Damian was still on the phone when I walked back into the penthouse, pacing the length of the living room, his voice low and hard.
"I don't care what the board thinks about optics right now. My father in law nearly died last night. Tell them the story if you want, I have bigger problems." He ended the call and turned, and the moment he saw my face, whatever he was about to say next died in his throat. "What happened?"
"Sit down," I said.
"Elara."
"Please. Sit down."
He didn't sit. He stood there, arms crossed, watching me the way he watched everyone, like he was already three steps ahead of whatever I was about to say. I almost admired it, even now. Even furious and terrified, some small part of me still noticed the way he looked at me like I mattered more than anything else in the ro
