Ronan’s POV

Elias fell asleep slowly.Not peacefully nor completely. His breathing dipped and stuttered, sometimes too fast, sometimes too shallow, like his body was still listening for danger even when his eyes were closed.

Like he didn’t trust the world enough to rest. But he trusted me. That part hit harder than anything else tonight.

I sat in the chair beside his bed, elbows on my knees, forcing myself not to reach for him every time he twitched or gasped or clenched his fists. He ...