The glow of the Eidolon Nexus interface faded as the real world came back into focus. My senses adjusted slowly, the faint hum of the VR headset still buzzing in my ears as I reached up to remove it. I blinked, letting the quiet calm of my room settle over me, my body still warm and tingling from everything that had just happened in the game.

  I sighed, brushing a hand over my face as I tried to process it all. The confession, the emotions, the intensity between me, Devon, and Selene—it felt like my heart had been running a marathon. I was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but also... at peace in a way I hadn’t felt in so long.

  As I set the headset aside, I realized I wasn’t alone.

  A familiar warmth brushed against my leg, and my breath hitched as I looked down to see a hand—Devon’s hand—trailing softly along my skin.

  “Welcome back,” he said, his voice low and smooth, his green eyes lifting to meet mine. He was sitting at the edge of my bed, his shirt discarded, his hair slightly tousled. His gaze was soft but held a heat that made my pulse quicken.

  “Devon,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. “What are you—how long have you been here?”

  “Long enough,” he said with a faint smile, his hand moving higher, brushing just above my knee.

  “I’m fine,” I said quickly, though my voice betrayed me with its slight tremble. “You didn’t have to—”

  “I wanted to,” he interrupted, his tone steady. “And Selene wanted me to, too.”

  His words sent a jolt through me, and I stared at him, my heart racing. “Selene knows?”

  His hand reached for mine, his fingers intertwining with mine as he leaned closer, his warmth enveloping me.

  “Selene’s okay with this,” he murmured, his lips brushing lightly against my temple. “She wants this for you. For us. She trusts me to help you feel... lighter.”

  His other hand slid to my waist, pulling me toward him with a care that made my chest ache. There was no rush, no urgency—only the steady, deliberate movements of someone who wanted to show me how much I was cared for, how much I was loved.

  His lips found my jaw, trailing soft, reverent kisses along my skin. “You’re everything to us, Kiera,” he murmured, his breath warm against my neck. “Let me take some of that weight from you.”

  The way he looked at me—the unwavering trust, the unspoken devotion—it broke something inside me in the best way. I leaned into his touch, letting him guide me as his lips found mine, the kiss tender but filled with a depth of emotion that made my chest tighten.