~ELENA~

I wake up to warmth. Not from the blanket, but something deeper, closer.

The morning light filters through the curtains, soft and golden. It touches my skin, warm against the marks Riccardo left last night.

My body aches…. not painfully, but in that strange, delicious way that reminds me of everything that happened.

Riccardo is still asleep beside me. His hand rests over my waist, possessive even in his dreams.

His breathing is slow, steady, and the sight of him like this…..calm, vulnerable, nothing like the man who commanded me hours ago, sends a shiver down my spine.

I quietly study his face, tracing the lines of his jaw...