*Isla*

King Maddox is lying in my bed… with his arms around me. He is holding me like I am something of high value to him, something precious, and for the first time in my life, I start to think maybe I am more than just the daughter of well-meaning parents who had misfortunes and could never quite make ends meet.

Maybe I have some worth to me after all.

I drift off and have pleasant dreams the rest of the night, mostly about him, this amazing man who has me tucked away ...