~~Claire~~
Damon and I part ways at the airport upon arrival.
He doesn’t like it. Not one bit. He watches me like he’s trying to change my mind through sheer force of will. I can see it in his eyes, the battle between letting me go and dragging me right back to his place where he can keep me under his wing.
But I hold my ground.
“I’m serious, Damon.” I squeeze his hand one last time before letting go. “A week. You focus on Shantelle, I focus on getting myself together. I’ll be fine.”
His jaw clenches. His entire demeanor tells me he's actively resisting the urge to shove me in his car and lock me in a gilded cage somewhere.
“Call me,” he says finally. “If anything feels off. If you so much as see a shadow move weird, I want to know about it.”
“Yes, sir.” I salute him, which earns me
