Chapter 89

Alessandro

The knock came soft at first, like the person on the other side wasn’t sure if it was the right time. I didn’t answer immediately. I didn’t want to.

The bed was still warm, still scented with her skin, and Isabella hadn’t moved much. Right after I had told her about my sister, I saw her break. I saw her eyes glisten with tears she fought to keep back. I saw her walls ease off. I watched her battle with a heavy uncertainty as though she didn’t know what to do or if she had to do something. And I didn’t want to lose this moment. I didn’t want to lose this warmth, no matter how short it was going to last.

Her head rested on my chest like it belonged there, like this was where she found peace, and for the first time in longer than I wanted to admit, I felt a strange, steady rhythm in my chest that didn’t feel like war.

My arm was still wrapped around her, fingers unconsciously tracing slow, idle patterns over the curve of her bare shoulder. Her