By the time I reached the Royal Fairmont, the adrenaline from Mario’s living room had finally begun to ebb, leaving behind a bone‑deep exhaustion. The elevator chimed softly as it opened onto our suite floor, and for a moment I just stood there, breathing in the quiet warmth of the hotel hallway.
It was Valentine’s weekend. I’d spent the day dodging guns instead of eating Malik’s favorite heart‑shaped chocolates with him… and at one point, I genuinely worried I’d never see Amir naked again. Not exactly the romantic weekend I’d imagined.
I unlocked the door gently. Inside, the lights were dimmed to a soft cool blue glow. And there on the couch were my boys.
Amir sat slouched against the cushions, head tilted back, one arm wrapped protectively around Malik, who was curled into his chest l
