Chapter 87

VALENTINA I stirred slowly, my body languid under the weight of satin sheets that felt far too soft for the ache twisting through my limbs. My breath hitched as I shifted. A tender pulse radiated from my thighs, as if I had run for miles—or been touched with a tenderness that didn’t belong to reality. The morning light streamed through the tall windows, golden and quiet, wrapping my skin in warmth that contrasted with the chill lingering inside me. I stretched, the silken sheets whispering across my bare legs. And then I remembered. Or at least—I thought I did. My heart clenched, and shame flushed hot across my cheeks. My thighs squeezed together, instinctively, as if I could hide the truth even from myself. Andres... His name was a curse and a caress in my mind. That dream—if it was a dream—was too vivid. Too intoxicating. His hands had held me like I was made of stars and shadows, his mouth tracing worship across every inch of me. His voice had murmured my name like a vow. I bit my l