Chapter 77

I dragged my aching body out of bed. My legs protested, stiff and sore, but I moved forward and went into the sleek, polished bathroom. I stepped into the rainfall shower encased in glass, turning the handle until steaming water cascaded from above. The first touch of heat made me flinch, my skin overly sensitive, but soon the warmth began to sink in, uncoiling the tension that had wrapped itself tightly around my limbs. I stood there for a long moment, head tilted back, letting the water pour over my face, chest, and shoulders. The ache in my muscles slowly subsided, and my headache began to dull under the steady hiss of the water. I ran my hands over my skin, tracing the remnants of Garcia's touch—the faint bruises along my hips, the stinging nip at my collarbone. The exhaustion that had clung to me like a second skin started to melt away. When I stepped out, a towel wrapped loosely around my waist, I felt alive again. I put on my clothes and went out of the bedroom. I padded across