[Elena's POV]

Noah was gone before I woke up.

I knew it the second I reached across the mattress and felt cold sheets. No indent. No warmth. He'd left early enough that the pillow had already reset.

I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling.

Last night I'd looked him in the eye and said no, not telling him I had his baby. And he'd known I was lying. I could see it in the way his thumb stilled against my jaw, the fractional tightening around his eyes before he stepped back.

Noah Marlowe ...