Chapter 6

She dropped to the floor, gasping — because what I'd kicked was between her legs.

"Sorry, Celeste. My foot slipped."

"You — Aria Hayes, I'll kill you with my own hands."

Damon snapped back to himself. He walked over to Celeste, caught her hair in his fist, and pulled her up with a dead look on his face.

"You touch her again and I'll tear you apart."

Celeste heard it and broke. A ragged laugh came out of her. The tears came with it.

"Damon. You're cold. I was good to you for a while. One day out of your bed and you don't know me."

Crack.

"Shut up."

Damon hit her across the face hard enough to keep her quiet. Then he looked at me, scared.

"Shut up? We had a good time right in front of your Luna. You remember — you almost passed out from it, you just couldn't make a sound. Hahaha."

Celeste said it looking at me, trying to make me snap. I disappointed her. I wasn't angry. I just stood there watching them turn on each other.

"Aria, stop playing pure. You're furious. You won't show it. You're not even a woman."

I looked at her, amused. "Whether I'm a woman isn't your call. You, though — worry about what's between your legs. I put my whole weight into that kick. It might be broken."

"If you want Damon, take him. We're severed anyway."

Damon took a step back. His fingers dug into his own palm until they drew blood.

You feel it now? The way I did.

Damon.

I gave up and turned to leave.

"Damon. Listen. I'm the only one who ever really loved —"

"Aaah!"

Celeste cut off into a scream. She grabbed between her legs and went red, howling like a slaughtered animal.

Damon had a silver dagger in his hand. I didn't know when. He'd driven it up under her dress.

The floor was slick with her blood. So was the hem of the dress. Whatever was down there was finished.

"It was you. You drove Aria off. She doesn't want me because of you."

"Now you tried to hurt her. I said whoever hurt her would suffer for it."

Celeste saw the madness on Damon's face and terror finally hit her. She shrank back, dragging herself, afraid he'd stab her again.

I'd just cleared the door when I heard her calling for help. I hesitated a few seconds, then went back.

Damon was driving that silver dagger into her, again. His face was terrible.

"Damon. Stop. If you kill her they'll lock you up."

The sound of my voice stopped his hand. He turned his head. His face was covered in blood.

"I took out the threat for you. She said she wanted to kill you."

Something broke open inside me. Looking at him like that, I didn't know what to say.

Celeste lay on the floor, unconscious from blood loss.

Damon dropped the dagger and stepped toward me, slow. I didn't know how to stop him.

He let his head fall onto my shoulder and closed his eyes, exhausted.

"Aria. Can you hold me one more time."

I knew Damon wouldn't hurt me. I lifted my arms. Just as I was about to put them around him, Pack Enforcers came through the door with silver-lined cuffs. They took him to the ground.

My arms were still up in the air. Damon was already pinned.

"Let me up. Aria was about to hold me. Why are you stopping her."

No one listened to him. I walked over. An Enforcer blocked me, worried.

"It's all right. He won't hurt me."

If one hug could put his heart to rest, I'd give it.

"Damon. One last time."

He fell against me and cried like his chest was splitting open.

He said sorry over and over. He said he'd brought every piece of this on himself.

They took him. The whole way out, he kept turning back for me. I watched until he was gone.

"Aria. You all right?"

Callum walked back in. He hadn't left. He'd been at the door the whole time, and the moment Celeste picked up that chair he'd called the Pack Enforcers. There were patrols at the base of the hill. They'd come up fast.

I thanked him and walked out past the border.

The Enforcer vehicle with Damon in it shrank and disappeared.

This time, it was the last goodbye.

Goodbye, Damon.