The car was silent, save for the soft hum of the tyres against the dark road and the asional shuffle of vera adjusting in her seat.


    She sat wrapped in Alejandro’s tailored jacket. It was far toorge on her petite frame, the sleeves falling over her hands, but she hadn’t taken it off. I anything, she’d pulled it tighter around hersell


    The night was calm but thick with leftover emotion from the hospital visit. Alejandro drove, hands steady on the wheel, his eyes foed ahead as the city lights blurred past


    <b>For </b>a moment, he said nothing. Just silence. No music, No words.


    Nivera s


    turned slightly <b>to </b>look at him. His jaw was clenched. Measured. The kind of measured that meant he was holding a whole sea of emotions at bay


    “How’s Zabelle?” Nivera broke the silence.


    “The doctors said she’s stable,” the replied. “They’re hoping she’ll regain consciousness soon.


    Nivera let out <b>a </b>quiet breath. Relief washed over her like warm water. “Thank God.”


    She didn’t know Zabelle personally, but she was more than relieved to know that she survived the gunshot.


    A beat passed. Then she continued, “And Antonio? How is he holding up?”


    Alejandro’s lips twitched slightly, not quite into a frown. “Still hasn’t left <b>her </b>side. He <b>looks </b>like he hasn’t slept in days. I don’t think he will until she opens her eyes.


    The words hung heavily in the air,


    “He didn’t even blink when I walked in, Alejandro added. “Didn’t speak unless he had to. It’s like… if he let his guard down for a second, he’d fall apart.”


    Nivera swallowed, then nodded slowly. She wanted to ask more, but something in Alejandro’s face made her pause. It was as though he was speaking more to himself than her.


    The tension in his brow. The subtle tremble in his fingers. He wasn’t ready to talk. Not really


    So she leaned back into the seat and rested her head against the window, the coolness of the ss grounding her.


    They drove in silence again, and her thoughts drifted


    The scent of his jacket wrapped around her like a soft hug. She pulled it closer, her fingers curling around thepel


    She hadn’t realized how cold she’d been until the warmth of his coat settled over her. But it wasn’t just the warmth–it was the scent.


    She breathed in deeply, catching in more of Alejandro’s scent.


    of power and intimacy.


    It wasn’t just the cologne–though that was certainly expensive. It was him. Warm, spicy, <b>crisp</b>. A blend of p


    It wasforting, and she liked it too much.


    The scent wrapped around her like <b>a </b>luby, and with the gentle hum of the car, her eyelids began to droop.


    “I’m keeping this jacket,” she murmured to herself with azy smile before sleep took over


    Alejandro was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize how quiet the car had be until <b>he </b>caught movement from the corner of his eye


    He nced sideways and found her asleep, her cheek pressed lightly against the window, and hershes casting delicate shadows across her skin.


    One hand rested in herp the other clutched his jacket like it was a lifeline.


    Something in his chest shifted.


    She looked…solt. Peaceful Vulnerable.


    His lips twitched–not quite a sinde, but something close. Warmer Softer. Strange


    She clung to the fabric like a child seekingfort


    It did things to him.


    The mansion came into view, looming Large and silent at the edge of the city


    The gates opened automatically as


    <b>ly </b><b>as </b>he pulled into the driveway <b>and </b>cut the engine.


    He turned to her. She was still asleep and still holding onto the jacket.


    He reached <b>a </b><b>hand </b>toward her, intending to gently shake her awake, but stopped halfway. His fingers hovered inches from her cheek.


    She sighed in her sleep, snuggling deeper into the seat and the jacket.


    It had been a long day for her.


    The boutique. The women. The p. The tension. The hospital.


    “Let her rest,” he told himself


    Alejandro sighed softly. He turned off the engine, stopped out, and walked around to her side. The night air was cooler now, brushing against his skin as he opened the passenger door.


    He leaned in and slid one arm under her knees, the other around her back.


    She stirred only slightly, subconsciously adjusting until her face rested against his chest.


    He froze.


    Then, she snuggled deeper.


    Alejandro looked down at her, the corner of <b>his </b>mouth lifting in quiet amusement.


    “You’re going to owe me for this,” he muttered under his breath, the wordsced with <b>a </b>fondness he hadn’t intended to let slip.


    With slow, practised ease, he carried her into the mansion.


    Inside, the house was dark and quiet. He ascended the stairs without a word, every step measured and careful, like he was carrying something fragile.


    Because he <b>was </b>


    He pushed open the door to her room with his shoulder, walked inside, and gently <bid </b>her on the bed.


    Still, she didn’t wake. Just how tired was she not to even stir?


    Alejandro knelt beside her <b>and </b>began to remove her heels, one by one.


    Her fingers twitched slightly when he pulled off the second, and he paused, watching her


    She stirred again but didn’t wake. He reached for the nket and pulled it over her, but as he turned to leave, something caught hin


    hand. It wrapped around his wrist, tight. He froze, heart catching


    20:48 <b>Wed</b><b>, </b>23 <b>Ju </b>


    “Nivera?” he whispered.


    Was she awake?


    There was, however, no response,


    She was still asleep, but her grip was <b>firm</b>.


    When he turned to look at her, she saw her lips parted slightly as her brows furrowed, like she was lost in a dream. But her hand held his like she was scared to let go.


    Alejandro stared at their joined hands. The warmth. The weight. The meaning


    He should go. He should pull away.


    But he didn’t.


    Instead, he sat down on the edge of the bed, just to rest for a minute. Just until she let go.


    Only…she didn’t.


    And


    when he tried to shift away, she tugged.


    Harder than expected, and he lost <b>bnce</b>. He, however, caught himself just in time, <b>his </b>hands bracing on either side of her head as he hovered over her


    Too close.


    Her breath hit his throat. Her face inches from his


    His heartbeat thundered. He could feel every inch of her beneath him<b>, </b>and it took everything in him to not move. Not lean down. Not kiss her.


    Every cell in his body screamed to move, to get away, to stop this before it became something else. Something neither of them were ready for


    But <b>he </b>couldn’t. Not yet.


    He watched her for a moment longer. How she looked at peace. How her hand had somehownded on his chest.


    He exhaled slowly, then carefully shifted off her and onto the bed beside her.


    As soon as his back hit the bed, he realized just how tired he <b>was</b>.


    Heid back against the pillows, fully clothed, head tilted toward the ceiling


    As if to torture him further, Nivera turned in her sleep, burying her face <b>against </b>his chest, one hand syed across his torso like she belonged there.


    Alejandro stared at the ceiling for a long moment, his body taut with restraint as he tried to get himself to fall asleep.


    y lost


    However, he knew that was a battle he had already!


    or came easily to <b>him</b>. Insomnia <b>had </b>long been his curse.


    Sleep never


    However, to his surprise, a yawn escaped, and he felt his eyes heavy.


    What the fuck?! He yawned again.


    With Nivera beside him, her breath soft and steady, her body warm <b>and </b>clou


    He closed his eyes


    20:48 WC0, 23 JUITO O


    And for the first time in weeks—maybe longer–Alejandro slept, and it was one that was free from nightmaret.