The room still carried the scent of sweat and expensive perfume when Silas opened his eyes, the lingering warmth beside him doing nothing to soften the irritation that settled almost immediately beneath his skin.
For a brief moment, he remained still, staring up at the ceiling as awareness returned in slow, measured waves, but the illusion of rest slipped away just as quickly as it had come, leaving behind something far less forgiving.
It never lasted.
His gaze shifted to the woman beside him, taking in the way she lay against the sheets as though she belonged there, as though the night had meant something more than what it was.
She was not just anyone, not some passing indulgence chosen out of convenience or boredom. He had wanted her, had watched her long enough to decide that she was worth the effort, drawn in by a quiet curiosity that had lingered where others had faded.
And yet, now that he had finally had her, there was nothing.
