Damon didn't sleep, not properly.
The night dragged on in broken pieces and half-thoughts, shifting in and out. The same words echoing over and over again in his head.
"One month"
Every time he closed his eyes, it came back.
"We can't afford the cops on our tail. If she witnessed something, she must be erased, if you are uncertain, she must be erased too, "
He turned on the bed again, the sheets twisting beneath him, his jaw tightening as frustration settled deeper into his chest.
Seraphina…her face refused to leave his mind. The way she had looked at him. The way she had denied everything without breaking. She was too calm or…maybe too careful. Or maybe he was wrong.
Damon exhaled, dragging a hand over his face before pushing himself up. There was no point trying to sleep anymore.
The room was dim, the early morning light just beginning to slip through the curtains. His space was exactly how he left it—minimal, organised, a wide bed, a dark wood desk by the window, a shelf with barely anything personal on it.
He sat at the edge of the bed for a moment, elbows resting on his knees, staring at nothing.
"One month". The words came back again.
He had thirty days to figure out if a girl was lying, thirty days to decide if she lived or died.
His jaw tightened.
"There has to be another way", he whispered to himself.
But every time he tried to think it through, it circled back to the same thing—Get close, watch her, and break her if he had to. Maybe something would slip out. People always slipped.
A knock at the door broke through his thoughts.
Damon didn't look up. "What is it?"
The door opened slightly, a maid stepping in carefully.
"Good morning, sir. Breakfast is ready."
"I'm not hungry.", his answer came flat.
The maid hesitated. "Very well, sir."
She was about to leave when she paused again, "Miss Ciara is here to see you."
Damon's head lifted slowly, "What?"
"She arrived a while ago, sir. She said she's been trying to reach you since last night."
A faint irritation crept into his expression.
Of course she had.
Damon stood up, running a hand through his hair. It fell back messily, refusing to stay in place. He didn't bother fixing it.
"I'll be down."
***********************************************************************************************
Ciara didn't look like someone who had been waiting.
She was sitting in the living room when Damon walked in, one leg crossed over the other, her posture relaxed. Her expression brightened the moment she saw him.
"Finally," she said, a small smile forming on her lips.
Damon didn't return it, "You should have called before coming here."
Ciara raised a brow slightly. "I did."
He stopped a few steps away from her, his gaze steady.
"Multiple times," she added. "You didn't pick up."
Damon exhaled, "well…that's because I've been busy."
Her eyes narrowed, studying him.
"Busy enough to ignore me?"
"Yes." DaMon blunted out.
Ciara paused, just for a second, then smiled again like it didn't bother her.
"Well, I'm here now."
Damon's expression didn't change. "And now you can leave."
That made her laugh softly, "I didn't come all this way just to leave in five minutes."
"I'll call you later," Damon said, already turning away.
But Ciara didn't move, "I'm staying."
Damon stopped and turned back slowly, "What?"
"I said I'm staying," she repeated in a calm voice. "I came to spend the day with you."
Damon stared at her for a moment, something in his expression tightening.
"That's not happening."
Ciara shrugged lightly. "We'll see."
And just like that, he walked past him and headed upstairs like she belonged there.
***********************************************************************************************
Damon didn't invite her into his room but she followed anyway.
He stepped in first, already irritated, already regretting coming downstairs at all.
"Ciara…" Damon started.
But she was already moving around the space, her eyes taking everything in.
"You've barely changed anything," she said, running her fingers lightly over the edge of his desk.
"Don't touch things.", his tone was calm but firm.
She glanced back at him, amused. "You've become more strict."
"And you've become too comfortable with someone who isn't your boyfriend."
That didn't stop her. She moved toward the window, then to the shelf, picking up a book and examining it. Damon watched her, his jaw tightening.
*This is exactly what I don't need right now*
His thoughts drifted again, back to his father.
"One month" The words echoed again, louder this time.
Damon turned away from her, running a hand through his hair again as he tried to refocus.
He needed a plan, a way in, a way to get close to Seraphina without raising suspicion, without pushing her too fast, without losing control of the situation.
"Damon."
Ciara's voice pulled him back. He looked at her. She was watching him now.
"You've been distracted all week," she said.
"I told you…I've been busy."
"With what?"
He didn't answer.
Ciara took a step closer.
"You didn't call. You didn't check on me. You barely even looked at me last week on campus."
Her voice softened slightly.
"That's not like you."
Damon held her gaze, his expression unreadable.
"Why should i call or look at you, you are making it sound like we are a couple"
"Yeah…not yet. But at least you used to look at me, "Ciara said, smiling.
"That is because you are always in my view, always in my space, just like now" Damon answered, cold.
"Wow… that hits" Caira whispered, enough for Damon to hear.
"Ciara," Damon called, his tone sharper now, "can you just go?"
She stared at him for a moment, then shook her head slowly.
"No."
Damon's expression darkened. "I'm serious."
"So am I." She stepped closer again, closing the space between them.
"I came here to spend time with you."
"I didn't ask you to!." Damon clenched his fist
"I know." Her voice dropped. "But I'm here anyway."
Damon exhaled, turning away from her again.
This is pointless.