~TESSA~
That night, sleep came slow.
Even though the clubhouse was quiet, my mind wouldn’t rest. The clock on the nightstand ticked louder than usual, each second stretching into a full minute.
Ryder had gone to shower, and the faint hiss of water from the bathroom was the only sound between my thoughts.
I sat up against the headboard, tracing my fingers along the pendant at my neck — not Marcus’s tracker anymore.
Ryder had replaced it with a simple chain, a silver charm in the shape of a feather.
He’d said it meant freedom.
Funny how that word still felt foreign in my mouth.
When he finally came out, his hair was damp, a towel slung over his shoulder. “You still awake, angel?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” I admitted.
He crossed the room, shirtless, that faint scent of soap still clinging
