~ Lila ~
The clock glowed a chilly 11:43 PM, casting a blue light across the room. I was curled up on the couch, my legs tucked beneath me, fighting to keep my eyes open. But I stayed put, waiting.
Damon still hadn’t come home.
The penthouse felt dim, with moonlight pooling through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I couldn’t shake the unsettling quiet that filled the space without him, and it frustrated me how quickly I had grown accustomed to needing him around.
Then I heard it—the elevator. The soft ding followed by the gentle whoosh of the doors sliding open. Moments later, I could hear heavy, uneven footsteps echoing in the hallway.
I stood up, my heart racing.
He walked in, tall and broad-shouldered, his jacket half off and his shirt unbuttoned at the collar. His tie hung loosely,
