Valerie Thorne’s POV:

I woke up before sunrise today. Not because of a bad dream, not because of anything else, but because of a presence I felt.

His arm was around my waist, which made me feel hard to breathe. I stayed still for a while, just looking at the ceiling. The room was quiet.

I turned my head slightly and looked at him. He looked calm, too calm, like he and violence had no connection with each other. His eyes were closed, they looked less intimidating. His dangerous aura was calm ...