A/N: I'd like to thank you all again for your reviews and support. Again, I'm really overwhelmed and nervous now. Thank you to Old Kentucky Shark for your question and to gseemann for your thoughts. I've been thinking a lot about your comments in the review section and hope to address both of them at some time.

Chapter 3

"No, something is definitely missing," Damon told Elena.

He walked in a slow circle around her, tapping his chin with his index finger. He was dressed in a black suit, dark blue shirt and black and blue striped tie.

"What do you mean something is missing?" Elena asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice.

She'd just spent hours getting ready for their rehearsal dinner, and she was absolutely certain that she wasn't missing anything! She walked over to the full length mirror in her bedroom, to take yet another look. Her hair was falling in soft waves around her perfectly made face. Her dress was one that she'd spent hours searching for. Finally she'd settled on a brightly patterned blue and green gown that fell just above the knee. Her strappy sandals went with it perfectly. She knew Damon liked the dress, because his eyes had lit up when he saw her in it.

Damon walked up behind her until she could feel the heat of his body through the thin material of her dress. She watched in the mirror, as out of his hand swung a diamond pendant on a black choker necklace. She gasped with surprise as her eyes met his in the mirror.

"I thought you might need something to go with that enormous rock on your finger," he told her. He swept all of her hair to one side, and a shiver went through her as his hands fastened the choker around her neck.

The past month had been just like this. He was always surprising her with gifts and outings to the theater or a charity event. At first she had enjoyed them, believing he was attempting to court her, believing that he was beginning to care for her as more than just his future wife of convenience.

Then they'd gone shopping for her engagement ring. She hadn't wanted anything too flashy or ostentatious; however, Damon had insisted she have something big and visible. He told her, "You're mine Elena. I want people to see this and think of me."

She'd realized then that his gifts were a form of branding. Each thing she wore of his; every adornment was meant to tell the world she belonged to him. Damon Salvatore owned her and he saw her simply as his possession. She was his property, and that was all there was to it. The thought infuriated her. She was not some acquisition; she was a person, whether he was marrying her for convenience or not.

"Do you like it?" he asked her now, his eyes on hers in the mirror.

For a moment she thought she saw uncertainty in his eyes, but that was ridiculous. Damon Salvatore wasn't the uncertain type. He was a predator in the business world and in his personal life he was just as ruthless. Any man, who asked his brother's girlfriend to marry him when she was in such a highly vulnerable position, could only be described as ruthless.

"It's stunning. Thank you." The word stunning didn't come close to encapsulating the beauty of the diamond she was wearing around her neck; but it was better than throwing the thing in his face and telling him she'd changed her mind about marrying him.

Their wedding was tomorrow, and she was absolutely certain that she did not want to go through with it. She was equally certain, however, that she would marry him anyway. Her family's debt had been settled in its entirety. All that was left was for her to uphold her end of their bargain. She did not think he would take kindly to her backing out now.

"We should go," she told him, "that is, if I meet with your approval now?"

There was a slight edge to her voice when she asked the question. She knew he heard it when he raised one eyebrow.

"Have I done something wrong, Elena?" he asked her.

"No, of course not. It's just that the dinner starts at seven, and I want to be there on time."

He gave her a look that told her he didn't believe it, and for a moment she thought he would argue with her but instead he dropped the matter. "Let's go then."

Once they were downstairs she noticed her family had already gone.

"I sent your parents and Jeremy off with Ric tonight. I thought they might all enjoy the luxury of a chauffeured car for the night."

She hated it when he made her feel like one of his possessions; but she hated it even more when he was thoughtful and sweet. She wanted to hold on to the anger because it was safer. If she had to marry this man who insisted that love was no part of their deal, then anger and rage were far more useful to her than appreciation and like.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "That was thoughtful of you." She saw his smirk as he held the front door open for her. "If Ric isn't taking us, then who is?" she asked him.

"Me," he told her, throwing his keys in the air and then catching them. "Unless you want to drive?"

Elena took in the black Lamborghini in front of her, and shook her head.

"No? Maybe next time then." He looked thoroughly amused as he opened the door for her.

Her heart literally flew into her mouth as they sped out of the driveway. The car fitted him to a tee. It was sleek, sexy and powerful.

"I'm thinking this isn't exactly a family car," she told him. She watched him change gears.

He laughed and looked at her. "Nope, just our chariot for the night."

"So," he said to her after a minute.

"So," she said back.

"Big day tomorrow."

Was this why he was driving? Did he want to make sure she wasn't going to back out?

"Mm-hmm," was the only response she gave him.

"No cold feet?" he asked her now.

She could feel his eyes on her, and she wished that he would watch the road instead of her considering the speed they were going.

"I signed the contract, Damon. I am going to marry you," she sighed. She glanced at him and he nodded once as if to say, 'okay then'.

Within minutes they were at the hotel where the rehearsal dinner was taking place. Damon handed his keys to the valet, tipped him, and then put his arm around Elena. As they walked into the function room, where their close friends and family were waiting, Elena was well aware that they must have looked every part the happy couple.

What a farce, she thought, what a deception. Should she be worried, that she had so easily managed to convince every one of her friends and family members that this was what she wanted and that she couldn't wait to be married? Only her friend from college, Bonnie, had questioned her about her choice, about whether this was what she wanted. Everyone else assumed that she was happy. She'd successfully pulled off the glowing bride-to-be.

The room started to swim a bit before her eyes, as people flocked to them. She would survive this, she thought, she would get through this. She wasn't a victim here; this was her choice. She was choosing to marry Damon. Yes, to save her family, and yes there hadn't been any other choice that she could think of; but it was still her choice. She took the glass of champagne that someone offered her and drank it quickly, enjoying the slide of the bubbly liquid down her too dry throat. She would survive this. She would survive their marriage.

After dinner, Damon watched Elena from across the room. Somewhere in the throng of people they had been separated. It was a struggle to keep his eyes off her, and he had to work hard at making conversation with people. The heels she was wearing made her legs look impossibly long, and he couldn't help think that he was an idiot for agreeing to wait one month to have those long slender legs wrapped around his waist.

He'd wanted her from the moment he'd first seen her with Stefan. Now though, his desire was more than just plain want; it was a hunger that was gnawing away at him and he was having trouble keeping his word to wait a month.

Not having her wasn't his only frustration either. She still looked tired; she obviously wasn't sleeping well at all, and he was afraid she was losing weight. Something she could not afford to do. He didn't know what to do. He knew that this marriage was sudden, and he knew that she was marrying him to save her family; but that didn't stop him wanting her to be happy.

He could give her almost anything she wanted. He could give her more than Stefan could. He hoped in time that she would see that and come to care for him as a husband and as the father of her children. Love only complicated things; but friendship and companionship would make their marriage easier. He enjoyed her company more than he thought he would. He didn't think he was deluding himself that she seemed to enjoy his company too.

Damon watched as Elena took yet another glass of champagne off one of the trays being carried around by the waiting staff. Was that her fifth or sixth glass? She was smiling politely and nodding as her Uncle kept her there with his conversation. Then she looked right at Damon, lifted the glass by way of a toast, before bringing it to her beautiful lips and drinking the whole darn lot. She knew that wasn't lolly water, right?

"Oh, Damon, Elena is just lovely," gushed his Aunt Lydia. "You two will have to come over for dinner after the honeymoon."

"Of course. We'd be delighted," he told her, giving her his best faux smile.

Lydia was always after a loan of some kind, and unlike Elena, she had nothing to offer him except gossip about the rest of the family. Unfortunately, exchanging pleasantries with his family was a necessity on an occasion like this.

"Please excuse me, Aunt Lydia, I see someone I must talk to,"

"Go, Dear. I need to find your Uncle anyway."

He strode across the room to where Elena was standing with Uncle John. He put his arm around her.

"Would you mind if I stole my fiancée for a moment?" he asked her uncle.

Damon didn't bother to wait for an answer before he marched Elena into the powder room. He checked no-one was using the bathroom before he locked the door behind them.

"What are you doing? I was talking…"

"I think we should talk," he said to her. "Want you to tell me why you're guzzling Champagne out there like its water?"

She rolled her eyes.

"You're not my father, Damon. You're not even my husband. Yet. Besides, this is supposed to be a celebration isn't it?"

She was mad at him. Good. At least she was talking.

"You're upset with me, want to tell me why?"

"Not really," she said.

"Talk to me, Elena. I want to know what's running through that gorgeous head of yours tonight."

He did. He wanted to know her, understand her; make her happy. He'd been accused more than once of only caring about himself, but that wasn't the truth in this case. When she wasn't happy, he felt like he was failing somehow and when she was happy, he felt happy too. So maybe that was him caring about himself after all.

"That," she said waving her hand in the direction of their waiting dinner guests, "is all just one big farce. I'm lying to everyone I love. It's all just pretend. Our wedding is tomorrow and our marriage is just going to be one big lie."

"What makes you think that?" he asked her.

"You said you will never love me. You told me to never love you. That is a lie. Marriage should be about love; two people being in love. Don't you ever want to experience that, Damon, because I know I do."

"And what happens when the love runs out? What happens when two people fall out of love?" he asked her. "Don't you think that two people who like each other; two people that enjoy each other's company, two people that are friends, are better suited to marriage than two people who are under the influence of a chemical reaction? We have something, Elena. We like each other, we enjoy spending time together. We're attracted to each other. Surely that's a good enough reason for marriage."

Elena looked at him. He made sense. For some reason that only made her angrier.

"Yes, I can see that friendship is important; but I don't think two people should get married when they don't love each other. Plus, I think you just don't like being out of control. This marriage is just a way for you to avoid being out of control."

"You think I don't like to be out of control?" he asked her, his voice full of disbelief.

"Yes. I think that's it exactly. You're afraid of it. You won't let it happen."

"Really?" he asked silkily. "If I didn't want to be out of control, Elena, I wouldn't do this."

He took two long strides towards her and put his put his arms around her, pulling her against him. Then he kissed her. The moment his lips touched hers, Elena felt like she was falling. She should push him away. They were supposed to be talking. She was angry. Yet, for the life of her she couldn't bring herself to pull away from him.

His lips were firm but soft on hers, igniting a fire that swept through her body. At first he gave her soft drugging kisses, before he deepened their kiss, sliding his tongue inside her mouth, exploring her mouth thoroughly. She clung to him, holding his shirt in both of her hands simply taking the pleasure he was giving her with his tongue. She felt him harden against her and her belly quivered. She pressed into him, delighting in his groan. Then it was her tongue that was exploring his mouth and her hand stroking up and down the long hard length of him through his pants.

He lifted her onto the vanity, and put his hands under her dress, stroking the inside of her thighs. Elena felt her excitement growing. She continued touching him, and he thrust into her hand, mimicking the familiar thrust of sex. He brushed his hand over her panties, before sliding his fingers inside the elastic and touching her honeyed heat.

"So wet," he said, more to himself than to her.

He rubbed his thumb in slow circles over her nub, sliding one finger inside of her. That was almost too much for her. His mouth was on hers as she panted breathlessly. Then he was rubbing her faster, applying slightly more pressure and he slipped a second finger inside her stroking her. The tension built so quickly that when her orgasm slammed through her, she couldn't help but cry out. Thankfully Damon's mouth on hers muffled the cry.

Damon felt Elena's body tighten around his fingers, and he knew he was ridiculously close to his own release, especially with the way she was still stroking him. This woman made him feel more aroused and incompetent than when he was a fourteen year old virgin. He leaned his forehead against hers. He'd promised her a month before he would ask her to share a bed. Technically, however, he wasn't going to ask her to share his bed now.

"I want you," he told her, "do you still need a month?"

"No," she said, still breathless. "I want you too."

Her hands reached for his belt just as a knock on the door sounded. Damon cursed silently as Elena's hands stilled. Neither of them moved. The knock came again, more aggressive this time.

"Damon. I know you're in there."

The sound of his baby brother's accusing voice was enough to set his teeth on edge. Stefan had informed him that he would not come tonight, yet here he was, interrupting him at the worst possible time. Stefan couldn't have timed it better if he tried.

"I'm going to kill him," he said to Elena, through gritted teeth.

She looked horrified at the thought. Yep, he was definitely going to kill him.

She put her hand on his arm. "Don't. This is hard on him. Please don't make a scene."

He waited whilst Elena jumped off the vanity, looked in the mirror, smoothed her hair and reapplied some lipstick, before he yanked the door open.

He could tell straight away that Stefan had been drinking. His eyes had that slightly glazed look. He was holding an almost empty glass in one hand, and his other arm was around Caroline Forbes. What were they doing here?

"Stefan. Did I hear you wrong when you said I couldn't pay you enough to show up here?"

"I wasn't going to come, Damon. But I ran into Caroline here downtown, and she convinced me to pay a little visit. She thought we should pass on our condolences. I mean our congratulations."

Stefan smiled. Caroline giggled. The words were slurred, and Damon knew that it would be difficult to avoid an altercation whilst his brother was this intoxicated. Damon felt Elena come to stand behind him. Stefan tried to stand a little straighter when he saw her.

"Hello, Elena," Stefan said.

"Stefan," she acknowledged quietly.

"Have you met Caroline?" he asked her. "She used to date Damon before you decided to swap brothers."

"You're drunk. Go home and sleep it off," Damon told his brother. He would be on his best behavior tonight; but only for Elena. They were beginning to attract some attention now. People were gathering to listen to what was being said by the four of them.

"I think we might stay a while. My big brother is getting married after all. I should be here." Stefan said, nodding. "Hell, I should be the one getting married, but you stole my girl. So now I'm going to watch you fuck up her life, and your life too. This should be like watching a train crash in slow motion. Funny how you've got everyone here fooled. Not me, though. I know the truth."

"And what is that?" Damon asked, wanting the conversation over with.

"It'll never work," he said plainly. "It will never work."

Damon watched Stefan and Caroline walk away; watched his brother get a re-fill before he pulled Caroline onto the dance floor. He turned to Elena.

"Don't worry about what Stefan said," he told her, "it will work. You'll see."

It would work because he would make it work. Elena was his now, and he would do whatever it took to keep her. Whatever it took. She looked at him, her eyes full of doubt. He was going to have to find a way to prove it to her.

A/N: Thank you for reading and please review. I'm aware that people have questions, thoughts and concerns and hearing them helps me refine my ideas. Please know I will do my best to address all of them. Wedding next chapter. Thoughts for the wedding and honeymoon are welcome.