The sunlight filtered weakly through the tall windows of Liam's manor, spilling pale gold across the marble floors. Despite the warmth of the light, the place still felt cold—too vast, too quiet. But for Alex, waking in Liam's bed with the weight of an arm draped protectively over his waist, it felt… safe.
He stirred, blinking up at the ornate ceiling, the events of the last night crashing back like a tide. His chest tightened briefly, panic threatening to rise again, but then Liam shifted behind him, his breath warm against Alex's neck.
"Awake already?" Liam's voice was rough with sleep, husky and soft.
Alex turned in his arms, finding himself nose-to-nose with him. "I can't really sleep in a place like this," he admitted, voice small. "It feels like a museum."
Liam smirked faintly, his green eyes glinting. "Then I'll turn it into something better. For you." He leaned in, brushing a lazy kiss across Alex's lips. "Stay here with me, Alex. At least for today."
