I wake to the soft gray light spilling in through the curtains. For a moment, panic flares in my chest….until I realize the bed beside me is empty... Zane isn't here.
I don't know whether to breathe a sigh of relief or feel disappointment.
My body tightens anyway, a weird mixture of relief and residual tension from last night. The memory of the grip on my throat and rthe way he pinned me, still lingers in the back of my mind.
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and press my feet to the cold floor, shivering slightly as the chill bites through the thin fabric of my pajama pants.
I drag myself toward the bathroom, pulling my hair back with my fingers, feeling every knot and tangle.
Steam from the hot water fogs the mirror as I step into the shower, letting the water cascade over me. The heat seeps into my muscles, loosening the tension in my shoulders and trickling down my spine.
