Morning light didn’t soften Alessio.

If anything, the light made him look harder, sharper, like he was carved out of stone and iron. His body looked like shadow and fire as he stood at the edge of the bed. His chest bare, tattoos cutting down his skin like black warnings. And in his hand, the metallic object from last night still gleamed.

Noa blinked awake. His whole body ached, lips swollen, muscles sore, skin still hot from everything Alessio had done. His throat burned when he swallowed, ...