He inhaled loudly.“On four.In -- one, two, three, four.”
My chest fought it, then air scraped in, shaky but there.
“Hold -- one, two.”
Burning.
“Out -- one, two, three, four.”
The breath rushed out.
“Again.”
Breath by breath, he wouldn’t let me drown.My heartbeat slowed.Feeling seeped back into my fingers.
Tears burned hot and unstoppable.
“I’m so tired of being scared,” I confessed.
His gaze went soft.“I know.”
“I keep thinking the worst is past.Then something happens and it feels like this will never end.I can’t be the reason kids here lose parents.I can’t be why you lose everything.I can’t --”
“Stop.”He spoke firmly, not harshly.“You didn’t choose your brother’s path.You didn’t kick doors in.You didn’t threaten anyone.Men who did that own it.”
“I came here.”My throat closed.“I brought it here.”
“You came here to stay alive.”His eyes held mine.“You tried everything else.You handled it alone until it almost killed you.Coming here means you chose life.”
His words hit me.Hard.I sobbed.
He stepped closer, crowding out panic without smothering me.His body formed a cage that felt safe.
“You didn’t drop a fresh bomb.You pointed at one we already knew about.So, you coming here didn’t change much for us.”
My fingers tightened on his shirt, over his heart.I needed that steady beat.
“This helps,” I whispered.
His voice was low.“Good.”
A knock echoed.
“Kane?Everything all right?”General’s voice on the other side.
Kane exhaled against my forehead.“Timing sucks.”
I gave a wet laugh.“Yeah.”
“You decent?”General called again, but I heard the humor in his voice and knew he didn’t mean it literally.
Kane’s hand lingered on my cheek before he pulled it away.“Yeah.Give us a second.”
He dipped his head near my mouth.The air crackled.My body leaned toward him before my brain caught up.
“Kane…”
He hovered, breath warm against my lips.“You sure?Because if I start, I won’t pretend this is just protection.”
