Three days had passed since Samuel had taken flight. Alyssa counted every hour, every minute, while Kaio kept her distracted with tantalizing stories and touches that left her skin aflame — but he never crossed the line. It was as if they both knew that any step taken without Samuel would amount to a true betrayal.
When the front door finally creaked open that night, Alyssa was ready.
"Where have you been?" Alyssa materialized in the entrance hall like a ghost, clad only in a sheer nightgown.
Samuel halted in the middle of the hallway, his suitcase dropping to the floor with a dull thud. His face was etched with fatigue and something deeper - could it be regret?
"Work," he muttered, avoiding her gaze.
"You ran away."
He finally turned his gaze to her, his dark eyes ablaze with a blen
