The morning light had barely begun creeping through the curtains when I felt someone shaking my shoulder gently. At first, I thought I was dreaming, still lost between sleep and reality, my mind tangled in the memories of the night before. Chase’s fingers on my back. His breath near my ear. The gown loosening. His teasing voice wrapping around me like silk.
But then the shaking grew firmer.
“Isla, wake up.”
My eyes fluttered open, and my heart jumped painfully in my chest. Chase stood over me, already dressed, looking intense and serious. His hair was slightly damp, as if he had showered, and he wore a dark shirt that clung to his frame. The early morning shadows cast sharp angles along his jaw, making him look even more intimidating than usual.
I blinked at him, still groggy, confused
