Chapter 19
(Lex POV)
“Time to go home, my queen,” Colton says as we pull out of the lodge.
Home.
Such a small word—yet it holds so much weight. I’ve played those words over and over in my head. The last home I truly had was fourteen years ago, and I barely remember it. I was too young… too broken by what came after.
Now, as the trees blur past us, nerves twist in my stomach. I can feel Colton’s eyes flicking between me and the road, sensing every flicker of my unease. His hand slides to rest gently on my upper thigh, his thumb tracing slow, grounding circles against my skin. The contact helps, softening the storm inside me—but not enough to quiet all the questions running through my mind.
I don’t want to think about this new home yet. About the people, the expectations, the title tha
