Chapter 22. Steps to Freedom

Elliot's POV

My hands tremble as I steady her, the warmth of her body seeping into my skin. It's a sensation I've imagined more times than I can count, but reality far surpasses my dreams.

Ally's head rests against my chest, her breath coming in shallow gasps that fan over my skin, setting every nerve ending ablaze with an almost unbearable intensity.

"Elliot," she whispers, and the sound of my name on her lips is both a torment and a caress. I struggle to keep my voice level, to restrain the wild desire that threatens to consume me.

"Ally, you're safe now. Just rest," I manage to say, my tone deceptively calm while inside, the storm of my emotions rages. Her presence, so close and so vulnerable, tests my control in ways I never anticipated.

"Your brother..." she trails off, a shudder coursing through her slender frame. The words are a blade that slices through my thin composure.

"I know,