Morning light continued to spill across the penthouse, soft and almost deceptive in how normal it made everything feel. Outside these walls, the city moved like nothing had happened, like I hadn’t been dragged into darkness and pulled back by sheer force of will. Inside, the silence lingered—heavy, thoughtful, charged with everything we hadn’t said yet.
Asher stepped back first.
Not because he wanted to, I realized, but because he was choosing control over instinct. The warmth of his hands left my arms, and immediately I missed it more than I wanted to admit. He turned slightly, running a hand through his hair, his posture tense in a way I’d never seen before. This wasn’t a man unsure of himself. This was a man fighting something internal—and losing ground.
“We should get you checked ag
