CH 42
The city skyline glimmered like a field of stars below, but Damon’s gaze was fixed on the dark alley beneath the penthouse. He felt it in his bones—the pulse of danger, the heat of betrayal, and the magnetic pull of Aria’s presence beside him. She had insisted on being close, her hand in his, but Damon’s instincts screamed caution. Tonight would demand more than strategy; it would demand every ounce of strength, skill, and instinct he possessed.
“Are you sure about this?” Aria whispered, her fingers clutching his arm tightly. Her eyes reflected a mixture of fear and determination.
Damon’s jaw tightened, eyes scanning the shadows below. “I have to do this,” he murmured, voice low, dangerous. “If I don’t confront them now, we’ll never be safe. And no one—no one—touches you while I
