“Like I’m worth saving.”
My throat tightens.
My pulse stumbles.
“You are.”
His breath catches.
His jaw clenches.
“You can’t save me,” he says, shaking his head, voice splintering down the middle. “You can’t put me back.”
“I don’t want to put you back.”
His eyes finally meet mine—raw, splintered, terrified.
“I just want to be here with you.”
His breath cracks.
His whole body leans forward like he wants to believe me but doesn’t know how.
“I don’t know what it feels like to be free,” he says, voice shaking. “I only know what it feels like to be kept.”
My heart caves.
“You kept me.”
His fist tightens around the chain until his knuckles split again, blood blooming across bruised skin.
“I kept you because I didn’t know how to ask you to stay.”
I step closer.
I cup his jaw.
My thumb drags under his eye, catching the breath he let slip as a tear.
“You don’t have to ask.” His whole body trembles beneath my touch. “I’ll stay,” I breathe.
His chest shudders.
His throat bobs.
His hands drop the chain, sliding up to grip my waist like he’s terrified I’ll vanish if he lets go.
“You’ll hate me when you know all of it.”
“Tell me.”
His breath fractures.
His pulse stutters.
“He didn’t just watch.” His voice is almost gone now. “He touched.”
His hands tighten on me.
