Elena's POV

The car ride home from the airport felt endless, every second stretching like it had nowhere else to go.

I squinted, staring out the window watching Denver blur past in muted colors. I was exhausted.

My body felt heavy. My head felt worse.

Damien sat beside me in silence, his presence loud even without saying anything. I could feel him glancing at me every few minutes like he wanted to say something but didn't know how.

The tension from Singapore still hung between us thick and ...