Chapter 82

• The next morning dawned too quickly. Danielle woke to find herself still curled against Alexander’s chest, his steady breathing brushing against her hair. For a fleeting second, it felt like a dream—warmth, safety, the illusion of belonging.
• But reality returned with the sharp buzz of his phone on the nightstand.
• Alexander stirred, his arm tightening instinctively around her before he reached for the device. Danielle shifted, sitting up as he scanned the screen. His eyes narrowed, the tension in his jaw betraying the calm mask he tried to wear.