**Elena’s POV **

The morning light slipped through the curtains, soft and warm on my bare skin.

Every time I shifted, my body reminded me of him. There was a dull, throbbing ache between my thighs and a tender soreness in my hips I had never felt before. I realized with a start that Stefano’s arm was still draped heavily across my waist. His bare chest was pressed tightly against my back, and I could feel his steady, rhythmic breathing at the nape of my neck.

He was still here, holding me, ...