Just know that I got you, okay? Lucian’s voice was a soft murmur against my skin, his arms tightening around me.
I exhaled, my body sinking deeper into his warmth.
“And I will always be here with you, no matter what,” he whispered, his lips brushing my temple.
A deep hum rumbled from his chest, vibrating through me as he held me close, his fingers drawing slow circles on my back. I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want this night to end.
But at some point, exhaustion took over, and wrapped in his embrace, I drifted into sleep.
—
When I woke up, the bed beside me was empty.
For a moment, I lay still, my fingers reaching out to where he had been, but the sheets were cold. My stomach twisted.
I sat up quickly, brushing my hair from my face. The mansion was silent, save for the faint murm
