Chapter 103

Chapter 103

The worst part?

Neither was anyone else.

Because the second Damon placed his hand behind Luca's chair

The entire room noticed.

Every.

Single.

Person.

Adrian noticed.

Nova noticed.

Seraphine noticed.

Mira nearly dropped her drink.

Cassian looked moments away from ascending into a higher plane of existence from pure entertainment.

And Luca

Luca definitely noticed.

A faint tension appeared in his shoulders.

Not discomfort.

Awareness.

Dangerous awareness.

Adrian looked between them.

Then slowly smiled.

Ah.

That kind of smile.

The kind that said:

I understand what's happening here.

Damon immediately disliked him more.

Which was impressive.

Because he already disliked him a lot.

"So," Adrian said casually.

Looking directly at Damon.

"How long have you two been together?"

Silence.

Catastrophic silence.

The room froze.

Someone in the corner actually choked.

Cassian.

Obviously.

Luca blinked.

Damon stared.

Adrian frowned.

"What?"

Nova covered her face.

"Oh my God."

Seraphine immediately stood up.

"Nope."

She walked out.

Smartest person in the room.

Without question.

"We're not together," Damon said.

Far too quickly.

Far too defensively.

Adrian looked unconvinced.

Reasonably.

Very reasonably.

Luca still wasn't looking at Damon.

Which somehow made everything worse.

Then Cassian finally recovered enough oxygen to speak.

"Technically."

"No."

"Technically."

"No."

"Emotionally?"

"Cassian."

"Extremely yes."

Mira nodded.

"Very yes."

Traitor.

Absolute traitor.

Luca finally looked up.

Directly at Damon.

And for a brief second

The noise around them disappeared.

No Cassian.

No Adrian.

No Nova.

Just Damon.

Just Luca.

And that look.

The one that always felt dangerous.

The one Damon was starting to crave.

Then Luca looked away first.

Coward.

The conversation eventually recovered.

Somehow.

Though Adrian wisely changed subjects.

A survival instinct Damon could respect.

Hours later, the gathering began breaking apart.

People returning to assigned rooms.

Lights turning off throughout the safehouse.

The house gradually becoming quiet.

Mostly.

Cassian was still explaining relationship dynamics to Mira.

Poorly.

Very poorly.

Damon escaped outside before permanent damage occurred.

The cool night air felt like a rescue.

For about thirty seconds.

Then the porch door opened.

Luca.

Of course.

For a moment neither spoke.

The stars stretched overhead.

The vineyards below dark and silent.

The world felt strangely peaceful.

Temporary.

But real.

Luca leaned against the porch railing.

Close.

Again.

Always close.

Damon was beginning to think they did it unconsciously.

A dangerous observation.

"Adrian likes you."

The words escaped before Damon could stop them.

Immediately regrettable.

Very regrettable.

Luca turned.

One eyebrow lifting slightly.

"Oh?"

Damon already hated this conversation.

"He does."

Luca studied him quietly.

Then

A tiny smile.

Damn it.

"You sound annoyed."

"I'm not."

Lie.

Complete lie.

Luca knew it too.

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You are."

The argument continued for several seconds.

Neither convincing the other.

Mostly because Luca was right.

Again.

An unfortunate pattern.

Finally Luca sighed.

"He's not my type."

The statement landed harder than expected.

Damon looked toward him.

"What is your type?"

The question slipped out naturally.

Then immediately became dangerous.

Because suddenly

Neither of them looked away.

The air shifted.

Charged.

The same feeling from the porch.

The kitchen.

The vineyard.

Building.

Growing.

Luca's expression softened slightly.

Almost amused.

Almost nervous.

Almost hopeful.

A combination Damon had never seen before.

"You really want to know?"

His voice was quieter now.

Lower.

Closer.

Damon's pulse immediately became a problem.

"Maybe."

Luca held his gaze.

For one second.

Two.

Three.

Too long.

Far too long.

Then

The porch door opened again.

Naturally.

Because the universe hated them.

Nova stepped outside.

Stopped.

Looked at them.

Looked at the distance between them.

Then immediately turned around.

"Nope."

The door closed.

Silence.

Dead silence.

Damon covered his face.

Luca laughed.

Actually laughed.

The sound hit Damon directly in the chest.

Because it wasn't a small smile this time.

It wasn't guarded.

It wasn't careful.

It was real.

Bright.

Beautiful.

And Damon realized something terrifying.

He'd spend the rest of his life chasing that sound if Luca let him.

The thought should have scared him.

Instead

It felt right.

Across the house

Hidden behind a curtain upstairs

Cassian lowered a pair of binoculars.

Again.

Mira looked up.

"What happened?"

Cassian sighed dramatically.

"They continue to be useless."

Mira nodded solemnly.

"Very tragic."

Meanwhile, outside

Damon and Luca remained on the porch.

Neither moving away.

Neither wanting to.

The tension between them no longer felt accidental.

It felt inevitable.