Axel
A heaviness settled in my limbs, making it nearly impossible to open my eyes. Though I was aware of my surroundings, my body refused to cooperate.
It felt like sleep paralysis, where my mind was awake, yet my muscles remained frozen. Even so, I could sense when someone entered the room. The soft pad of footsteps was light, and the scent was undeniably feminine.
I struggled to lift my eyelids, fully expecting to see Nina standing over me, as she often did, uninvited and overstepping her boundaries. But when I finally forced my eyes open, I was met with Shahar’s latest fascination, Eve.
She stood stiffly beside the bed, rigid as if she had just been caught doing something she shouldn’t have. Her eyes widened in shock, and I could tell she was trying and failing to mask her reaction.
Her fingers had been on me.
I could feel the sensation—a light touch tracing the scar along my ribcage. She had yanked her hand away as if I had burned her.
My gaze scanned the surroundings, noting th
