ALICE POV
Waking up was a strange mix of bliss and sheer desperation. I was practically caged, trapped in Alex’s strong, muscular arms, pinned against him with his scent wrapped around me like a warm blanket. His steady breathing tickled the back of my neck, his chest a firm, unyielding wall against my back. Every time I so much as shifted, his hold tightened, pulling me closer as though he could sense any attempt to escape, even in his sleep.
I couldn’t help a small, frustrated laugh. "Alex," I whispered, keeping my voice soft, as if that might ease me from his grip. But he only grunted, one arm slipping lower, his hand spreading possessively across my stomach as he burrowed his face into my neck. I could feel his breath, warm and steady, igniting tiny sparks against my skin that I trie
