Marian wasn’t sure at what point her sobs had faded into hiccuping breaths, or when the ache in her chest finally gave way to exhaustion. All she knew was that somewhere between Daniel whispering apologies into her hair and her body trembling itself empty, the darkness behind her closed eyes had finally swallowed her whole.
When consciousness returned, it arrived quietly. Softly.
The faint glow of early morning crept through the cracks of the curtains, brushing pale gold across the room. The hum of the hotel’s air conditioning filled the silence with a low, steady whisper.
Marian blinked groggily.
Her head was resting on something warm and solid. Something rising and falling slowly beneath her cheek.
Someone.
Her breath hitched.
She sat up a little too quickly, disoriented, and her
