Alina’s POV

The chime of my phone startled me awake. At first, I thought it was part of my dream—a hollow sound echoing through the fog of sleep—but when I blinked against the shadows of the bedroom, the glow of the screen burned through the dark.

Dante shifted beside me, his breathing deep and steady, completely unaware. I froze, hardly daring to breathe, waiting to see if the sound had disturbed him. His chest rose and fell in rhythm, his arm heavy across my waist, a cage and a comfort all at once.

Slowly, carefully, I slid my hand from under his arm and reached for the phone on the...