Bailey’s POV
I paced around my room throughout the day, restless as I waited for him to return. Hours passed slowly, stretching into evening, and eventually exhaustion won. I lay down on the bed, pulling the duvet up to my chest and tucking myself in.
It was nearly midnight when I heard the sound of boots approaching the door.
I recognized the rhythm instantly — Rider.
What was he doing here this late?
The door opened with a soft click. Alarm flickered through me, but I didn’t move right away. I watched silently as a figure stepped inside.
Rider.
He closed the door quietly behind him. Only then did I sit up on the bed.
“You don’t knock,” I murmured into the dim room.
“You’re awake?” he replied, the question clearly rhetorical.
I nodded, shifting slightly beneath the covers. Seein
