Shirley
The morning sun barely filtered through the blinds as I dragged myself out of bed. I hadn’t slept much. Again. Ever since that night in the woods, my thoughts had spiraled into a mess of confusion, anger, and restlessness. And while Dante’s revelations had thrown my world off balance, the way he’d looked at me—with that unwavering devotion—stirred something dangerous inside me. Something I wasn’t ready to acknowledge.
So when the doorbell rang unexpectedly, I wasn’t exactly prepared to see Asher Cain standing there with two steaming cups of coffee and a too-charming smile.
“Morning, beautiful,” he said, holding out one of the cups like a peace offering. “Thought I’d offer you a ride to work.”
I blinked, half-dressed and still brushing my hair. “You do know you’re acting like we
