The night was heavy with smoke and rain when Damian finally came.
Adriana heard his footsteps before she saw him, the unmistakable stride that made her chest clench with longing and dread. She rose from her chair, her fingers gripping the edge of the table for strength. Days of silence had hollowed her, but now that he was here—real, flesh, storm—her heart betrayed her, racing like it had when she first saw him across the ballroom floor.
The door opened.
Damian filled the frame, his presence dominating the room. His eyes were darker than she remembered, rimmed with exhaustion and fury. His jaw was clenched so hard she feared it might shatter.
For a moment, they only stared.
Then, in a voice rough as gravel, he spoke.
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
Adriana’s lips parted. The question c
