Julian's POV
I woke up the moment the mattress shifted. My body was on high alert, a byproduct of years spent sleeping with one eye open in a house that felt more like a cage than a home. The air in the room had cooled, and as Catherine slid back under the heavy duvet, her skin felt like ice against mine. I didn't need to ask her where she had been.
I didn't say anything at first. I just reached out and pulled her back against my chest, my arms locking around her waist with a force that was probably too tight, but I couldn't bring myself to loosen my grip. I needed to feel the weight of her, to confirm that despite all the chaos that was happening, she was still here. She was still mine. Right now, I didn't really care about losing anything, as far as Catherine was still with me.
