Damon's POV
The morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting golden hues across the bedroom as I woke up with Aria tucked tightly against my chest. Her warmth, her steady breathing, the way her hair tickled my arm—it all made for the kind of morning I’d been dreaming about for far too long. For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no chaos waiting to crash down on us. No Juda. No Demitri brooding in the corner. Just us.
And damn, it felt good.
Careful not to wake her, I eased out of bed, her sleepy mumble and the way she instinctively burrowed deeper into the blankets bringing a soft smile to my face. It was going to be a good day—I could feel it. I grabbed a shirt from the chair, tugged it over my head, and headed toward the kitchen to make coffee.
But as I pas
