The clock on the wall ticked past midnight, each second stretching longer than the last. The rain had settled into a steady, relentless rhythm against the roof, matching the anxious beat of my heart. Elias and I remained on the couch where we had just made love, my body still warm and marked by him, his c*m slowly drying on my thighs beneath the blanket he had pulled over us.
He held me tightly, one arm locked around my waist, the other stroking my back in slow, clingy circles. His chin rested on top of my head, his breath warm against my hair. Neither of us had spoken much in the last hour. The weight of Amina’s absence pressed down on the house like a physical force.
“She’s safe at Lena’s,” Elias said again, voice low and rough. “Lena texted me an hour ago. Amina is upset, but she’s no
