Chapter 60 Marked By Desire

• Zoey’s POV
• The remnants of my dream still cling to me like smoke when a sharp knock jolts me back into the waking world. My mind is restless, replaying flashes I don’t want to remember, yet before I can untangle them, I’m crawling out of bed and pulling open the door.
• Lucien stands there, leaning casually against the frame, his grin cocky but softer than usual. His energy feels lighter than it did this morning, as though some of the heaviness hanging over him has finally lifted.