Elena bit her lip as Rico dragged Damon out from under her bed, his face a storm cloud of anger.
"Let me go!" Damon shouted, yanking his arm free.
"Elena Roseburg Reed!" Rico's voice boomed, filled with fury. "Explain yourself!"
"What is there to explain?" Damon smirked, stepping forward to wrap his arm around Elena's waist. "It's pretty obvious, isn't it?"
"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!" Rico lunged, grabbing Damon by his tie and slamming him against the wall. "I told you to stay away from my sister!"
"Oh, you mean my wife?" Damon shot back, pushing Rico off with a fierce shove.
Rico stumbled onto the bed but scrambled up, ready to strike, his fists clenched. But Elena leapt between them, throwing her arms wide.
"Enough, you two!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the tension. "Rico, I've decided to stay married to Damon."
Rico's face shifted, a mix of shock and disbelief. "What? Did he threaten you?"
"No, Rico. He hasn't threatened me—ever. I lied before. I married him of my own free will," Elena confessed, her voice steady.
"You're kidding, right?" Rico's eyes searched her face, looking for any sign of deception.
"I'm not."
Rico's shock quickly turned into anger. "You're really going to stay with this... this demon?" He jabbed a finger in Damon's direction.
"Who are you calling a demon?" Damon stepped forward, his own temper rising.
"You!" Rico spat, his fists clenching again. "What are you going to do about it?"
Damon gently pushed Elena aside, his eyes locked on Rico. The two men collided, fists flying, a whirlwind of rage and frustration.
Elena watched from the sides, fury building inside her.
She stormed out of the room, heading to the kitchen. Moments later, she returned holding a frying pan in her hand.
Without a word, she brought it down hard on Rico's back and then on Damon's, startling them both.
"Go on," she said, raising the pan threateningly. "Keep fighting, and we'll see where this pan lands next."
The two men stumbled back, rubbing their aching backs, casting wary glances at the pan in her hand.
"I'm sick of this childish fighting. I don't care if you two despise each other, but you better learn to get along. If not, Damon, I'll divorce you, and Rico, you can forget you ever had a sister. Got it?"
Like chastened children, the men nodded.
"But, Elena..." Rico's voice was softer now, almost pleading. "What if I have to arrest him? He's... he's not a good person, Elena. People have died because of him."
Damon's face darkened, but he said nothing.
Elena gave Rico a hard look. "Then arrest him, and that'll be the end of it. Our marriage will be over."
Just as she finished speaking, Rico's phone rang. With a smirk, he answered it, putting it on speaker.
"Sir," a voice crackled on the other end.
"We found four bodies dumped outside the city. Witnesses confirmed the men who dropped them off were associated with Damon. An arrest warrant has just been issued."
Rico's smirk grew as he hung up, casting a triumphant look at Elena. "See? This man is a magnet for death and trouble."
Damon's gaze met Elena's, a flash of vulnerability in his eyes. But to everyone's surprise, Elena's voice was calm and unwavering.
"Then arrest him," she said. "I'll go with him as his wife."
"What? Elena, you can't be serious!" Rico shouted, exasperated. "This guy's dangerous!"
"I'm not asking for your permission, Rico," Elena replied coolly. "Either I accompany him, or I'll drive him to the station myself."
Rico exhaled heavily, defeated. He reached behind him to pull out his handcuffs, but Elena stopped him.
"Don't cuff him."
"Elena, come on!" Rico groaned, but he reluctantly put the cuffs away.
Damon looked at Elena, his heart pounding. This woman, standing by him against her own brother, was unlike anyone he'd ever met. Emotion threatened to spill over, but he forced it down, unwilling to show any weakness in front of Rico.
The three left the apartment, a tense silence between them. Damon drove with Elena in his car, while Rico followed in his own.
In the car, Damon glanced at Elena, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you," he said, his gratitude genuine.
"No need to thank me, We promised to give this marriage a try," Elena replied, her gaze steady.
Damon managed a faint smile, then focused on the road, heart still racing.
They pulled up in front of the police station, where Raymond was waiting with a smug look on his face.
He had spearheaded the warrant and was itching to see Damon behind bars.
"There he is," Rico said, nodding toward Damon's car.
Raymond gestured to the other officers, and they approached the car in a tight formation.
From inside, Damon noticed Raymond's hand resting on his gun, his expression dark and intent. Elena noticed, too, sensing danger.
"Stay inside," she whispered, about to get out. But Damon grabbed her hand, his grip tight.
"Be careful," he murmured.
"I Will", Elena gave him a reassuring smile and stepped out.
As soon as her foot touched the ground, Raymond whipped out his gun, aiming at the car. His eyes burned with a fierce determination, clearly prepared to claim an "accidental" shooting if it meant eliminating Damon.
He was determined even if it meant he could possibly lose his job.
A shot rang out, piercing the silence.
"Elena!" Damon shouted, leaping out of the car, his heart hammering. Rico was sprinting over, panic etched on his face.
Elena stumbled, clutching her side as she felt a sharp pain spread through her abdomen.
Her hand came away bloody. She swayed, her vision blurring, but just before she collapsed, Damon caught her, cradling her in his arms.
"Elena, stay with me," he whispered urgently, his voice breaking. Tears welled in her eyes, mingling with the fear and pain that radiated from her.
"Damon..." she managed, her voice barely audible.