Page 22 of Stefano
But he pulls back, running a hand over his face.“You need sleep.We’ll talk when you’ve rested.”He pulls the covers over me, making sure I am warm and comfortable.
Disappointment stabs sharp, but I nod.He’s right.My body feels like lead, my eyes heavy.I shift under the blanket, curling onto my side.But when Stefano moves to the chair near the window, I frown.
“Don’t leave me,” I whisper, panic bubbling.“Please.”
His head snaps toward me, his gaze burning.“I’ll never leave you.”He stands, crossing back to the bed, lowering himself onto the mattress beside me.“Not now.Not ever.”
Relief washes over me.I inch closer, my head finding his chest again.His arm wraps around me instantly, pulling me tight against him.His heart beats strong under my ear, steady and sure.
Within minutes, exhaustion drags me under.My last conscious thought is that I’m exactly where I belong.
In his arms.
****
Iwake to warmth.
The room is quiet, the curtains drawn, soft morning light spilling through the edges.Stefano is still beside me, his arm heavy over my waist, his breath steady against my hair.For a moment, I don’t move.I just listen.Inhale.Memorize the feeling of safety.
When I shift slightly, his grip tightens.“Don’t,” he murmurs, still half-asleep.“Stay.”
My lips curve despite everything.“I’m not going anywhere.”
His eyes open, dark and unreadable.He studies me for a long moment, then brushes a thumb over my bruised cheek.“Good.”
We lie there in silence, the air thick with unspoken words.My body aches, but my heart feels lighter than it has in days.Because for once, there’s no distance between us.No walls.Just us, tangled in sheets and shadows.
Before I fall asleep again I know, with bone-deep certainty, that whatever comes next, we’re already changed.He’s not just my savior.He’s mine.
And I’m his.
Chapter Thirteen
Dark Fire
Stefano
