Chapter 31

Kelly POV

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the warmth of the blanket covering me. It smelled faintly of Adrian—clean, Oud, and grounding. I sat up, rubbing the dull ache in my temple, trying to remember how I ended up here. The memories came back slowly: Adrian bringing me home, his firm hands steadying me when my legs wobbled from exhaustion and maybe just a little wine.

Stretching, I got to my feet and strolled down the hall to Adrian’s room to check on him. The house was too quiet. His door was slightly ajar, a thin line of darkness spilling into the corridor, and when I pushed it open the rest of the way, my stomach dropped. The bed was neatly made, untouched.

He wasn’t there.

The kitchen was my next stop. A hangover demanded caffeine and something strong to fight off the sluggishness. But as soon as I walked in, I saw the plate sitting on the counter, carefully covered with a lid. A note peeked out underneath the plate.

The messa