Damien shook his head, closing his hands into fists.
“And it got us nowhere,” Damien rasped, shaking his head. “It was Elara’s sharp mind and will that brought Evander home. Not my fists or your investigation.”
His words were followed by another stretch of heavy silence before Adrian spoke again.
“We have all changed, Damien. Evander included. Though he is not himself at the moment, I have faith that he will rise anew. Perhaps you should, too.”
Damien looked up, his brow raised in question as he took in Adrian’s words.
“I know you do not wish to admit that you love her,” Adrian explained, leaning forward. “But what if you were willing to lower your guard around her? Just a little? Allow yourself to be something else besides a protector for once?”
Discomfort poured through Damien. That was all he had ever been. For his friends. For his little brother Jeremy. For his people in his dukedom.
“I do not know how to be anything else,” Damien rasped, feeling helpless for the first time in a very long time.
“And you will not learn how to if you do not begin to try,” Adrian replied, offering him a small, supportive smile. “Show her, Damien. Show her you are more than what the rumors say about you.”
Damien huffed, but he found his lips twitching toward a small smile of his own. Was it possible? Could he be something other than a brute in her eyes?
“Let us change the subject,” Adrian announced, and Damien agreed willingly.
“I am going to overlook the fact that you did not invite Bridget and me to your little wedding last week, but I am most curious how you convinced Caroline to come back.”
Damien explained, keeping the details to a minimum. He was not about to tell Adrian about their kiss and open the conversation of his supposed affection all over again. Instead, he moved quickly toward a subject that he knew would pull Adrian’s focus: their visit to Evander.
“You saw him? In person?” Adrian asked, leaning forward in his chair.
Damien nodded.
“How was he? Do you believe he would allow us to visit?” Adrian asked in rapid succession.
“He is struggling,” Damien replied, giving his honest opinion. “Though I believe that a part of him is trying very hard to get past what has happened. I still hold hope that Evander will, as you said, rise anew. As for visiting, I would not recommend it. Not yet, anyway. I believe the only reason he allowed us to do so was because of the storm. He allowed me to visit with him in his study that night, but by morning, he had sealed himself off in his rooms, refusing both Caroline and me.”
Sympathy poured through Damien as the helpless look on Adrian’s face deepened. He wanted to help Evander. They all did. Until he gave them permission to do so, though, all any of them could do was wait and hope.
“I miss him,” Adrian rasped, his blue eyes filling with sadness. “I feel that we got him back from those demons only to lose him to the memory of what they did to him.”
“Have faith, Adrian,” Damien urged. “After all he went through, he at least deserves that from us. Evander is a strong man. Perhaps the strongest of us all.”
Adrian nodded, then stood as he drew in a deep breath.
“I want to get back to Bridget,” he announced, straightening his jacket.
Knowing that the woman was a lifeline for his old friend, Damien made no protest as he too rose from his chair.
“Be sure to tell her we send our regards,” Damien told him, waving a hand toward the door. “I will walk you out.”
At that, Adrian mustered up another smirk.
“Do not trust me not to catch you spying again?” he jested.
Damien grumbled something under his breath as he rolled his eyes, but he, too, felt a smirk upon his lips.
“Let us box again soon,” he added as they walked toward the front door. “At your place, though. I think it is better.”
Adrian nodded in agreement, knowing full well why Damien was requesting a change of venue.
“Any time,” Adrian replied.
