Four days until my nightmare became reality.
"That sounds lovely. I look forward to it as well."
My voice sounded steady. Calm. Completely at odds with the panic clawing up my throat.
"Excellent. I'll see you soon, my dear. Make sure you're ready."
The call ended. His face disappeared.
I sat there, staring at the blank screen, trying to remember how to breathe.
Four days. We had four days left.
Four days of freedom before Salvatore came back and we had to go back to hiding. To pretending. To playing roles that were slowly suffocating us both.
Four days before I had to sit across from him at dinner and pretend I wasn't in love with his son. Pretend I didn't know exactly what Kai's hands felt like on my skin. Pretend I wanted any part of the future Salvatore had planned.
I felt sick. Actually physically sick.
This was why I couldn't say the words out loud. Why admitting I loved Kai felt like tempting fate. Because every time I let myself believe this could work, reality came crashing back in with video calls and wedding dates and cold blue eyes studying me like I was livestock being evaluated.
I showered mechanically. Got dressed in jeans and a sweater. Braided my hair with shaking hands.
Then I went to find Kai.
He was in his office, standing by the window, shoulders tense. He turned when I walked in, and I saw my own anxiety reflected in his eyes.
"Hecalled you too?"
"This morning. Wanted to check in." I couldn't stand still. Started pacing. "Four days, Kai. He's coming back in four days and we're running out of time. You said you needed more evidence but he's already on his way and I don't know how we're supposed to hide this when he's here watching everything and Luca is already suspicious and..."
I was spiraling. Could feel it happening. Couldn't stop it.
Kai crossed to me in three strides. His hands found my shoulders, grounding me. "Breathe. Just breathe for a second."
"I can't. I can't breathe when he's coming back and everything is falling apart."
He pulled me against his chest. His arms wrapped around me, solid and warm. One hand stroked my hair while the other pressed against the small of my back.
"When he returns, we'll be more careful. Go back to playing our roles like we were before. You'll be the obedient bride-to-be. I'll be the dutiful son watching over you. We'll maintain distance in public, be cautious about when and where we meet. But I'm not giving you up."
I pressed my face into his shirt, breathing in his scent. Trying to absorb some of his certainty.
"What if we can't hide it? What if he sees? What if Luca finally gets his proof?"
"Then we deal with it. Together." His grip tightened. "I'll find a way, Aria. I promise you."
"I'm afraid." The admission came out muffled against his chest. "I feel like I'm going crazy. Like this is all some elaborate dream and I'm going to wake up and you'll be gone and I'll be alone again."
"You're not alone. You're never going to be alone again." He pulled back just enough to cup my face, tilt it up so I had to look at him. "I'm terrified too. Terrified I won't be fast enough. That my father will take you before I can stop it. That I'll fail to protect the one person who matters most to me in this entire fucked up world."
The honesty in his eyes made my throat tight.
"Whatever happens," I forced the words out, "I'm not letting himtouch me. I'll find a way to resist. Even if it means consequences. Even if it means he hurts me. I can't... I won't..."
"If he hurts you, I'll kill him." Kai's voice went flat. Deadly. "Evidence or not. Council or not. I will put a bullet in his head and burn everything down. Do you understand me? Everything."
He pulled me back against him. Held me like I was something precious. Something worth protecting.
