Iris's POV
My eyes snapped open in the dark.
The guest room was silent, but my heart was already racing. Today was the day. Chloe was coming home.
I lay there for a long minute, staring at the ceiling, listening to the house breathe around me. Every creak felt louder than usual. Rafael’s bite on my shoulder throbbed faintly under the sweater I’d slept in. I touched it, remembering his mouth there, and a shiver ran through me that had nothing to do with the morning chill.
I got up, moving quietly. Took a quick shower, put on light makeup to hide the shadows under my eyes. I chose a soft cream sweater that covered the marks and dark jeans. When I crept downstairs, the kitchen light was already on.
Rafael stood at the counter, pouring coffee. He looked up the second I appeared, like he
