Chapter 81: His shrine.

Isla woke up with a deep yawn, stretching her arm toward the empty space beside her. She expected to feel Jaxon lying next to her, but he was nowhere to be found.

Her brows furrowed as she blinked her eyes open, glancing at his side of the bed. Letting out a quiet sigh, she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Jaxon?" she mumbled drowsily, stifling another yawn.

Sliding out from beneath the sheets, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and reached for her phone. Unlocking it, she found everything exactly as she had left it the night before.

Slipping on her flip-flops, she padded toward the door and stepped into the hallway.

"Jaxon?" she called again, her voice echoing slightly as she made her way toward the stairs.