In the bed, Emma slept restlessly.
She vaguely heard Matthew talking on the balcony, but it was too far, and she could only make out words like "tomorrow" and "arrange".
After an unknown amount of time, Emma smelled smoke. She tried to bury her nose in the comforter, but she was too tired to lift a finger. She merely furrowed her brow slightly in protest.
Matthew looked down at Emma.
Her slender, fair calves peeked out from beneath the covers, marked with fresh, red kiss marks. Her hair was disheveled, her face streaked with tears. She looked utterly pitiful.
"Naughty girl."
Matthew's hand caressed Emma's face. Even in her dreams, she tried to evade his touch. Her lips parted slightly, and she softly murmured, "No..."
Instead of moving away, Matthew leaned closer.
He couldn't under
