Chapter 95

Avery

I woke to the gentle weight of Ryker's arm across my waist, his hand resting protectively over my belly. The morning light filtered through the curtains in soft golden streams, and for a moment, I simply lay there, letting myself exist in this quiet cocoon of warmth and safety.

My body ached in ways that were becoming familiar—the pleasant soreness of muscles well-used, the tender reminder o