Aria's POV
My heart *stopped*.
For half a second, I just sat there, phone pressed to my ear, brain short-circuiting.
Then I shot off the couch like I'd been electrocuted.
I didn't even think. Didn't grab a robe or check my reflection. I just *ran*, barefoot across the hardwood floor, practically skidding to a stop in front of the door.
I yanked it open.
And there he was.
Damian stood in the hallway, bathed in the soft glow of the corridor lights.
His coat was draped over one arm, his tie loosened, the top buttons of his shirt undone. He looked exhausted—like he'd been traveling all day—but his eyes...
God, his eyes.
They were so bright. So focused. So *intense*. Like I was the only thing in the world that mattered.
"Damian, how did you—"
I didn't get t
