ROMAN'S POV

“Babe,” the faint voice said.

At first, I pretended not to hear it. My dream was too nice, too peaceful, the kind that makes you want to glue your eyes shut so you don’t lose a single second of it. I forced my mind to drift back toward whatever fantasy it was creating, but the voice returned, a little louder.

“Babe.”

And then the final call came, sharper, firmer, cutting clean through the last pieces of sleep lingering in my head.

“Roman.”

That tone alone told me ...