Chapter 249

• When the book finally closes, she’s out. Fast asleep in his arms, her breathing soft and steady. And Damien? He just sits there, holding her like he’s afraid she’ll disappear if he moves.
• For a moment, something twists in my chest. It’s not anger, not anymore. It’s something else, something I’m not ready to admit to myself.
• “She loves you, you know,” I say softly, surprising myself with how raw the words sound. “Even without knowing who you were.”