Chapter 25

• As couples began to dance and guests moved to other parts of the room, Damien’s attention faltered when he spotted a few men circling around Charlotte. She was engaging in conversation with an attractive group, one of them leaning in closer while another laughed a little too hard at her jokes. A knot twisted painfully in his stomach, watching them interact with her.
• They were all charming in their own right, and yet not one of them measured up in Damien’s eyes. He clenched his jaw as their laughter filled the air—his gaze laser-focused on the way they leaned toward Charlotte, clearly vying for her attention.
• “She doesn’t even seem interested,” he muttered under his breath, but the words felt like an excuse rather than a reflection of reality.