The weight of her in his arms was both a comfort and a torment.
Damien stood perfectly still, feeling the faint tremor in her frame, the uneven hitch of her breath slowly settling against his chest. Her tear-streaked face was pressed into him, fingers curled tight into his shirt as if she feared letting go would make him disappear.
Little by little, her grip loosened. The tension bled from her limbs until she went limp, surrendering to exhaustion.
She was asleep.
Careful not to disturb her, Damien shifted his hold and lifted her with effortless strength, his movements quiet but precise, like carrying something both fragile and infinitely precious. He walked the dim hallway to his bedroom—an untouched expanse of black sheets and still air, a place he almost never used. But tonight, it w
