Page 31 of Ravage

"Gather everyone tonight," Damon interjects a little too roughly. "And you three meet me in the library after Markel's visit."

Chapter 11

Grey

"We're going ahead with theASS," Damon says as soon as we step inside the library, his waiting frame leaning lazily against a table.

My lips curl up in silent laughter as Avery pauses in her steps, looking bewildered.

"Whose ass?"

"Your ass," I grin, giving hers a little pat as I stop next to her.

Theo glances between us, raising an eyebrow in perplexity. I had intended to fill him in before breakfast, but I was too distracted seeing Avery awake to relay the information properly. I can't help it—she has that effect on me. Plus, she's lost some weight in the past few days, enough to be noticeable. I was determined to get some food into her as soon as possible, even if it was just one pancake. She had complained that she wasn't hungry. A blatant lie, but after Arthur's little announcement, I'm fairly certain it killed all our appetites.

Just like I'm going to kill him.

"It's a new schedule we're implementing," Damon answers. "TheAvery Sleep Schedule."

She blinks once, eyes locked on him. "So, literallymyass. What does this entail then?"

His lips twitch at her words, eyes lighting up slightly. I know he's missed her playful banter, and once again, that knot appears in my stomach. It twists violently like a knife, ripping uncomfortable feelings to the surface against my will.

Now that I know what I do, it's all becoming ridiculously obvious. Maybe I was being deliberately blind, turning away from what was in front of me. But ever since Avery told me about their kiss, it's put me on high alert. Every single interaction between them, I can't help but watch—their body language, the words exchanged, the tension. It's a science experiment, a chemical reaction under way. And the more I observe, the clearer it becomes.

Damon likes her.

Not tolerate, notlikeas a friend.

He LIKES her.

I've barely gotten comfortable with Theo, proud of myself for stepping outside of my cage of demons to put Avery first. To his credit, he made it somewhat easier. Theo's lack of jealousy and equal need to protect her made me respect him. I was able to fight back the hatred I felt initially because we shared the same goals. But Damon? I don't know how to feel about this.

Besides Avery, he is the person I respect most in the world. My brother and best friend, the one person who took me under his wing when I arrived. The trust between us is greater than most—there's nothing I wouldn't do for him. Well,almostnothing.

You'd think that would make things easier. I'd give my life for Damon without a doubt. But my girl? That's another question.

It's not because I don't trust him. And it's not because I feel the need to compete with him.

It's because I know him better than anyone here. And even then, I still don't know him completely.

Damon only lets people see what he wants them to see. I've seen multiple sides of him—the bad, the good, and the worst. And from that, I've seen the way he treated Avery when she first arrived, heard the words he spoke about her.

I've always accepted Damon as he is because I can't judge. I'm the worst anti-hero here—maybe even more horrible than him. But from the moment I met Avery, I knew I wanted her. Damon would have killed her and not thought twice about it.

With all that in mind, it drives me insane thinking that we are now here. Is he even capable of love? Would he love her like I do?

Or will he break her into a thousand pieces and make me choose?

Because I know without a doubt, I'll choose her.

Avery has this ridiculous ability to see the good in everyone. I think she lives in a world where she does so to protect herself—which is stupid and ironic because everyone has let her down.

Even me.

I don't know how she can live with the constant disappointment. Maybe she wants to besavedso badly that she waits and hopes that one day, her suspicions will be right, and it will validate everything in her mind.

Part of me loves that. Another part hates it.

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