Damien’s POV

Something was off with Luca.

The moment he stepped back into the house after meeting Valarie, his usually soft, expressive face was troubled—his lips slightly downturned, brows furrowed. He didn’t say anything, just gave Damien a small, distracted kiss before excusing himself to play with Ava. That was an immediate red flag. Luca never avoided him.

Damien leaned back against his desk, jaw ticking as he watched Luca and Ava from the open doorway. They were playing a board game, Ava laughing and nudging Luca’s shoulder, but he wasn’t really paying attention. His mind was elsewhere.

That was unacceptable.

Damien was about to demand answers right then and there, but something in Luca’s expression told him he wouldn’t get them. At least, not yet.

Fine.

If Luca wouldn’t talk, Damien would get his answers from Valarie instead.

—

Valarie’s office was dimly lit when he arrived, the only source of light coming from her desk lamp. She was sitting back in her chair, swirling a glass of whiskey in her hand, her expression unreadable. But Damien wasn’t fooled. He knew sadness when he saw it.

"Should I be concerned that my lawyer is hiding things from me?" Damien said smoothly, leaning against the doorframe.

Valarie scoffed. “Should I be concerned that my little brother has a possessive stalker for a husband?”

Damien smirked. “Husband? Already promoting me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Figured I’d get used to it since you’re practically glued to him.”

Damien chuckled, striding over to her desk. “Glad you’re finally acknowledging it, sister-in-law.”

She made a face. “I take it back.”

But the ghost of amusement flickered in her golden-brown eyes, exactly what Damien intended.

Still, as much as he enjoyed getting under Valarie’s skin, he wasn’t here to play. He propped himself against her desk, arms crossed, the teasing edge in his voice gone.

“What happened?”

Valarie exhaled slowly, swirling her glass again before setting it down. “It’s not something I can discuss yet.”

Damien’s jaw tightened. “If it involves Luca, then it is my business.”

She met his gaze, sharp and assessing, as if weighing whether she should tell him. “It’s not just about Luca. It’s about all of us. And right now, I need time to figure things out.”

Damien hated that answer.

But she wasn’t lying.

So he let it slide—for now.

Instead, he picked up her glass and took a sip, ignoring her exasperated look. “Fine. But don’t think I won’t find out anyway.”

Valarie snorted. “Of course not. You’re Damien Volkov. The great possessive, obsessive, overprotective bastard.”

Damien smirked, setting the glass down. “Damn right.”

Then, his expression darkened. “Now, tell me what we know about Mikhail’s next move.”

*****

Damien leaned back against Valarie’s desk, watching her closely as she nursed her whiskey. The tension in her shoulders, the way she hesitated before speaking—it all told him there was more going on than just Mikhail’s movements.

Still, he let her speak at her own pace.

“I saw his men,” she finally admitted, eyes darkening. “When I went to confront Mikhail. He let me in, all smug, like he was expecting me. But I wasn’t alone with him. There were others. Men I didn’t recognize, but they were clearly part of something bigger. Mafia, most likely. And they weren’t just lackeys.”

Damien’s fingers tapped against the desk. “How many?”

“At least six. Maybe more. They were careful, staying in the shadows, but I could feel them watching me. It wasn’t just a meeting—it was a display of power.”

Damien’s jaw clenched. So, Mikhail wasn’t just planning a fight—he was preparing for war.

“And then?” he prompted.

Valarie sighed, leaning back in her chair. “Then I left before I could do something reckless. Mikhail was playing a game, and I wasn’t about to give him what he wanted.” She paused, then added in a softer voice, “because of him Elijah broke up with me.”

Damien stilled.

She said it casually, like it didn’t matter. Like it wasn’t breaking her apart inside.

“Elijah?” His voice was deceptively calm.

Valarie let out a short, humorless laugh. “Yeah. He didn’t give me a real reason. Just said it was ‘for my own good.’ Which, knowing him, means someone threatened him. Probably Mikhail.”

Damien’s eyes narrowed. “And you just accepted that?”

She shot him a glare. “Of course not. But Elijah is stubborn. And if Mikhail has something on him, I need to figure out what before I do anything.”

Damien studied her for a long moment. Then, with a sigh, he reached forward and flicked her forehead.

She blinked. “Did you just—”

“You’re an idiot.”

Valarie gaped at him. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Damien crossed his arms, smirking. “You’re sitting here sulking when you should be making a plan. Since when do you let some asshole dictate your life?”

She scowled. “I am making a plan, you bastard.”

“Then stop looking like a kicked puppy.”

Valarie groaned, rubbing her temples. “Why are you even trying to console me? You hated me when we first met.”

Damien chuckled. “I still do. But unfortunately, you’re my sister-in-law now, and I can’t have my family looking pathetic.”

She threw a pen at his head.

Damien caught it with a smirk. “There she is.”

Valarie rolled her eyes, but the tension in her face eased slightly. “You’re still a cruel, insufferable mafia bastard.”

“And you’re still a pain in the ass.”

They shared a look, one of rare understanding.

Then Damien’s smirk faded, his voice turning serious. “We’ll deal with Mikhail. And if Elijah was threatened, we’ll deal with that too.”

Valarie exhaled, nodding. “Yeah. We will.”

*********

By the time Damien walked through the door of his house, the tension from his conversation with Valarie had faded, replaced by a singular focus—his angel.

Luca sat curled up on the couch with Ava, half-asleep as another Disney movie played in the background. Damien smirked at the sight, leaning against the doorframe.

“What’s this? My little lawyer skipping work again?” His voice was teasing, but Luca jolted awake, blinking up at him.

Ava grinned. “Papa! Luca’s still a little sad, so we’re watching movies.”

Damien hummed, crossing the room and kneeling beside the couch. “Hmm… Sad, huh? Or just lazy?” His fingers brushed over Luca’s cheek, testing for warmth. The fever had gone down, but Luca still looked a little too soft, too vulnerable. It made something dark and possessive curl in Damien’s chest.

“I’m not lazy,” Luca muttered, trying to glare at him but failing miserably.

Damien smirked, leaning in until their noses almost touched. “Then why are you lying around looking so pretty instead of working or studying mhm?” His voice dropped to a husky whisper, meant just for Luca. “Trying to tempt me, angel?”

Luca’s face flushed instantly. “W-We’re watching a movie.”

“Hmm.” Damien’s fingers traced down Luca’s arm, slow and deliberate. “And here I thought you’d be more excited to see me.”

Ava, watching them with a knowing smirk, suddenly clapped her hands. “Okay! I’m going to my room before this gets gross.”

She hopped off the couch and ran down the hall, giggling.

Luca buried his face in his hands. “I hate both of you.”

Damien chuckled, tugging his hands away so he could see that embarrassed, adorable face. “Oh, angel, you love me. And if you keep looking at me like that, I might just have to remind you how much you love me.”

Luca’s breath hitched, his eyes darting to Damien’s lips.

Damien smirked. Got him.

“Damien—” Luca started, but his voice betrayed him, coming out breathless.

Damien chuckled, lifting Luca effortlessly into his arms.

“W-What are you—?”

“I think it’s time for you to properly rest after we make love ofcourse,” Damien murmured against his ear. “And I’ll be right there to make sure you behave.”

Luca let out a flustered noise as Damien carried him toward the bedroom, completely at his mercy.