Page 36 of Ashes

The building was heavily guarded and their guards only changed shifts twice a day, giving us a tight window to navigate. Plus, Kai still wasn’t ready to fight by himself. He and Valentina were still sparring when I left for bed.

I tightened my grip on the pillow I’d apparently been cuddling throughout the night.

It stirred beneath me.

I frowned, the sensation abruptly waking me. My eyes shot open, but I was too close to whatever I was lying on, so I carefully pulled back to discern what or who it was.

I didn’t sleep around, or at least, I hadn’t since I left college, so I knew it wasn’t that. Besides, I was married and it might not have been out of love, but I would never do that to Sienna.

Besides, she was by far the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on and I just didn’t care to pay attention to anyone else.

I looked up and my breath caught in my lungs when I realized who I was sleeping with, or on if we were being technical.

My face was resting on her lap, my right arm thrown over her thigh, the other growing numb under my body. My slight movement caused her to stir, and the hand she had resting over my shoulder instinctively rubbed it back and forth.

I closed my eyes and took a shaky breath.

Why is she here? What happened last night?

It suddenly dawned on me that I must’ve had a nightmareand she heard me when she got home last night because she was still wearing the same clothes she’d left with yesterday. She most likely came straight to my room because even her hair was still in a tight ponytail when I knew she wore it loose under a bonnet to sleep.

I knew I needed to get up because I was becoming entirely too comfortable with the feeling of her arms wrapped around me, but when I looked at her again, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her.

I’d forgotten to draw the curtains closed last night and the morning sunlight spilling in from my windows illuminated her soft features.

I’d studied her features before, but I never really took a moment tolookat her and now, I understood why. I never let myself because if I did, I would’ve grown distracted.

My wife was simply beautiful.

Thick brows, a sharp nose, full, inviting—no, not inviting, I reminded myself—lips. Her eyes were still shut, her dark lashes resting on her soft skin.

But they fluttered open and her gaze clashed with mine.

My eyes captured hers and I momentarily got lost in her brown irises.

“Um, hi,” she said hesitantly, her voice hoarse from sleep.

“Yes, hi,” I replied, lowering my gaze.

Yes, hi? Good job, Jamal, smooth.

I groaned and when I looked at her again, she gave mea small smile and cleared her throat, shifting under me and revealing that I was still holding her.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, detangling myself from her body and moving into an upright position to put distance between us. Which was when I noticed I was only in a shirt and underwear, my usual sleep attire, while she was fully clothed. But I sighed in relief when I realized the only part of me that I didn’t want her to see was concealed.

Silence hummed between us and she pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

She was the first to break it. “Are you…” She paused, hesitating on her next words. “Do you remember what happened last night?”

The concern in her tone seemed to snap me back into reality, reminding me of the real nature of our relationship. She was a transaction, a payment for a debt not settled.

She wasn’tactuallymy wife.

“You should leave,” I said harshly, looking away.

“Jamal,” she said softly.

Her hand reached for me, but I jerked away from her touch.