Beyond the closed door, the noise of the busy arena faded as they walked into Damon's assigned room.
Svetlana was already there, sitting on the edge of the couch with her arms crossed. When she saw them walk in, she snapped her head up.
Right away, her face relaxed, and her lips curled into a smile. "There he is. The man of the hour," she said, standing to greet Damon.
Damon smiled and walked over to her, forgetting for a moment how tired he was. "Had to make it worth your time watching," he teased.
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her amusement. "You've got a knack for making things look easy."
Vicky cleared his throat, which got their attention. "Not just easy. Impressive. That kick's gonna be on highlight reels for a while."
As more people came in, Damon noticed that Victor had stayed near the door and been a little quieter than normal.
Something about his demeanor made Damon's thoughts wander back to earlier in the evening.