Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Damon was running out of excuses.

At first, he blamed stress.

Then survival instincts.

Then trauma.

Then proximity.

Now?

Now he was simply lying to himself.

Because there was only one reason his attention kept finding Luca.

Only one reason his eyes searched every room until they landed on him.

Only one reason jealousy burned every time someone else occupied Luca's time.

And Damon was getting tired of pretending otherwise.

The problem was 

Admitting it made everything real.

And real things could be lost.

That thought lingered with him throughout the next few days.

The safehouse became strangely routine.

Morning briefings.

Research.

Planning.

Training.

Normality.

Or whatever passed for normal among a group of deeply damaged survivors.

Unfortunately, routine also meant Damon and Luca spent more time together.

Which helped absolutely no one.

Especially Damon.

The training area behind the safehouse had once been part of an old vineyard.

Now it served as a makeshift practice field.

That morning, Seraphine decided everyone needed combat drills.

Nobody agreed.

Nobody had a choice.

"Again."

Cassian groaned.

"I recently died."

"You survived."

"Barely."

"Again."

"I hate you."

"Mutual."

The exercise continued.

Damon should have been focusing.

Instead

He was watching Luca.

A terrible habit.

An increasingly impossible one to break.

Luca moved with effortless precision.

Controlled.

Efficient.

Beautiful.

Damon immediately hated that word.

Mostly because it kept being accurate.

Across the field, Nova appeared carrying water bottles.

Immediately suspicious.

Very suspicious.

She walked straight toward Luca.

Of course she did.

Then casually tossed him a bottle.

Luca caught it without looking.

The familiarity annoyed Damon instantly.

Nova noticed.

Again.

The woman was insufferable.

She smiled.

Then deliberately leaned against Luca's shoulder.

For exactly one second.

One.

Second.

Damon's grip tightened around the practice knife in his hand.

Snap.

The wooden training blade cracked in half.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Everyone stared.

Cassian pointed immediately.

"There."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Very yes."

Mira looked confused.

"Why did the knife break?"

Cassian placed a hand over his heart.

"Love."

Seraphine threw a water bottle at him.

The bottle hit him directly in the face.

Nobody felt sorry.

Not even Mira.

Especially not Mira.

Luca looked toward Damon.

Their eyes met briefly.

And Damon knew.

Luca understood exactly why the knife broke.

The realization should have been embarrassing.

Instead

It felt strangely freeing.

Because hiding it wasn't working anymore.

That evening, the safehouse received unexpected visitors.

Not enemies.

Former Program survivors.

People Nova had contacted.

A small group seeking shelter.

Information.

Safety.

Among them was a man named Adrian.

Tall.

Charming.

Dangerously attractive.

And unfortunately

Interested in Luca.

Very interested.

Damon knew it immediately.

The way Adrian looked at him.

The way he smiled.

The way he constantly found reasons to stand nearby.

Damon hated him within ten minutes.

A personal record.

Luca, meanwhile, remained oblivious.

Or pretended to.

Hard to tell.

The evening gathering grew crowded.

People talking.

Sharing stories.

Comparing information.

The safehouse felt alive.

For the first time in years.

Yet Damon found himself watching only one person.

Luca.

Who currently sat across the room speaking with Adrian.

Laughing.

Smiling.

Interested.

The sight hit harder than expected.

Because jealousy wasn't logical.

It didn't care about reason.

Only fear.

And suddenly Damon understood what he feared.

Not losing Luca.

Someone else reaching him first.

The thought made his stomach twist.

Cassian appeared beside him.

Naturally.

Like a demon summoned by emotional instability.

"You look murderous."

"I'm fine."

"You're staring."

"I'm observing."

"Obsessively."

Damon glared.

Cassian looked delighted.

Then glanced across the room.

Toward Luca.

Toward Adrian.

Back toward Damon.

"Oh."

"No."

"Oh yes."

"Stop."

"You like him."

The words landed with brutal precision.

Because Cassian wasn't talking about Adrian.

And they both knew it.

Damon looked away.

Too late.

Cassian already had his answer.

The grin slowly spreading across his face should have been illegal.

"You are so doomed."

"Leave."

"No."

"Please."

"Absolutely not."

Across the room

Adrian touched Luca's arm while speaking.

Nothing inappropriate.

Nothing unusual.

Yet Damon was already moving before he realized it.

Crossing the room.

Closing the distance.

Straight toward them.

Cassian watched him go.

Then turned toward Mira.

Without missing a beat.

"Watch this."

Mira immediately sat up straighter.

Because apparently everyone had become invested.

A tragedy.

An absolute tragedy.

Meanwhile

Damon reached Luca's side.

Close enough that Adrian immediately noticed.

Good.

Very good.

Luca looked up.

Surprised.

"Damon?"

The question sounded innocent.

Which wasn't fair.

Nothing about Luca should be allowed to sound that innocent.

Damon looked between them.

Then calmly

Very calmly

Placed a hand against the back of Luca's chair.

Claiming the space beside him without thinking.

Without permission.

Without an excuse.

He realized he wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.