Maya’s breath caught in her throat. The way Damien said it—they are the enemies—wasn’t just a statement. It was a verdict. A sentence. His voice had been so dark, so absolute, it felt like the temperature in the room dropped with the words.
She swallowed hard, her fingers twisting in her lap. “Enemies…” The word came out almost like a whisper, unsteady. “But why? Why you?”
Damien leaned back in his chair, shoulders rigid, as if the weight of the world pressed against his spine. His eyes locked on her, sharp and unreadable. “Because I carry too much power in my bloodline. The Blackwoods, the Morettis, and with Ashcroft at my side—three families out of five. To them, I am a threat that cannot be ignored.”
Maya’s stomach tightened, fear and disbelief warring inside her. She shook her head
