Aria's POV
"If anything happens to me—if things get worse—I need you to run."
His hands framed my face, thumbs stroking across my cheekbones with devastating tenderness. "Promise me you'll put yourself first. That you'll get somewhere safe."
"Are you serious right now?" I pulled back, anger flaring hot and sudden in my chest. "After everything we've been through, you think I'd just abandon you?"
My eyes were already burning, tears threatening to spill over despite my best efforts to hold them back.
I hated crying—hated showing this kind of vulnerability—but the thought of losing him, of running away while he faced whatever darkness was coming alone...
It was unbearable.
"Don't cry," he said immediately, panic flashing across his features as he reached for me. "Aria,
