Adrian
A knock on the door pulled me out of sleep.
I opened my eyes slowly.
Emily.
Curled against my chest, her breath warm against my skin, her fingers loosely gripping the fabric of my shirt as if even in sleep she feared I might disappear.
The knock came again.
More insistent this time.
Emily stirred.
I tightened my arm around her automatically, my palm sliding up and down her back in a slow, calming motion.
“Sleep,” I murmured against her hair.
She made a soft sound of protest but sank back into the mattress.
I slipped out carefully, ensuring the blanket was tucked around her before I stood. I pulled on a robe and stepped into the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind me with quiet precision.
By the time I reached the stairs, I already knew this wouldn’t be good.
Madam
