“Lucy, wake up.”The voice came through the fog first, low and urgent, wrapped in something warm and familiar. Then came the touch, strong fingers brushing across her cheek.Her eyes fluttered open to a blur of gold and white. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. Then the scent hit her, cedar, smoke, and that faint trace of Austin’s cologne that always made her heartbeat lose rhythm.She was in his mansion.The storm had passed. But outside the tall glass windows, the sky still looked bruised, as if it hadn’t forgiven the night before.“Austin?” she whispered, her voice rough, her throat dry.“I’m here.” His voice was steady, but there was a crack in it — the kind only fear leaves behind. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, sleeves rolled up, hair tousled, the top buttons of his shirt undone. His eyes looked tired, haunted.Lucy blinked, disoriented. “What happened?”“You fainted,” he said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “After the fire.”Her breath caugh
Last Updated : 2025-10-29 Read more