Rachel POV
I sat in the passenger seat, adjusting the simple sleeveless short blue dress I'd chosen. It wasn't flashy-just neat, comfortable. Still, my fingers kept fidgeting as I held up a small mirror, fixing my makeup and smoothing my hair for the third time.
Damien drove in silence beside me, one hand steady on the wheel as the city passed beneath the night sky. The dashboard lights cast a soft glow across his face, calm and unreadable as always.
"We're picking up your friends first, right?" he asked, glancing briefly at me before returning his eyes to the road.
I nodded. "Yes. They should be waiting at their apartment." I hesitated, then added, "Are you uncomfortable meeting them?"
He answered without missing a beat. "Why would I be? They're your friends."
His gaze shifted to th
