43. EXPOSÉ

~ Damon ~ “No!” Talia shrieked, but her shouts morphed into cries. “No… No… No!” Damon tightened his grip around her body, pulling her into a deep hug. There was nothing he could say to make things better, so he just kept holding her. Talia shook her head and banged her fists on his chest. She was erratic and distressed. Damon couldn’t even begin to fathom the amount of pain Talia must be feeling right now. If it was the other way around and Violet was the one lying in the mortuary, Damon would do the same, or worse. “You promised!” she cried, pointing a finger at Damon. “We agreed to join the family because you promised Adrian will never get hurt! He won’t even have to hold a gun!” “I know,” Damon said with a long sigh, he persisted to hold her even though she kept fighting back. “I failed him and I failed you. He died protecting me and Violet…”   Talia glanced at Violet from behind Damon’s shoulder. More tears began rolling down her face. She didn’t want any of this. None of this was