~LAYLA~
I woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar curtains.
For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was. The room was small, neat, and decorated in soft, neutral colours. I was not in my bedroom or a hotel.
Then it all came rushing back: the kidnapping, the rescue, Axel and Tye getting shot, Helena's apartment.
I sat up slowly, realising I was in a bed, covered with a soft duvet. In all the whirlwind of events the night before, I hadn't even noticed I was still wearing the gown from the gala, which was now wrinkled, stained with blood, and completely ruined.
Axel wasn't beside me. The other side of the bed was cold, empty.
Panic fluttered in my chest for a moment before I heard a voice drifting from the living room. I pushed back the covers and padded to the door, opening it quietly.
Helena was in the kitchen, moving between the stove and the counter. The smell of coffee and bacon filled the apartment, making my stomach growl.
