LAUREN'S POV

Knock. Knock.

The sound startled me so much that I jerked upright in bed, my heart hammering as if I’d just been caught doing something wrong. My eyes darted around wildly, struggling to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings. The room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn halfway, leaving streaks of morning light cutting through the dusty air. I blinked, confused, as the memories of last night refused to piece themselves together.

I wasn’t home. That much I knew. The bed I laid on was too soft, the sheets too silky, and the faint smell of cologne clung to the fabric in a way that told me clearly —...