Damon’s POV

Morning walks had become my ritual.

They were the only quiet part of my day—no neighbors waving, no barbecue smoke, no suspicious glares from Lina, and definitely no unexpected, tension-filled eye contact with Brenda.

Just me, the cold morning air, and the rhythmic crunch of gravel under my sneakers.

I liked being up before the world fully woke. The sun hadn’t climbed high yet, so everything was blue—soft, muted, peaceful. I wore my tank top and sweatpants, the ...