104: Lay Low (II)

Allison's POV.

When I finally stirred, the cold floor beneath me was the first thing I noticed. My body ached from the uncomfortable position, and for a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was. My vision was hazy, and in came light, and I squinted, trying to make sense of the world around me. It was dawn.

Someone was moving in the background—faint, careful footsteps that drew closer until they stopped right beside me. Panic flared in my chest, but before I could react, they sat down, their presence both familiar and comforting.

I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from my mind. Slowly, the room came into focus, and so did the person beside me. My heart skipped a beat when I finally saw him—Edward Blackwood.

"Allison," he said softly, his voice rich and smooth, like the calmness after a storm. The sound of it hit me like a wave, crashing over the walls I’d built around myself. Before I knew it, I was reaching for him, wrapping my arms around him as if my life depended on it.

"Edw