The Morning After

The study was dim, the curtains drawn against the morning light. Dust swirled in thin beams of gold that managed to slip through the edges, catching the faint scent of antiseptic.

Massimo leaned back in his chair, shirt half-unbuttoned, bandages visible beneath. His eyes were sharp, restless, a predator forced to sit still in a cage of luxury and silence.

Arturo entered quietly, closing the door b