The humid air of the Amalfi Coast felt like a damp shroud against Kai's skin as he lay in the darkness of the master suite. The rhythmic, steady sound of Elea’s breathing continued to fill the room, a soft cadence that should have been comforting. To any ordinary husband, it was the sound of a peaceful night. To Kai, it was a mathematical anomaly. He remained perfectly still, his eyes open and tracking the faint moonlight reflecting off the ceiling. He had been monitoring that breath for nearly an hour, and it had not faltered, shifted, or deepened in response to the natural cooling of the room. It was too consistent. It was a loop.
"You are sleeping far too soundly tonight, Elea," Kai thought, his jaw tightening.
He reached out a hand, sliding it across the silk sheets toward the hump
