Where is she?

Sadness turned to panic as he realized that there was no sign of her clothes or anything else to suggest that she’d returned home after she left him in the hospital. A bad feeling rushed through him as he remembered his premonition of Zarya being killed.

Could they have been attacked?

Was Maris missing, too?

Visions of Annalise’s brutal assault went through his mind. Only the image of his sister lying on the ground, soaked in her own blood, turned to one of Maris and Zarya. He struggled to breathe through the pain of it.

Why hadn’t he thought to check on them?

You stupid, self-absorbed bastard… He should never have allowed them to leave without him. He should have kept them by his side so that he would know they were safe.

Damn you, Ryn. If he’d allowed them to get hurt…

I’ll kill you this time. I swear it!

Calm down, Dar. Don’t jump to conclusions.

After all, it was the middle of the night here. Yes, her room was empty, but maybe it was nothing bad.

Maybe, she was…

His searching gaze went to the door that connected their rooms. Could she be in his bed, instead? It seemed like a long shot, and yet…

His heart hammering, he crossed the room and pushed the door open. Gripping the knob for support, he stood absolutely still as a slow smile curled his lips. Relief hit him so hard that he thought for a minute his knees might give out.

Lying curled in the center of his giant bed, Zarya looked tiny in comparison. Her long dark hair fanned out across his pillows while her faint snore warmed him.

See, dumbass. She’s fine.

Best of all, she was still here.

He glanced around his room, taking in all of the extremely feminine personal items she’d invaded his masculine domain with over the last few weeks. It’d started out small… a pink hairbrush on his dresser and flowered toothbrush in his bathroom, followed by a few elastic headbands she used at night to pull her hair back whenever she washed her face or read to him. Then the small collection of flavored glitter lip balms that lay on a tray beside his bed. Her scented lotions and his favorite perfume that she wore for no other reason than to make him crazy with lust. Even some of her shoes were strewn near his bed.

And she’d draped one of her sheer nightgowns and a frilly pink robe over his navy settee. An image of her wearing the gown electrified every hormone in his body.

That thought pushed his relief away as desire burned through him. He closed the door and slowly crossed the room to his bed, undressing himself as he walked.

Zarya sighed contentedly at the sensation of a warm, naked male body pressing up against hers. Mmm, she’d always loved the way Darling felt whenever he snuggled behind her at night.

Until she remembered the fact that Darling wasn’t home. He was still at the hospital.