47. (JO POV)

(JO POV)

Retreating to the bathroom, a sanctuary Deirk had introduced me to, I sought comfort in the sunlight. It was a small solace, feeling the warmth against my skin, a brief escape from the turmoil unfurling within the townhouse. The simple joy of basking in the sunlight, something so mundane yet profoundly missed, enveloped me in a moment of peace.

When Dane knocked, signaling his presence, I reluctantly closed off my connection to the sunlight, sealing the window.

He immediately surrounded me in a desperate hug. I noticed him smelling my forehead.

"Oh my, he told you to smell me, didn't he?" I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Yeah, he was pretty adamant about it. Made me promise I would," Dane admitted.

"I noticed him doing it, but he never told me why," I recalled Deirk's peculiar actions and occasional deep breaths when close.

"It's the sun, kitten. We can smell it on you," Dane explained.

"That's amazing. Can you smell it in your... sun garden too?" The curiosity was gen