When Selena awoke the next morning, it was not to the sterile lights of a laboratory or the cold hum of machines, but to warmth. Her body was cocooned within strong arms, and her head rested against a solid chest that rose and fell with rhythmic calm.
It took her a moment to realize where she was.
And who she was with.
Lucien...
The man with eyes like molten gold and a face sculpted like a statue of the gods lay beside her, peacefully asleep. His arm draped protectively around her waist, as if he feared she might disappear. She could feel the weight of his presence, and for a breathless second, she didn't dare move.
Why does my heart feel tight?
Suddenly, flashes of unfamiliar images and memories rushed into her mind.
Medical reports. Blueprints. Blood scans. Children's laughter echoing down metal halls. And finally, a cold silence that seemed to hang between two married strangers. It was a flood of emotions that weren't entirely hers, yet they carved through her like truth.
