Chapter 60
I met Damien at a small café not far from the hospital. He had texted me earlier asking if we could talk, and something in his message made me drop everything and meet him. Ethan was still dealing with everything that happened with his mother, so I figured this was important.
Damien was already there when I arrived, sitting at a corner table with a half-empty cup of coffee in front of him. He looked tired. Not just physically, but like something heavy was sitting on his chest. I slid into the seat across from him and gave him a small smile.
“Hey,” I said gently. “You okay?”
He let out a short, humorless laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. “Not really. But thanks for coming.”
I waited, giving him space. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice quieter this time.
“I’ve b
