CHAPTER 27

Chapter 27 – Love in the Light of Day

The morning light filtered through the penthouse windows, painting soft golden hues over the sheets tangled around Serena and Elias. The warmth of the sun kissed her bare skin, but nothing compared to the warmth of his touch, his arm draped over her waist as if even in sleep, he refused to let her go.

For a long moment, Serena simply lay there, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing, feeling the quiet contentment settling in her chest.

She had stayed.

For the first time, she hadn't slipped away before dawn, hadn't let fear push her out the door before she could fully grasp what this meant.

Elias Carter was dangerous—not in the way the world feared him, but in the way he made her feel things she never thought she'd be capable of feeling.

And now, she was falling.

Not cautiously.

Not hesitantly.

But completely.

Elias stirred beside her, his grip tightening slightly before he buried his face against her neck, his breath warm against her skin. "You're awake," he murmured, his voice husky from sleep.

Serena smiled, turning her head slightly to meet his gaze. "So are you."

His lips curved against her shoulder before he propped himself up on one elbow, studying her with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. "I like waking up to you," he admitted.

Her throat tightened at his words. There was no teasing, no carefully placed smirk—just raw honesty.

She reached up, brushing her fingers along his jaw. "I like waking up to you too."

A slow, satisfied smile spread across his face. "Good," he said, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Because I plan on making this a habit."

Serena laughed softly, shaking her head. "You're impossible."

Elias rolled onto his back, dragging her with him so that she was sprawled across his chest. "And yet, here you are," he teased, fingers trailing down her spine.

Her heart pounded at the lazy affection in his touch. She propped her chin on his chest, gazing up at him. "So, what happens now?"

His expression softened, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Whatever you want, Serena."

She swallowed hard, searching his eyes. "And what do you want?"

Elias didn't hesitate. "You."

A lump formed in her throat at the certainty in his voice.

There were no conditions, no games.

Just him.

Just them.

She bit her lip, her fingers tracing absent patterns on his skin. "This… it scares me," she admitted.

Elias's hand cupped the back of her head, his thumb stroking her cheek. "Then let me be the one thing you don't have to be afraid of."

Serena closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting his words settle deep into her bones.

Then, finally, she whispered, "Okay."

Elias exhaled a quiet breath, as if he had been waiting for that single word. He pulled her closer, his lips brushing against hers in a kiss so gentle, so reverent, that it felt like a promise.

And for the first time in forever, Serena let herself believe in it.

---

An Unspoken Truth

The day passed in a blur of soft touches and stolen kisses, of whispered confessions and laughter that filled the space between them.

Serena had never experienced anything like this before—love that felt effortless, that didn't require her to guard her heart at every turn.

Elias made her feel safe.

Made her feel wanted.

Made her feel… home.

By evening, they found themselves curled up on the couch, a half-finished bottle of wine on the table, the city glowing beyond the massive windows.

Elias traced a lazy pattern on her bare shoulder, his voice softer than she had ever heard it. "Tell me something you've never told anyone before."

Serena tilted her head, meeting his gaze. "Why?"

He shrugged, his fingers still moving against her skin. "Because I want to know every part of you."

Her chest tightened.

No one had ever wanted that before.

She hesitated for a moment before whispering, "I used to be afraid of the dark."

Elias's brow furrowed slightly, his thumb pausing in its movements. "Why?"

She exhaled slowly. "When I was a kid, I would have these… dreams. Nightmares, really. I would wake up in the middle of the night, convinced that something was coming for me."

Elias's grip on her tightened slightly. "Did anyone ever—"

"No," she interrupted softly, shaking her head. "It wasn't like that. It was just… this feeling. Like I was meant for something bigger than the life I had, but I was always one step away from losing it."

Elias studied her for a long moment before murmuring, "You're not losing anything, Serena. Not anymore."

She swallowed past the lump in her throat, her fingers tightening against his.

"I know."

And for the first time, she truly believed it.

---

A Love That Can't Be Ignored

The air between them shifted, thick with something unspoken.

Elias reached for her then, pulling her onto his lap, his hands resting firmly on her hips. "You drive me insane, you know that?" he murmured, his lips brushing against the sensitive skin of her neck.

Serena shivered, her fingers tangling in his hair. "Do I?"

Elias exhaled a quiet laugh, his teeth grazing her pulse point. "You have no idea."

Her breath hitched as his hands moved over her body, exploring, memorizing. Every touch sent fire through her veins, every kiss unraveling the walls she had so carefully built.

She should have been scared of this.

Of him.

Of how much she wanted him.

But when Elias pulled back, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that stole her breath, she realized—

She wasn't afraid at all.

She was his.

And for the first time in forever, she was okay with that.

Elias cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her bottom lip. "I love you, Serena."

The words sent a jolt through her, raw and unexpected.

Her heart pounded, her hands tightening against his skin.

She should have hesitated.

Should have been afraid.

But instead, she whispered, "I love you too."

Elias exhaled sharply, as if he had been waiting to hear those words his entire life. Then, without another second of hesitation, he kissed her.

And this time, it wasn't slow or careful.

This time, it was everything.

All of the longing, all of the fear, all of the love they had been holding back—

It poured into that kiss, into the way their bodies molded together, into the way the rest of the world faded into nothing.

And in that moment, Serena knew—

This wasn't just love.

This was forever.

To be continued.....