{STEPHANIE}
I woke up to the feel of a gentle stroke on my cheek.
"Wake up, sweet," Francesco said in a breathy whisper, his lips nearly brushing my ear.
My thighs clenched in response and I opened my eyes, lazily turning to face him, my
He was sitting on my side of the bed, already dressed in a three-piece suit. A faint frown crept into my face and I heaved a low, disappointed sigh. "I overslept again, didn't I?" I asked with a
He shook his head and breathed out a laugh. "It's just a little after eight."
I smiled and glanced at his side of the bed, noticing immediately that the bedsheets were untouched. "You didn't sleep at all?"
He scratched the back of his neck. "Um..not really."
My brows knitted with concern. "Francesco, you need to take some rest."
Suddenly, all the traces of amusement in his face faded and his eyes fixed on me. "Something happened," he said solemnly under his breath, his voice almost close to a whisper.
