Chapter 11

Luke's hands are on my waist, pulling me closer, his breath warm against my neck. Our lips meet in a kiss that feels electrifying, my body responding with a longing I can’t control. Just as his hands start to wander again…

“Cher!” Luke’s voice is urgent, cutting through the haze of sleep and desire. I sit up quickly, heart pounding from both the remnants of the dream and the unexpected interruption.

“Newton’s missing,” Luke blurts out, his face pale under the dim light of the moon wafting through my curtains. “I need your help.”

My heart skips a beat. Newton, the sweet, young boy who’s like a little brother to me. Missing? The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

“What do you mean he’s missing?” I step back, motioning for him to come inside. “Where could he have gone?”

Luke steps in, running a hand through his messy hair. “I don’t know. They said he was playing with some of the other kids close to the woods and he probably wandered off, but by the time they realized he was gone. We’v