Chapter 6: Boiling point

It was nearly 5 a.m. when Markus finally dropped me off at the front door. I could still hear the bass of the music from the party thumping in my head, the dizziness from the chaos of the night lingering as I stepped out of the car. The cold, early morning air hit me like a slap to the face, sobering me up just enough to realize how late—or rather, how early—it was.

"I had fun tonight," Markus said, leaning back casually in the driver's seat, his usual relaxed smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah," I mumbled, fumbling with my keys, still disoriented from the evening. "It was… something."

The party had been wild—far wilder than anything I'd ever experienced. It wasn't really my scene, but Markus had insisted it would be fun. And for a while, it had been. But somewhere between the flashing lights and the endless drinks, I'd felt a knot of unease forming in my chest. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was out of place, that I didn't belong there. But Markus had been there, keeping close, keeping me safe—or so I thought.

I stumbled a bit as I made my way to the door, waving Markus off with a tired smile. As soon as I entered the house, the feeling hit me—something was off. It was too quiet, too still. Before I could take another step, Daemon was standing there in the hallway, his figure tall and imposing, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His icy blue eyes were darker than usual, stormy, and his face was twisted with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

"Nina," he said, his voice low and controlled, but I could hear the anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Where the hell have you been?"

I blinked, startled by his tone. "I—I was with Markus. We just—"

Daemon cut me off, taking a step closer, his jaw tight. "It's five in the morning."

"I know," I said, suddenly defensive. "But I was with Markus. I was fine."

"Fine?" Daemon's voice sharpened, his eyes narrowing. "You were out all night at some party with him. You didn't even answer your phone. Do you have any idea what could've happened?"

I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. This wasn't like Daemon—this anger, this possessiveness. It was unfamiliar, and it threw me off balance. "Why do you even care?" I shot back, my voice trembling with frustration. "It's not like you've ever cared before."

Daemon's expression hardened, his fists clenching at his sides. "I don't trust Markus. I never have."

Before I could respond, the door swung open behind me, and Markus stepped inside, unaware of the tension building between Daemon and me. "Hey, Nina, you forgot your—"

The moment Daemon saw Markus, everything shifted. He moved so quickly that I barely had time to process it. In an instant, Daemon's fist connected with Markus's jaw, the sound of the punch echoing through the house.

"Daemon!" I screamed, rushing forward as Markus stumbled back, clutching his face in shock. "What the hell are you doing?"

Markus, to his credit, didn't retaliate. He straightened himself, his eyes flashing with anger but also confusion. "What's your problem, man?" he spat, rubbing his jaw.

Daemon's chest was heaving, his eyes locked on Markus with a fury I'd never seen before. "My problem is you," Daemon growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You're reckless. You take her out, drag her to some party, and leave her completely vulnerable. You don't give a damn about her safety."

Markus scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I was with her the entire time. She's not a child, Daemon. She can make her own choices."

"Clearly not," Daemon snapped, his gaze shifting to me. "Not when she's with someone like you."

The tension between them was suffocating, and I felt like I was being torn in two. I stepped between them, trying to diffuse the situation. "Stop it. Both of you. This is ridiculous."

I turned to Daemon, my heart racing. "Why are you acting like this?" I demanded. "What does it matter to you who I go out with?"

Daemon's eyes flickered with something—something darker, something he couldn't quite admit to himself. "You don't get it," he muttered, his voice strained. "You don't understand what kind of person Markus really is."

"Daemon, that's not your call to make!" I shouted back, my frustration boiling over. "You don't get to control my life. You never have."

Markus, still standing off to the side, raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Look, I didn't mean for any of this to happen," he said, his voice calm but tense. "I just wanted Nina to have some fun. If I overstepped, I'm sorry."

Daemon's gaze was still locked on Markus, his expression hard as stone. But there was something else there too—something I hadn't noticed before. Jealousy. It was subtle, buried beneath layers of anger and control, but it was there. And for the first time, I realized that Daemon's fury wasn't just about Markus being reckless. It was about something deeper, something he couldn't quite admit to himself.

I stood there, caught between them, my heart pounding in my chest. The truth was, I didn't fully understand what was happening either. Daemon had always been cold, distant, but now there was something raw in his emotions, something I didn't know how to deal with.

"Daemon," I said quietly, my voice softer now, the anger draining out of me. "I can take care of myself. You don't have to do this."

Daemon's eyes met mine, and for a split second, I saw the cracks in his walls. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again, shaking his head. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving me and Markus standing in the aftermath of his storm.

Markus touched his jaw, wincing slightly but managing a weak smile. "I think I should probably go."

I nodded, still trying to process everything that had just happened. "Yeah, maybe that's a good idea."

He gave me a small, apologetic look before heading out the door, leaving me alone in the quiet house.

I stood there for a long moment, staring at the empty doorway, my mind racing. Daemon's jealousy, his anger—it had caught me off guard, and I didn't know what to do with it. I had always thought his coldness was just part of who he was, that he simply didn't care. But now… now I wasn't so sure.