The door clicked shut behind him, but Damian didn't move at first.
He stood there, his jaw clenched, his breath slowly dragging in and out of his lungs as he forced himself to stay composed. His hand tightened briefly around the knob before he let go, the faint sting grounding him back into a version of calm he barely held onto anymore.
Then he reached for his bow tie.
The silk felt suffocating around his neck. He tugged it loose with sharp, impatient fingers, exhaling as he finally freed himself from the tight knot.
He rolled his shoulders once in a controlled and subtle manner and started down the hallway.
Each step echoed softly against the polished floors, but inside his head everything was louder and messier. He tried to shut it out, tried to lock down the flickers of emotion pressing against the walls he'd spent years building.
But Ava's face wouldn't leave him.
Not the fear or the desperation.
