Page 85 of Before Broken Vows
I nod again. "Okay. We go back."
He lets out a breath, one hand sliding into my hair as he presses a kiss to my forehead.
"Thank you," he says. "You two will have nothing to worry about once we get back."
We lay back down together in silence.
But something lingers in the back of my mind.
Is he overreacting or are people watching?
Either way, Theo's right.
These people won't just disappear.
Something's coming.
Something we may not be ready for.
25
STASSI
Iwake to soreness between my legs. My body still tingles in places only Theo knows how to touch. The sheets beside me are warm, his scent lingering on the pillow.
Theo's still asleep. That's rare.
The sheets gather at his waist, exposing his chiseled bare chest. One muscular arm is flung over his abs, the other bent near his head. His hair's a little messy.
His face is relaxed in sleep, those worry lines smoothed out, making him look younger. Almost innocent.
I suddenly remember him slipping back into bed around 4 AM. He'd mentioned having a call with Ares, something urgent about everything that's going on.
He deserves a little more sleep.
I slip out of bed carefully, trying not to wake him.
I wrap a robe around myself and tiptoe to the door, carefully turning the handle so it doesn't make a noise.
The house is eerily quiet.
Too quiet.
Usually by now, I'd hear Marlena clattering in the kitchen or humming some off-key song while making coffee. Or maybe Xander giggling over breakfast.
But there's nothing.
No sound. No movement.
I head toward the kitchen, speeding up a little. I'm looking forward to seeing Marlena, telling her about yesterday's trip to the zoo—how Theo's eyes lit up watching Xander, how our natural family rhythm fell into place like we'd been doing this forever. A little girl time before the day officially begins.
But the kitchen is empty. The coffee pot sits cold and unused. No breakfast prep. No Marlena bustling around in her apron. No smell of fresh bread or eggs cooking.
Strange. In all the years I've known her, Marlena's never slept in past 6 AM. She's religious about her morning routine.
I check the time: 7:15 AM.
The silence feels heavy now. I try to shake it off. Maybe she needed extra rest? She did chase Xander around last night while Theo made dinner for all of us.
