Kiara I woke up with a low groan, pulled out of sleep by a warm ache rising from my belly up to my chest. I blinked a few times before figuring out where I was. The room was dim, lit only by the small lamp on the nightstand. It smelled like medicine, clean clothes, and… something I couldn’t quite recognize. It wasn’t Jake’s scent. My heart lurched. I tried to push myself upright a little, but a warm hand gently pressed my arm. “Kiara, easy. You’re okay,” a male voice said beside me. I turned my head slowly. Thomas was sitting in the chair next to the bed, his face a mixture of worry and exhaustion. His elbows rested on his knees, and he looked like he hadn’t moved in hours. My breathing quickened before I could stop it. Instinctively, my gaze darted around the room, searching for Jake’s large, warm body, his scent, his presence. But he wasn’t there. Not the empty space where he’d been caring for me, not his scent, not his body leaning over me to make sure I was okay. Nothing.
Last Updated : 2025-12-11 Read more