Chapter 16

• The present ~ Eloise
• The soft hum of Max’s breathing filled the room as I tucked the blanket under his chin. His small chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his cheeks flushed with the warmth of sleep. Every time I looked at him, gratitude surged through me—a gratitude I owed to Mike.
• Mike’s sacrifice had been nothing short of heroic. He had stepped in to save Max when Lucian hadn’t even shown up. The thought still stung, but there was no time for resentment. Max needed me, and for weeks, I had poured everything I had into caring for him.