CLAIRE
I did not sleep.
I lay in bed with the lights off and my eyes open, staring at the ceiling while my thoughts refused to settle into anything coherent. Every time I closed my eyes, the sensation returned. Heat at my neck. Pressure. Awareness. The exact moment his mouth had touched my skin replayed itself with infuriating clarity.
The mark throbbed faintly, not like an injury and not like a bruise. It felt active, as if my body had incorporated it into its internal map without consulting me.
That realization made my stomach twist.
I rolled onto my side and reached up, fingers brushing the tender skin at my neck before I could stop myself. The reaction was immediate. Not pain, but a low, responsive warmth that spread just enough to make my breath hitch.
I pulled my
