Damon POV

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I sat in the study the morning after we arrived, sunlight pushing through the heavy curtains and hitting the monitors on the oak desk. Feeds from the motel flickered in front of me.

I turned up the volume on the intercepted call.

Celeste’s voice came first, sharp and bitter. “Damien, I’m telling you, the kid almost didn’t make it last time. That should have been enough to break him.”

My brother’s reply crackled through, cold as ever. “It wasn’t. I need more, ...