Irene Light wakes me before sound does. It slips through the curtains in soft gold threads, falling over the sheets, over the tangle of arms and legs that surround me. For a moment, I just lie there, breathing. The room smells like clean linen, faint smoke from the kitchen, and something else—safety. Rowan is the first I see, sprawled at the foot of the bed like he tried to fight a dream and lost. Elias has half-slid down the headboard, a book open across his chest, its pages rising and falling with each breath. Cassian sleeps facing me, hand resting above the blanket as if reaching for something even in his dreams. And Kevin—warm, steady Kevin—is pressed against my back, his breath slow at the curve of my neck. Four heartbeats, steady and close. My storm, my calm, my home. Cassian stirs first. His lashes flicker, and silver eyes meet mine. He smiles—small, tired, real. “Morning, little ghost.” “I’m not a ghost,” I whisper. He hums, still half-asleep. “Could’ve fooled us. You
Last Updated : 2025-10-10 Read more