Chapter 172: The Drive

Ashley’s POV

The sun was just beginning to filter through the curtains when I stirred awake, the soft light casting a warm glow on the room. I felt the gentle rise and fall of Liv’s breathing beside me, her arm draped protectively over my waist. The comfort of her presence was a balm against the raw anxiety I’d been carrying, and I was grateful beyond words that she stayed with me, even as a part of me battled the nagging sense that I was becoming a burden.

I carefully slid out of bed, trying not to wake her, but she shook anyway, her eyes fluttering open. “Morning,” she mumbled sleepily, giving me a small smile.

“Morning,” I whispered back, offering a weak smile of my own.

She propped herself up on one elbow, scanning my face with that perceptive gaze of hers. “Did you sleep at all?”

I shrugged, avoiding her eyes. “A little. You?”

She chuckled, though there’s a tiredness in her laugh. “Enough to get by. But you look like you need a few more hours.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but s