I found Damian waiting outside my door the next morning.
He was leaning against the stone wall with his arms crossed, his dark hair slightly messy, his clothes wrinkled as though he hadn't slept.
He looked as though he had been there for hours.
I stopped.
"What are you doing here?"
His eyes lifted to mine.
"Waiting for you."
"Why?"
"To make sure you weren't alone."
I stared at him.
"I have guards."
"I know."
"Then you can leave."
Damian sighed.
"You really haven't changed."
I raised an eyebrow.
"That's supposed to be an insult?"
"No."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"It's something I admire."
I didn't know what to say to that.
Once, those words would have meant everything to me.
Once, I would have held onto the smallest scrap of approval from him.
But that girl w
