{Elena’s POV}
I woke up to the scent of leather and gunpowder.
For a moment, I didn’t know where I was. The sheets were too soft. The room was too quiet. And the weight on my chest wasn’t fear—it was him.
Nico.
His scent lingered everywhere—on the pillow, on the air, on my skin.
My side ached when I tried to move, a sharp pain cutting through my ribs like glass. I winced, biting my bottom lip to keep from crying out.
“You’re awake.”
His voice came from the shadows.
I turned my head slowly. Nico sat in a black armchair near the window, legs spread, gun in his lap, eyes locked on me like a predator waiting for weakness.
“What time is it?” I asked, my voice hoarse.
“Past noon.” His jaw twitched. “You were unconscious for most of the morning.”
“And you’ve just been sitting there, wa
