# Chloe Pierce's POV
I wake to sunlight streaming through the penthouse windows and the unfamiliar sensation of complete security. Aiden's arm is still wrapped around me from behind, his breathing steady against my neck. For the first time in weeks, I slept without nightmares.
The warmth of his body against mine makes my cheeks flush. We crossed a line last night. Not physically, but emotionally. The vulnerability he showed me, the way he asked me to hold him—it changed everything between us.
I shift slightly, trying not to wake him. His grip tightens instinctively.
"Stay," he murmurs against my hair.
My heart skips. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Good." His voice is rough with sleep. "I could get used to this."
"What? Me being your personal pillow?"
"You being here when I wake up."
The simple honesty in his words makes my chest tight. I turn in his arms until we're face to face. His dark eyes are soft in the morning light, lacking their usual hardness.
