m, making it plain he had no intenti

r fingers to her neck. She had genuinely th

uld keep as far fr

, where she sat with heavy thoughts, mourn

ifted toward the door, surprised n

ped away, but a few steps later, he s

, Elena tapped out

pending the night with Greyso

phone toward the floor, sending a

empted to get into his bed-

made Elena l

ed enough to reveal the strong line of his neck and th

is careless posture gave him an air of a spoi

carved with impossible precisio

such a handsome husband was a blessin

" said Elena, choosing her words car

ade his way to the bed, slipped under t

fened wher

belong there at all. With the actual resident wanting nothing to do with

ring updates with Mi

he realized Greyson's

ersed, she might have gone a

e was spared the chill, for

ase washed over her at the thought of sharing a ro

in her head like fragments of a dream, dra

chosen this marriage, and with that choice cam

.

roused Elena fr

he bed, or even a blanket-any sign

nothing but i

stance and said, "You'll find something to wear in the bathr

neezing, wondering if he really c

upport. Hours spent on the floor had left her le

d into the bathroom, and, just for a momen

would remain on the fl

d on keeping her distance. Sens

e sudden

the bathroom door, h

na's tearful voice cam

credited her with restraint,

then get up,"

assion, Elena let the tea

le, she would never hav

her words trembling as if the p

er jeans had ended badly. A sharp twist

old of her phone, or else she would

r both hurt and resigned, though she k

yet Elena imagined his silence meant he t

ispered again, desp

hi

d the call ab

to wane, the bathroo

nnoyance clear as he took in the scene

Wearing only a black bra, with one leg stuck inside her jean

nessed such an u

ppear, but there w

She could only accept the

e her feel even smaller, and she shr

ng weakly against the floor. Agony lanced throug

out another word, he bent low

ned in his throat. Forcing the strange sensation down, he carri

tion, Elena buried herself beneath

ighed heavier

t have to be here, in hi

s that she hadn't

lence cloak her, too humil

ut his phone and

' place... No, I'm

Elena, who had wrapped herself

in his bed left him scowling, irr

ew how to cause trou

mmoned a doctor. Slowly, she peeled the blanket fro

stood

Elena whispered, biting her lip. "Technicall

eared into the bathroom. He came back with a folded

oom, fully stocked-everything from fresh toiletries to

led with the pants, her body p

to cooperate. The simple task of pu

ifted towar

r, but he understood what

admitted, her voice quiet,

miliating request

all the housekee

hands far from gentle as he pulled the bla