Katherine’s POV
I blinked slowly as the morning light filtered through the curtains, warm and soft against my skin. The weight in my chest had dulled to a faint ache. No more chains. No cold concrete. No masked guards dragging me from one dark room to another.
I was home.
The scent of something warm and buttery drifted into my nose, followed by the low creak of the door. My eyes fluttered open completely—and there he was.
Jake.
He stood at the foot of the bed, holding a tray with what looked like breakfast. His dark hair was slightly tousled, a plain black shirt clinging to his frame, and for once, the sharp edges of his usual intensity were softened.
“Morning, sleeping beauty,” he said, stepping closer. “I figured you might be hungry.”
I blinked at him, still caught between sleep a
