Page 85 of Sticks & Serpents

“Damien?” he pressed gently, his gaze unwavering.

It was maddening how he expected an answer—how he thought it could be that simple after all this time spent battling our demons separately.

But maybe… maybe it could be different if I let him in—if I dared to believe that moving away from this mess could offer something resembling normalcy for once.

Yet doubt flickered through my mind like lightning in a storm—a reminder that every time I'd reached out for something better, it had only slipped through my fingers like smoke.

I scoffed, disbelief coating my words like a bitter aftertaste. “You think one fight fixes this? You left, Cooper.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Cooper didn’t argue; he simply looked away, jaw tight as if bracing against the weight of unspoken truths.

He knew.

He fucking knew.

The two people standing here offered something I’d never had: a choice. A way out. A fucking home.

I exhaled sharply, my heart hammering against my ribcage as if trying to break free from the cage I’d built around myself. The weight of their gaze pressed down on me like a heavy blanket, suffocating yet oddly comforting.

“Damien,” Cooper said quietly, his voice breaking through the haze of my thoughts. “You don’t have to keep fighting this alone.”

But could I trust them? Could I trust him? My mother’s cold touch still haunted me, her words echoing in my mind as if she were lurking just out of sight, ready to pounce.

“Everything is different now,” I muttered under my breath, though deep down, I wasn’t sure if I meant it for them or myself.

Everly tilted her head slightly, those bright green eyes searching mine as if trying to decipher a riddle only she could solve. “You can come stay with us until you figure things out,” she offered softly.

A part of me wanted to scream at her—to push them both away and retreat into the darkness where I felt most at home. But another part—a flicker of hope buried deep beneath layers of hurt—yearned for the warmth they offered.

I stood frozen between two worlds: one that cradled me in chaos and despair and another that glimmered with promise but terrified me all the same. How could I ever let go of what I knew?

He took a step closer, his expression shifting from concern to determination as he spoke again. “You’re not alone in this, Damien.”

Fuck.

Pretty words.

But still…

I wanted to believe him, but how could I? I didn’t know what to do with this choice being handed to me, and I doubted I ever would.

Chapter25

Holly

Istood in front of the mirror, my fingers nervously adjusting the straps of my dress. The soft fabric hugged my body, the deep navy blue contrasting with my hazel eyes and framing my skin. My hair fell in loose waves around my shoulders, a few rebellious strands escaping their confines to brush against my cheek. I took a breath, trying to steady myself as I focused on the reflection staring back at me.

But it wasn’t just about looking good for the donor dinner. My heart raced not from excitement but from a gnawing anxiety. The dinner loomed ahead like a storm cloud threatening rain, but that wasn’t what made me uneasy.

It was Damien.

I hadn’t seen him since that night he confronted me about Logan. I had meant it—every word had dripped with frustration and hurt—but now, as I stood there alone in my room, those words felt like daggers lodged deep within me.

What if he didn’t show up? What if he did? The uncertainty twisted in my stomach like a tightening coil, reminding me of how things had spiraled between us.

Damien was supposed to be here tonight—how could he not be? He was part of this event, and yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that he might avoid me entirely. He was unpredictable; he always had been. What if our last confrontation left scars too deep for him to return?

I ran a hand over the fabric of my dress again, trying to focus on anything but him—anything but how much I missed him. The way his presence used to consume every room we entered together.

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