The first thing Alex felt when he woke was warmth.
Not the kind that drifted in from the pale dawn light filtering through the penthouse curtains—but the steady, protective warmth of Liam wrapped around him like he was some precious thing that might vanish if Liam ever let go.
His cheek was pressed against Liam's chest, rising and falling with each deep breath. Strong arms were hooked firmly around his waist, holding him as if even in sleep Liam refused to loosen his grip. Alex could hear the faint rumble of a heartbeat beneath his ear, steady but somehow soothing, like the rhythm was made for him alone.
For a while, Alex just lay there, smiling faintly at how ridiculous and soft Liam could be when he thought no one was looking. The same Liam who could throw grown men across a room, who could face down monsters with glowing eyes and bared fangs—was now drooling ever so slightly into his curls.
