Elena reluctantly followed Damian back to his penthouse, her heart a storm of fear and anger. She didn't want to be there, but she couldn't deny the danger closing in around her.
Damian was on the phone, barking orders to his security team when she entered. "Double the patrols. I don't care how much it costs," he snapped before hanging up.
"You're treating me like I'm a prisoner," Elena said.
"I'm treating you like someone I can't lose," Damian corrected, stepping closer.
Elena's breath caught at the intensity in his eyes. She wanted to tell him to stay away, but instead, she whispered, "Why me? Why do you care so much?"
Damian's jaw tightened. "Because I made a promise to your father," he said softly. "And because somewhere along the way… I stopped wanting to let you go."
Elena's heart thudded painfully. She didn't know what to say.
That night, she lay awake in the guest room, listening to the distant sounds of Damian moving through the penthouse. She hated how safe she felt there, even as the walls around her heart began to crack.