Chapter 31

The events of the night have left me exhausted and emotionally drained. As the first light of dawn filters through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the cabin, I sit on the edge of the bed, my thoughts racing. Luke is still asleep beside me, his face relaxed in a deep, peaceful slumber. I can’t help but feel a pang of guilt for having disrupted our night with the chaos Donnie brought.

I get up quietly, careful not to disturb him. My body feels heavy and sore from the adrenaline and fear of the previous hours. I walk to the small kitchen area, hoping to find some semblance of normalcy in making coffee or tea. My movements are automatic, my mind still replaying the scene from last night. The sound of Donnie’s voice, his desperate need to “protect” me, echoes in my mind. What could he possibly think is so dangerous that he’d resort to this?

The soft clatter of the coffee maker fills the silence, a small comfort in this whirlwind of emotions. As I wait for the coffee to brew, I gla