The quiet.
The warmth.
The simple, dangerous sense of rightness settling into my bones.
Last night hadn’t been planned.Not like that.I’d wanted to feed her, give her a place to breathe, maybe make her laugh.I hadn’t expected to claim her.
I didn’t regret it.
Not for a second.
But I also knew something she didn’t.
I knew about the loan shark and the debt.
And watching her keep working herself into the ground was starting to eat at me.
Belle stirred at four forty-five and shifted against me with a soft sound that went straight through my chest.She blinked a few times, disoriented, then her eyes focused on me.“Hi,” she murmured.
“Morning,” I said quietly.
She smiled, slow and sleepy, and tucked herself closer.“I didn’t dream it.”
“No,” I said.“You didn’t.”
Her fingers traced idle patterns on my chest, and I fought the urge to roll us over and start the day very differently.
Instead, I brushed my thumb along her jaw.“How do you feel?”
She considered.“Tired.But… good.”
Good.
I pressed a kiss to her forehead and carefully disentangled myself, ignoring Pepper’s disgruntled huff when the mattress shifted.
“I need to get going,” Belle mumbled.
“I know, doll,” I said.“I’m going to go start the coffee.Sleep for ten more minutes, and then I’ll drive you.”
She smiled and rolled onto her stomach, immediately half-asleep again.
I stood there for a second, watching her breathe, then turned and headed for the kitchen.
I moved quietly, not wanting to wake her.I knew it was only a few extra minutes of sleep, but I knew every minute counted for Belle right now.The house smelled faintly like sugar and her shampoo, a combination I hadn’t known I needed until now.
When I glanced out the window, the world was still asleep.Christmas lights across the street blinked lazily, and for once, they didn’t annoy me.
I leaned against the counter, mug warming my hands, and let my thoughts settle where they didn’t want to go.
I should tell her.
Every instinct I had said honesty mattered.That keeping this from her was a mistake waiting to happen.But timing mattered too, and Belle was fragile in a way she didn’t let anyone see.
She needed rest.Space.The chance to realize she wasn’t drowning anymore before I explained why.
Footsteps padded softly behind me.
“Smells good,” Belle said, her voice still rough with sleep.
