~Katrina~.
I woke up in the warmth of his arms, safe and held close. A soft smile touched my lips when I saw he was still beside me. For once, we were not rushing out of the room before sunrise. The memory of last night rushed back like a sweet, lingering dream. The way he touched me, the way he kissed me, it was all still there, on my skin, in my veins, in my breath.
My eyes trailed over his face, still hidden behind the mask he never removed. That mask—silent, unmoving—had always made me curious. No one in the quarters dared speak about it. Not once. As if it didn't exist. As if they had all agreed to ignore it. Somehow, I'd done the same. But now, lying here with my heart full of him, I couldn't help but wonder. What was he hiding? What pain had he buried behind it?
"You should say what's on your mind," his voice came low and quiet, yet it sent a jolt through me. I gasped, realizing he wasn't asleep. His eyes hadn't even opened, and yet he had felt me watching.
