Damon’s POV

The words hung in the air like ice.

“Tell him, Aria,” Vanessa whispered, her voice like poison. “Tell him whose child you’re carrying.”

For a moment, everything seemed perfectly quiet. The gentle crackle of the fading fire added a warm, cosy feel, while the soft hiss of the wind swirled gently through the open window, and Aria’s tranquil silence wrapped around everything like a comforting hug.

I sensed it even before she spoke, feeling the change in her scent. That ...