Chapter 82- Midnight Silk and Rooftop Stars

We lay there for what felt like an eternity, wrapped in the kind of silence that speaks volumes. Damon’s arm was draped over my waist, his chest rising and falling rhythmically behind me. The warmth of his skin against mine, the subtle scent of his cologne still lingering in the sheets—it all brought me a rare kind of comfort. For the first time in what felt like days, I allowed myself to simply breathe.

For a while, it was enough to make me forget the ache in my chest—the guilt gnawing at me for leaving Baby Damon behind, even if just for a little while.

Then, without warning, Damon sat up. The sudden shift in the bed pulled me from my haze, and I turned to look at him. There was something unreadable in his expression, like a thought had just struck him and he wasn’t quite sure how to say it.

“What’s going on?” I asked softly, pushing my tangled hair away from my face.

He looked down at me, a slow smile curving his lips. “There’s a red dress in your closet,” he said, his voice calm and deliberate, “the one I picked out for you last month.”

I blinked. “The silk one?”

He nodded. “Put it on. And those black heels I gave you for your birthday.”

I raised a brow, uncertain where this was going. “Is this for… round two?” I teased with a smirk.

He chuckled, deep and low in his throat, then stood. “No, I’m taking you out.”

“Out?” I echoed, propping myself up on my elbows.

He was already grabbing his phone from the nightstand. “Yeah. I’m going to wear that suit you like—the one that makes you drool.” He flashed me a grin before lifting the phone to his ear. “One of my boys just opened a rooftop restaurant. You’ve been locked up in this house too long, baby. It’s time.”

I sat up fully, the idea still sinking in. “What about Baby Damon?” My voice rose in protest. “We can’t just leave him alone.”

“We won’t,” he said, already dialing. “We’ll drop him off at Maria and Mason’s. They love having him over.” He paused, then said into the phone, “Bullet? Bring the car around.”

I stared at him like he’d lost his damn mind. “It’s almost midnight, Damon.”

He turned toward the closet and pulled out the red dress, tossing it onto the bed with a devilish gleam in his eyes. “And yet here we are. As much as I love seeing you like this,” his gaze dipped to my bare chest, “I need you to get up, shower, and put that dress on.”

I gave him a dramatic look of disbelief, but then I laughed. He always knew how to pull me out of my shell. I stood, snatched the dress, kissed his lips, and rushed into the bathroom before I could overthink it.

Thirty minutes later, I emerged transformed. My hair was smoothed down into soft waves, makeup minimal but elegant, and the red dress—well, it was everything Damon promised it would be. It clung to every curve like a secret, soft as a whisper against my skin. The slit up the back exposed a daring glimpse of my thigh, and the heels added just enough height to make me feel like I belonged in another world altogether.

As I stepped out into the hallway, I saw him.

Damon stood by the window, adjusting his cufflinks. The material of his suit stretched across his broad shoulders like it had been tailored just for him. The moment he turned around, his gaze fell on me—and just like that, I was breathless.

“Wow,” he murmured, crossing the room in slow, measured steps. “I don’t know how you do it.”

I tilted my head. “Do what?”

He reached out, brushing his thumb along my lower lip. “How you manage to look more beautiful every single day.”

I looked down, trying to hide my smile, but the warmth spread across my cheeks anyway. He kissed my forehead, soft and reverent, and just like that I forgot all about time.

We left the house in the sleek black convertible—the same one I had once driven to Somber Forest. Oddly enough, I had worn red that night, too. Baby Damon was nestled in my lap, sleeping soundly as we pulled away.

“Drive slow,” I warned, holding our child tightly, “if not for me, then for him.

He chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest.

When we arrived at Maria’s house, she greeted us with sleepy enthusiasm but no complaints. “Go,” she urged, cradling Baby Damon with practiced ease. “Enjoy yourselves. You deserve it.”

We didn’t wait long. As soon as we were back in the car, Damon hit the gas like the world belonged to him—and maybe it did. We tore through the empty streets, the wind slicing through the night like laughter, like freedom. My hair flew wildly around me, and I clutched the edge of my seat.

“Damon!” I yelled over the roar of the wind, “Slow the hell down!”

He only laughed harder, the thrill of the moment lighting up his eyes. Rules didn’t matter when you were alpha. No one would stop him. No one could.

Eventually, the car slowed as we neared a quiet road canopied by glowing lights and tall, whispering trees. The hum of low music drifted through the air, and laughter rang from restaurants lining the sidewalks. Outdoor patios sparkled with fairy lights. Humans and wolves sat side by side, sipping wine and sharing stories beneath the stars.

My heart tightened.

“Wow,” I whispered, leaning closer to the window. “I didn’t realize things changed so fast.”

“They did,” Damon said, his voice softer now. “Because of you.”

I turned toward him, startled, but he was looking ahead.

Because of me.

It was true, wasn’t it? Peace, harmony, unity—fragile though it was—it existed because I’d helped make it so. The thought settled heavily in my chest.

We pulled up outside a tall, vintage-style building with wrought iron balconies and ivy curling along the stone walls. It looked like something out of another century—elegant and old-world. Damon circled the car, opened my door, and offered me his hand.

“Try not to blush this time,” he teased as I stepped out.

“I make no promises.”

He handed the valet his keys. “Don’t even think about taking it for a spin,” Damon warned, although his smirk showed he wasn’t serious.

The kid laughed nervously, but Damon slipped him a crisp hundred-dollar bill anyway.

Inside, the air smelled like expensive wine and warm spices. Damon led me past marble pillars and velvet drapes, his arm linked with mine. We stopped at an elevator, the golden doors gleaming under the chandelier light.

“What’s upstairs?” I asked.

“You’ll see.”

“You know I hate surprises.”

“Good thing you won’t have to wait long, then.”

The elevator doors opened, and my breath caught in my throat.

The rooftop was breathtaking.

String lights crisscrossed above tables draped in white linen. The city lights twinkled far below us, and a live band played something soft and haunting in the corner. The wind kissed my skin, and for a moment, I forgot everything else—every fear, every shadow that still followed us.

Just for tonight, it felt like the world had paused… and was finally letting us breathe.