Beneath the Veil of Shadows

Chapter 31

The next morning dawned softly. Sapphire stirred first, her eyelids fluttering open to find Elias still beside her, his features relaxed and softened in sleep. It was a rare sight, one she had come to quietly cherish.

For a moment, she remained still, watching the way his dark lashes rested against his cheek and how his chest rose and fell in steady rhythm. The quiet strength that always surrounded him seemed muted in these moments, replaced by a fleeting vulnerability she wasn’t sure he was even aware of.

She shifted carefully, attempting to sit up without disturbing him, but as her hand brushed the sheets, Elias’s arm shot out, wrapping around her waist and pulling her back down.

“Where do you think you are going?” His voice was gravelly from sleep, low and rough, sending a shiver through her.

Sapphire glanced over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t realize you were awake.”

His lips quirked into a lazy smirk, his eyes still half-closed as he tightened his grip on her. “I am always awake when it comes to you.”

She rolled her eyes, though her lips curved into a smile. “Is that so? And here I thought you valued your sleep.”

He chuckled softly, the sound rumbling in his chest as he pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “I value other things more,” he murmured, his voice tinged with meaning.

Sapphire felt the warmth creeping up her neck, but she masked it with a teasing tone. “You are insufferable this early in the morning.”

Elias finally opened his eyes, their piercing gaze locking onto hers. “And you love it,” he said simply, his confidence as unshakable as ever.

She shook her head, extricating herself from his grasp and sitting up. “If you are so awake, you can make breakfast.”

He let out a low groan, rolling onto his back and draping an arm over his eyes. “You are the one who has been awake for all of five minutes, and you are already giving orders?”

Sapphire smirked, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “Consider it payback for all the brooding stares and cryptic comments you subjected me to before.”

Elias sat up in a swift motion, catching her wrist before she could stand. He pulled her back toward him, his other hand curling around her waist. “You enjoy my brooding stares more than you care to admit.”

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a mock whisper. “Don’t push your luck.”

His grin widened as he released her, watching as she stood and made her way toward the bathroom.

By the time Sapphire emerged, dressed casually in one of his oversized shirts and her own shorts, she found Elias in the kitchen. He stood at the counter, his sleeves rolled up and his hair still mussed from sleep, preparing what appeared to be a very deliberate attempt at making breakfast.

“You can cook?” she asked, leaning against the doorway with an amused smile.

He glanced at her, a brow arching. “I can do many things, Sapphire. Don’t act so surprised.”

“I am more surprised you are not delegating this to someone else,” she quipped as she approached him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind.

Elias stilled for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing his face, but it was quickly replaced by a soft smile. Sapphire pressed a gentle kiss to his back, her lips lingering for a second before she rested her cheek against him.

“Maybe I wanted to impress you,” he replied smoothly, flipping a pancake with practiced ease.

She laughed softly, the sound vibrating against him. “Impress me? Is this your idea of romance?”