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"Let's get you back up to your room," he said, rising from his chair.

She nodded and stood, following him out of the library and up the grand staircase. Their footsteps echoed softly in the quiet corridors, and he found himself hyperaware of her presence beside him. When they reached her guest room door, he prepared to say goodnight and walk away, to give her the space she'd asked for even though every fiber of his being wanted to stay close.

"Raxen," she said softly. "Could you maybe lie with me for a while, until I fall asleep? That attack earlier really shook me."

The request hit him like lightning, unexpected and electrifying. She was asking for his comfort, his protection, his presence during her most vulnerable moments. His lion roared with satisfaction at being needed, at being trusted with something so precious.

"Sure, I can do that," he said without hesitation, following her into the guest room as she opened the door.

Despite her fears, despite her walls, she's choosing to trust me.

THIRTEEN

AMARA

The four-poster bed dominated Amara's guest room, its dark wood gleaming in the ethereal light cast by Nova Aurora's twin moons through the tall windows. She pulled back the silk coverlet and slipped beneath the sheets, hyperaware of every sound—the rustle of fabric, her own breathing, the soft footsteps of the man who'd agreed to stay with her until sleep claimed her.

I cannot believe I asked him to do this.

The thought spiraled through her mind as she settled against the plump pillows, watching Raxen move with that predatory grace toward the opposite side of the massive bed. Even in the dim moonlight, she could see the tension coiled in his shoulders, and the careful way he kept his movements controlled and deliberate.

He was fighting himself. She could sense it in the charged air between them, in the way his jaw clenched as he pulled back the covers on his side. His lion must be screaming at him to close the distance, to claim what belonged to him, to wrap her in his arms and never let go. But he didn't. Because he'd promised to give her space, promised not to rush their bond, and apparently Raxen Sol was a man who kept his word even when it cost him.

This is ridiculous. We're both adults. We already had passionate sex earlier today. Lying next to each other shouldn't feel this awkward.

She squirmed restlessly against the silk sheets, acutely aware of the careful space he'd left between them. The attack earlier had genuinely shaken her—not just the physical danger, but the realization that someone wanted her gone badly enough to send a rogue lion after her. Being around Raxen felt like stepping into a circle of safety, like nothing could touch her as long as he was near.

And maybe that should terrify me more than it does.

She'd spent months building walls around her heart, convincing herself that independence was safer than trust, that professional distance protected her from the kind of devastating betrayal Logan and Tabitha had inflicted. Yet here she was, asking a man she'd known for barely two days to comfort her while she slept.

The bed dipped slightly as Raxen moved beside her, and she caught that intoxicating scent of spice and rain that seemed to be uniquely his. Her body responded immediately, warmth pooling low in her belly as memories of their earlier encounter flooded her senses.

Stop overthinking this.

Before she could lose her nerve, she moved closer, resting her head against the broad expanse of his chest. His heartbeat thundered beneath her ear like a war drum, fast and strong and absolutely mesmerizing. The sound sent a thrill of satisfaction through her—confirmation that she affected him just as powerfully as he affected her.

"Amara, you're safe," he murmured.

She felt rather than saw his internal struggle, the way every muscle in his body went taut before his arm came around her, pulling her closer against his side. His scent enveloped her completely now, that perfect blend of masculine warmth and something indefinably wild that made her feel impossibly at ease.

How is this possible? The question drifted through her drowsy mind as her body finally began to relax for the first time in months. How can I feel this safe with someone I barely know?

But the steady rhythm of his breathing, the solid strength of his body beneath her cheek, and the protective circle of his arms created a cocoon of peace she hadn't experienced before. Her eyelids grew heavy as exhaustion finally claimed her, carrying her into the deepest sleep she'd had in years.

Several hours later, bright morning light streamed through the large windows, pulling Amara from dreams filled with blue eyes and protective embraces. She stretched languidly against the silk sheets before the realization hit her unexpectedly hard.

The bed was empty.

She sat up abruptly, her hand automatically reaching for the space where Raxen had held her through the night. The sheets were cool to the touch, suggesting he'd been gone for some time. Through their growing bond—whatever that meant—she felt his absence like a physical ache, as if something vital had been removed.

The disappointment that crashed through her was entirely disproportionate to the situation. She'd asked him to stay until she fell asleep, and he'd clearly respected that boundary. He'd probably slipped away sometime during the night, giving her the space she claimed to want. So why did she feel so hollow?

Because you're falling hard and fast for this man.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet finding the cool floor, and headed to the wardrobe to get dressed for the day ahead. The coral blouse she selected seemed to mock her with its cheerful color as she removed her sleeping clothes and put on her professional armor.

Just focus on the job.