Emilio’s POV

For a few seconds, neither of us said anything. Not because it was awkward—more like we were both settling into the sound of each other. His quiet breathing, steady and soft, filled my ear in this weirdly comforting way. Meanwhile, my own breathing kept doing this uneven thing, like my lungs hadn’t gotten the memo that everything was fine now.

I shifted on my bed, the old mattress giving a tiny groan beneath me. The room was dim except for the streetlight leaking through my curtains, cutting a pale line across my chest. The fan above me kept spinning lazily, blowing a warm little breeze every few seconds....