Arden’s POV:
The ride home was quiet.
Not uncomfortable.
Just peaceful.
Muse had fallen asleep halfway through the drive.
Again.
I glanced at her briefly.
Her head was resting against the window.
Her lips slightly parted.
Her breathing soft and even.
I shook my head.
How did someone who had spent weeks running for her life sleep this easily?
I almost envied her.
Almost.
The streetlights illuminated her face as we drove through the city.
The golden light softened her features.
She looked younger when she slept.
More vulnerable.
Less like the fearless girl who had held a gun to a gangster’s head in the middle of a mall.
The memory made me sigh.
Muse was full of contradictions.
And the more I learned about her, the more curious I became.
Who exactly are you?
The question lingered in my mind.
My assistant’s investigation hadn’t yielded much information yet.
No family.
No stable address.
No official records beyond the basics.
It was as though Muse had simply appeared one day.
And somehow ended up crashing into my life.
The thought made me smile.
I quickly erased the smile from my face.
This was getting ridiculous.
I was smiling too much lately.
And I knew exactly who was responsible.
By the time we reached home, the sun had completely disappeared.
I parked the car carefully.
Muse didn’t wake up.
Not even a little.
I got out and walked around to her side.
Still asleep.
I folded my arms.
“You can’t possibly sleep this much.”
Nothing.
I sighed.
Then carefully unbuckled her seatbelt.
Muse stirred slightly.
“Mmm…”
That was it.
I stared at her.
Seriously?
I couldn’t help laughing softly.
“Unbelievable.”
Without thinking too much about it, I slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back.
Then I lifted her.
My heart nearly stopped.
Her face buried itself against my shoulder.
I froze.
For one terrifying second.
Then I forced myself to keep walking.
She was asleep.
That was all.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Yet my pulse refused to calm down.
The front door opened before I could reach it.
Aunty Irene stood there smiling.
Her smile widened considerably when she saw Muse in my arms.
“Oh.”
I immediately knew what she was thinking.
“No.”
Aunty Irene looked disappointed.
“I didn’t even say anything.”
“You didn’t need to.”
She laughed.
I rolled my eyes.
Carefully carrying Muse inside.
“She’s asleep.”
“Clearly.”
I ignored the amusement in her voice.
A few moments later, I gently laid Muse on her bed.
She shifted slightly.
Her fingers caught my sleeve.
I froze.
Again.
This girl was becoming a problem.
A very serious problem.
“Muse.”
She didn’t respond.
Her grip tightened.
I stared at her.
Then slowly sat down beside the bed.
Just until she settled.
Nothing more.
Five minutes.
That was all.
Twenty minutes later.
I was still sitting there.
Ridiculous.
Absolutely ridiculous.
I rubbed my face.
Why couldn’t I leave?
Why did I constantly feel the need to check on her?
To make sure she was okay?
To make sure she was smiling?
To make sure she had eaten?
To make sure she was safe?
The answer came far too quickly.
Because I cared.
More than I should.
More than was wise.
More than was safe.
My chest tightened.
I slowly looked at Muse.
Her face was peaceful.
Trusting.
Completely unaware of the chaos she had created inside me.
I was attracted to her.
There.
I had finally admitted it.
The realization felt both terrifying and relieving.
Because it explained everything.
The staring.
The worrying.
The jealousy whenever she talked about leaving.
The way my heart raced whenever she smiled at me.
The way her happiness seemed to determine my entire mood.
I was attracted to Muse.
And that was a problem.
A very big problem.
She was younger.
Far younger.
She was vulnerable.
Recovering.
Depending on me.
The last thing she needed was for me to complicate her life further.
I closed my eyes.
This could never happen.
I wouldn’t allow it.
No matter what I felt.
No matter how much I wanted—
A soft voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Arden?”
My eyes snapped open.
Muse was staring at me sleepily.
I immediately stood up.
“You should be sleeping.”
She blinked.
“Why are you sitting beside my bed?”
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
Because I genuinely had no answer.
Muse smiled.
A slow sleepy smile.
One that always seemed to undo me.
“I think you’re getting attached to me.”
I nearly choked.
“What?”
Her smile widened.
Then she rolled over.
“I knew it.”
I stared at her.
Speechless.
Completely speechless.
A few seconds later.
A soft laugh escaped her lips.
And just like that.
I knew I was in trouble.
Very, very serious trouble.