With that proclamation Elena went to her room to take a long relaxing shower and get herself ready.


The club wasn't such a bad idea after all. Caroline had kept her promise and didn't try to set Elena up with any of the guys. She had indeed invited a few friends that Tyler worked with. Two fairly hot twenty something guys, Derek and Lucas, were currently sharing the booth with her. They were cute and were actually really nice to her, Unfortunately she had little interest in either of them.

Their eyes weren't the color of robin's eggs. Their hair wasn't black as the ravens. Nowhere on their faces was that confident "I'm king of the world" look, rather their lack of confidence was evident. She knew she wasn't being fair and hated comparing them to Damon.

Lately she seemed to compare every man she met to him. It was no surprise to her that they all lacked his charisma and charm. Damon literally ruined her for every other guy. She never seemed to be content anymore. It seemed she always wanted more even if that was impossible. Emitting a frustrated sigh, she took another gulp of her Cosmo.

She wasn't feeling lightheaded just yet. It surprised her since it had been along while since she'd had this much to drink. Caroline had already tried to get her to quit or slow it down. She kept telling her friend she felt okay while flashing the blonde one of her best pouty faces.

Okay she might be feeling just a little tipsy! Not enough though so she still felt okay to keep drinking. She still remembered everything that happened with Damon in all its vivid detail. This meant she still had a lot of drinking to do! Her goal in coming here was to distract herself and forget about him. So far she was failing miserably.

Deciding she was done with wallowing in self-pity she stood up, faltering a little on her five inch heels. She should've chosen a decent pair of shoes, but Caroline told her these matched her outfit much better. She was wearing a black halter dress with an open back that ended just below her ass cheeks. There was so little fabric she was sure you could see her behind if she bent forward.

She bought the dress shortly after her breakup with Matt. It was hung in the back of her closet and forgotten. She'd never had the opportunity to wear it till now. It was the perfect dress to show off her curves and make him jealous. Realizing she probably wouldn't even see him tonight, she almost had second thoughts about wearing it. For some reason, the dress just begged to be worn tonight.

"Are you okay?" one of the guys asked her concerned, she thought it was Lucas, though she wasn't sure who it was who anymore. Her vision become a little hazy all of a sudden, weird. She simply nodded and started walking towards the dance floor, stumbling a little from time to time. Damned heels!

Suddenly she felt a warm body pressing against her behind. She started dancing against the stranger, too far gone to actually register what the hell she was doing. She greedily shook her hips against his front, letting herself go completely.


Damon POV

After his argument with Elena earlier, Damon didn't feel like going straight home. He'd changed clothes at the office before leaving. Usually he worked late, today was no exception, though he hadn't exactly been able to concentrate. All his thoughts kept coming back to the beautiful brunette that never failed to visit his dreams. Tyler called to ask him to go to one of the new clubs tonight, he'd declined. After some thought, the idea didn't sound so bad after all. He'd texted his friend that he changed his mind and would join them in about half an hour. Drinks and pretty ladies to flirt with would certainly help to distract him, even if it was only for a short while.

So here he was, standing in front of the club. It looked rather classy. The bodyguards kept most people outside. He, however, was always welcome, wherever he went. People immediately recognized his face. They'd smile at him like the fools they were in hopes that he'd share some of his money with them. They were all idiots. He couldn't trust anyone.

Once inside he immediately noticed Tyler's girlfriend Blondie. He had no idea she would join them as well. She didn't make the worst company. He just hated the whining and her inability to shut it. He walked towards her and made his presence known, but instead of a flirty look all girls gave him, she simply rolled her eyes and dismissed him. Damn, she must really love his buddy if she turned him down that easily.

"Hi man," Tyler suddenly said, tapping him on the shoulder when he noticed Damon standing beside his girlfriend. "I'm glad you decided to come," the guy smirked.

Damon nodded and smiled at his friend. Focusing his attention to the dance floor, he searched for a good looking distraction. His eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw a certain brunette grinding against a guy. Her dress barely covered her ass. It gave him a bird's eye view of her perfectly smooth body.

Finally looking away from her firm ass, he almost choked on his drink when he saw who owned that perfect body. Goddammit, the girl dancing out there wasn't just some girl, it was Elena fucking Gilbert. Without giving either of his friends another glance he stormed off and headed towards the dance floor. His eyes were filled with fury. What the hell was she doing dry humping against some stranger?

Once he reached her, he pushed the guy aside and carefully took Elena into his arms, immediately noticing how wasted she looked. She could barely keep her eyes open. It looked to him that she was so drunk that she wouldn't even recognize him. "What the hell man?" the stranger exclaimed, giving him a dirty look.

"Stay the fuck away from my girl," he almost barked, resisting the urge to knock the guy out. Shaking his head, he quickly lifted Elena into his arms. Her eyes were firmly closed. Already she was falling asleep. She was going to be sporting one hell of a hangover in the morning. He wondered what caused her to drink this much.

"Oh my gosh, Lena," Caroline choked out once she saw Damon returning with her best friend in his arms. Her face was filled with worry and Damon almost felt bad for her, almost. Who the hell lets her best friend get wasted like that? She could've been raped by some drunken idiot? He couldn't help but be mad at the insufferable blonde.

"I'm taking her home, she's out like a light," he stated, giving her a disapproving look. "Next time you take her out, please take better care of your friend," he remarked, not being able to help himself from uttering the words out loud. He didn't care if he insulted his buddy's girl or not, Caroline should have kept an eye on Elena.

Before she could say another word, he'd already turned around and started walking towards the exit. He quickly texted his driver to let him known he needed a ride. Taking care not to wake her, he lifted her into the limo and held her tightly to his chest. No one was going to touch his girl.


Don't kill Elena for acting quite bitchy people! She's quite shaking at the moment and tries to get the upper hand at all costs. She doesn't want to be hurt again and tries to push Damon away from her. She doesn't realize it herself at the moment, but that will change. Promise!

How did you like possessive caveman Damon? He wasn't happy with the guy that laid a finger on HIS girl :D

I hope this chapter made up for the long wait and I want to thank all the people that are still reading the story! I know some of you quit reviewing after I didn't update as often, but I hope the ones that are still there, enjoy my story!

Please review and let me know what you thought of the chapter!

Much love,

Shana

Xoxo

Follow me on Twitter: Rosesforever94

Favorite me on Wattpad: rosesareforever