Rayla stirred, her eyelids fluttering as she slowly drifted back to consciousness. The first thing she noticed was the warmth—a comforting, familiar warmth that she hadn’t felt in what felt like forever. It wrapped around her like a blanket, soothing the ache in her chest and the heaviness in her limbs. Then she felt it—the gentle touch of a hand stroking her cheek, fingers brushing through her hair with a tenderness that made her heart ache.
Her eyes blinked open, adjusting to the soft light filtering through the room. And there he was. *Asher.*
He was sitting beside her, his face etched with worry and exhaustion, but his touch was soft, almost hesitant. His dark eyes met hers, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, with the weight o
