Julia's POV

Rain began falling in the middle of the afternoon. Light, steady, relentless, canceling our late-afternoon outing.

I was sitting on the living room rug with Adam resting against my legs when I heard his footsteps in the hallway. I already knew that rhythm. With every passing day, I found myself waiting for him. I felt that now, in a safe environment, on Caesar's territory, he was more relaxed.

Adam let out a loud laugh, that new laugh he'd only recently discovered, and I laughe