Chapter 67
Aicia
The penthouse felt too big when I walked in alone. Not empty, just… quiet in a way that made my heartbeat sound louder than it should. I kicked off my shoes by the door and pulled my hair out of its hospital bun, letting it fall loosely down my back. My scrubs were still faintly smelling of disinfectant and long shifts, and I wanted nothing more than to shower and collapse on the couch.
But I couldn’t. Not tonight.
Not when Damon texted me that he would be late because he was doing stadium checks. Not when Nathan’s words still clung to the back of my mind like a cold draft slipping under a locked door. Not when every part of me felt wired, restless, waiting.
I walked to the living room and switched on the small lamp by the couch. The soft glow helped, but not enough to settle the heaviness that had settled in my chest. I sat, then stood again three seconds later because sitting only made me think more.
And thinking was dangerous.
I padded toward the kitchen, poured a glass of cold water, and took a slow sip as I leaned against the counter. It was ridiculous how the penthouse, which once felt like a sanctuary, now felt like the space between exhale and inhale, a pause I couldn’t escape. I kept replaying Nathan’s expression earlier. The calm smile. The quiet threat beneath every syllable. The way he looked at Damon like he was nothing more than a pawn he’d already moved.
And Damon… the way his jaw tightened, the way his eyes narrowed, the way he positioned himself in front of me without even realizing he had done it. Protective without thinking. Guarding me like instinct.
The water in my glass trembled slightly because my hand wouldn’t stop shaking.
I tried breathing. Slow. Steady. Logical. But logic didn’t help when the man threatening your boyfriend played psychological games and signed onto a rival team with the sole intention of destroying him.
I set the cup down and let my fingers press against the cold countertop.
Maybe a shower would help. Wash away the hospital, the anxiety, the lingering terror.
I pushed off the counter and went toward the bedroom.
But as soon as I stepped in, I froze.
Damon’s jacket was on the bed. The one he took to practice. The one he never forgot to grab after. The one he used earlier today.
Which meant… he had been here after leaving the stadium.
But he hadn’t come to see me first.
Something twisted in my stomach. Not hurt. Not anger. Just a spike of fear.
I walked closer, slowly, as if the jacket would answer the question I wasn’t ready to ask. I picked it up and pressed my fingers to the fabric. It was still faintly warm, and my throat tightened.
I wanted to call him. I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted him to tell me everything was fine even if it wasn’t.
Instead, I put the jacket down and sat at the edge of the bed. I clasped my hands together and stared at the floor.
Stop spiraling, Alicia. Stop jumping to conclusions.
But it was hard not to. Especially when Nathan made it clear earlier that Damon wasn’t untouchable.
I took another deep breath. Then another.
The door clicked lightly.
I shot to my feet before my brain caught up.
I stepped out of the room, my pulse racing until I saw him.
Damon.
Standing in the hallway, shoulders tense, hair slightly damp from sweat, expression drawn tight like he had been fighting with his own thoughts the entire drive home. His eyes softened a little when they landed on me, but something in them still looked stormy.
“You’re back,” I said, and it came out much smaller than I intended.
He nodded once. “Yeah. I didn’t want to wake you if you were asleep.”
“I wasn’t asleep.”
He nodded again. For a second, neither of us moved.
Then I walked toward him slowly, my chest still tight, and I reached up to touch his arm. He didn’t pull away. If anything, he stepped a little closer.
“Your jacket was on the bed,” I said quietly. “You came here.”
He didn’t answer right away. His jaw flexed once.
“I stopped in,” he said. “Didn’t want to disturb you. You looked… tired.”
I swallowed. “You could’ve woken me.”
“I didn’t want you worrying.”
A small laugh escaped me, shaky and too honest. “Damon, I’m already worrying.”
His eyes closed for a moment like the truth stung more than he expected. When he opened them again, the storm was still there, but there was something softer too. Something vulnerable.
“I know,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
I stepped closer and slid my arms around his torso. There was a beat of hesitation before he wrapped his arms around me too, pulling me in tight. His hold wasn’t gentle tonight. It was firm, grounding, as if he needed the contact more than I did.
“Talk to me,” I whispered against his chest. “Tell me what’s going on in your head.”
He exhaled slowly, the sigh brushing through my hair.
“I keep thinking about that game,” he said. “About how close it came. About who could’ve been hurt. About you.”
My fingers gripped his shirt.
“I’m fine,” I said.
“For now,” he murmured.
The words sank like stones in my stomach.
I pulled back, just enough to look at him. “Damon… I can handle fear. But I can’t handle silence. Don’t shut me out.”
He stared at me for a long moment. Then he nodded slightly.
“I’m trying,” he said. “I really am.”
I brushed my hand along his jaw, feeling the slight roughness of stubble. “I know.”
He kissed my forehead. Not rushed. Not heated. Just… soft. Reassuring in a way he probably didn’t even realize.
“Let me shower,” he said quietly. “Two minutes. I’ll be right back.”
I nodded and let him go. I watched him walk toward the bathroom before I turned back to the living room.
I sank onto the couch and pulled a blanket over my shoulders.
The penthouse still felt too quiet, but somehow… slightly steadier with him here. Not safe. Not fully. Just steadier.
My phone buzzed.
I reached for it, expecting maybe Evan, maybe a hospital update.
But the sender wasn’t one I recognized.
Unknown Number. There were only three words in the message. See you soon.
My breath caught. No name. No threat written out but I knew.
Nathan.
The blanket slipped from my hands.
I stared at the phone like it might start burning through my skin.
Another message appeared.
Tell Damon I said hello.
My heartbeat stumbled, then raced, then slammed all at once.
The bathroom water turned on. Damon was still in there. He had no idea.
I stood slowly, gripping the phone so tightly my knuckles ached.
Then the third message came in.
Nice penthouse.
My entire body went cold.
Someone was watching.
And they were close.