Sophia
The sound of footsteps in the corridor was faint, but I knew it was him before the knock ever came.
Something in the air shifted, his presence always carried weight, always pressed against me like a tide I could never escape.
My pulse quickened in anticipation, though I pressed a hand against my chest as if to quiet the frantic beat.
The door opened.
And there he was.
Erick.
For a second, I almost forgot to breathe.
His broad frame filled the doorway, the fading light from the hallway casting shadows across his sharp features.
His eyes, those piercing eyes locked onto mine immediately, and I felt stripped bare under the intensity of his gaze.
I didn’t have time to gather myself before he moved.
One stride, then another, and suddenly I was in his arms.
His embrace was
