Morning sunlight filtered through the lace curtains, too bright, too unforgiving. Aria blinked awake to the sound of her phone buzzing endlessly on the nightstand. She sat up, her head throbbing.

Missed calls. Three from Ethan. One from her mother. Her stomach twisted.

She had returned home hours before dawn, still trembling from what had happened. Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel the warmth of Liam's lips, the way the world had gone silent between heartbeats and then ...