Valeria's POV

I wasn't planning to commit a crime today.

It was supposed to be harmless. Professional, even. Emilia was mid-photoshoot, focused, her camera angled just right as she gave quiet instructions. Maria-the ex-stood there, all confidence and charm, pretending to listen.

Then it happened.

Maria reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Emilia's ear. A soft laugh. A touch that lingered.

I stared. Blinked once. Twice.

Then I spotted the screwdriver on the equipment table.

A perfectly innocent screwdriver.

Breathe, Valeria.

Claire stood beside me like an uninvited spirit. "Ooh, that's the face of murder. Whatcha thinking? Quick strangulation or-oh, no. You're reaching for a weapon. That escalated fast."

I ignored her, picking up the screwdriver, testing its weight in my hand.

Claire's coffee nearly sloshed out of her cup. "VALERIA."

"I'm just holding it."

"With murder in your heart!"

Maria laughed again, leaning in a little too close to Emilia, her hand brushing Emilia's shoulder like she owned that space.

I started walking.

Claire scrambled after me, hissing, "Abort mission! This is not how we handle jealousy! We use words, not hardware!"

I kept walking.

Emilia's eyes met mine mid-laugh. She froze.

Her gaze dropped to the screwdriver in my hand, then snapped back up to my face. A flicker of panic.

She quickly turned to Maria, her voice louder than necessary. "Maria, can you adjust your posture? Like this-" She exaggerated a stance, conveniently moving Maria away from me, blocking her view of my rapidly approaching form.

Claire grabbed my arm, whisper-yelling, "Let's think this through! You'll end up on a 'true crime' podcast, and I will be the friend interviewed saying, 'Yeah, she always seemed a little stabby.'"

I shook her off, stopping just a foot away from the scene.

Maria finally noticed me. "Oh, hey. Didn't realize you were here."

Emilia jumped in before I could respond. "Valeria! You're back. How was-uh-your meeting?"

I stared at Maria, my grip tightening on the screwdriver. "Productive."

Claire, sensing the impending doom, stepped between us like a human shield. "Valeria was just helping me with-uh-fixing things. Yep, real handy with tools. Not for stabbing. Just, you know, screws."

Maria arched an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Right."

Emilia's smile was tight, forced. "Hey, Valeria, why don't you help me adjust the lighting over there?"

I didn't move.

"Valeria," she said again, her voice softer, pleading.

I exhaled sharply, flipping the screwdriver in my hand and handing it to Claire without breaking eye contact with Maria.

"There. Happy?"

Claire grabbed it like it was radioactive. "Ecstatic."

Emilia quickly walked over, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the studio.

As soon as Emilia dragged me into the hallway, she spun around, her hands still gripping my arm. Her face was flushed-part frustration, part embarrassment.

"What the hell was that, Valeria?"

"She touched you," I shot back, crossing my arms.

"She was adjusting my hair!"

"With suspicious enthusiasm," I snapped. "Is that what we're calling it now? 'Hair adjustments'?"

Emilia groaned, running a hand through her perfectly un-betrayed hair. "You can't just go around threatening people with a screwdriver every time someone gets near me!"

"Not everyone," I corrected. "Just your ex."

That stopped her cold.

Her mouth opened. Closed. Then opened again. "Wait-how do you know she's my ex?"

"Oh, I don't know," I deadpanned. "Maybe because Claire practically whispered it like it was national gossip. 'She's pretty, right? That's Maria, her ex.'" I mimicked Claire's voice, throwing my hands up dramatically.

Emilia's face turned redder. "Okay, but that was a long time ago-"

"You told me you don't see your exes anymore."

She blinked, caught off guard.

"That's... technically true."

"Oh really? Because I just saw one trying to braid your soul."

Emilia groaned again, covering her face. "She was adjusting my hair!"

I leaned in, lowering my voice with mock seriousness. "Is that a normal thing to do? Should I start adjusting Claudia's hair too? Would that be okay?"

Her hands dropped, eyes narrowing. "Don't you dare."

"Exactly!" I threw my hands up. "Funny how that works."

Before she could respond, Claire popped her head around the corner like she'd been eavesdropping-which, of course, she had.

"Hey, not to interrupt this beautifully dysfunctional moment, but if Valeria's adjusting people's hair now, I volunteer as tribute."

We both whipped our heads toward her.

Claire grinned, walking closer with a dramatic flair. "Because-tattoos? Hello? Hot? Like, absurdly hot. Unfairly hot."

Emilia's jaw dropped slightly. "CLAIRE!"

"What?" Claire shrugged, completely unapologetic. "I'm just saying what we're all thinking. If Valeria's offering free 'hair adjustments,' I'll take the deluxe package."

I tried to suppress the smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth.

Emilia glared at me, then back at Claire. "She's not offering anything."

Claire wiggled her eyebrows. "Well, that's a shame. Because this body? Art."

Emilia groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're impossible."

"I learned from the best." Claire winked and strolled off, her laughter echoing down the hall.

Emilia turned back to me, her face still flushed. "She's insufferable."

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "But you're the one blushing."

She glared, then burst out laughing, shaking her head. "You're both impossible."

I shrugged.

She rolled her eyes, trying to fight the smile tugging at her lips, but it slipped through anyway-a soft curve that made my chest ache in the best way.

But I wasn't done.

"You know she still likes you, right?" I said, my voice quieter now, the edge of jealousy softening into something more vulnerable.

Emilia blinked, the smile fading as her brows knit together. "What? No, she doesn't."

I tilted my head slightly, crossing my arms. "She was adjusting your hair like it was her job. Pretty sure that's not part of the modeling contract."

"She was being friendly."

"That wasn't friendly. That was territorial." I leaned against the wall, trying to sound casual, but the tension buzzing under my skin betrayed me. "She was practically claiming you like you're... hers."

Emilia scoffed, stepping closer. "I'm not hers."

I nodded slowly. "But she wants you to be."

Her eyes searched mine, something soft flickering behind them. She let out a breath, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Even if she did-which she doesn't-it wouldn't matter."

"Why?" I asked, my voice lower now, rawer.

She stepped even closer, so close I could feel the warmth of her breath. "Because I'm not interested in her."

I swallowed, the words hitting harder than I expected. But the insecurity had already planted itself, stubborn and rooted.

"She's beautiful," I muttered, my gaze dropping for a second.

Emilia tilted her head, her expression softening. "And?"

"And she knows you. Your world. She fits in." The words slipped out before I could stop them, a confession wrapped in jealousy and fear.

Emilia's hand reached out, fingers brushing against my jaw, tilting my face up to meet her gaze. "She doesn't fit anywhere near me."

I held her gaze, my chest tight. "You didn't answer me."

She smiled softly, shaking her head. "Because it's a stupid question. I don't want her. I want you." She leaned in, her forehead resting against mine, her fingers tracing the edge of my jaw. "You. With your stubbornness and terrible attitude and the fact that you almost stabbed someone today with a screwdriver."

I huffed out a small laugh despite myself, but the knot in my chest didn't fully loosen.

"But she doesn't know about me, right?" I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Emilia pulled back slightly, her brows furrowing. "What?"

"She doesn't know about us." My voice was quieter now, the vulnerability sharp like a blade. "You never told her."

Emilia's fingers curled gently around my wrist, grounding me. "Valeria... I didn't tell her because it's none of her business. Not because I'm hiding you."

I swallowed hard, my chest tight.

She stepped closer again, her lips brushing against mine-soft, grounding. "But if it matters to you-"

"It doesn't," I cut in quickly, my pride snapping into place. But it was a lie, and we both knew it.

She smiled against my mouth, a soft, knowing curve. "Liar."

She looked at me with that soft curve of a smile, her breath mingling with mine, like she expected me to lean in and kiss her. God, I wanted to. I missed her-I missed the way her lips felt against mine, the way her warmth settled into my bones.

But instead, I stepped back, turning on my heel and walking away, leaving her standing there, eyes fluttering closed as if waiting for something that never came.

"Valeria!" she objected, her voice a mix of frustration and disbelief, sharp enough to pull a smug grin onto my face.

I didn't look back, just tossed a glance over my shoulder with a smirk tugging at my lips.

"Back to work, princess," I said casually, letting the word drip with all the meaning she knew was buried beneath it. "And remember-I'm watching."

I heard her groan softly, followed by a faint laugh as she muttered something under her breath. But it didn't matter.

Because the image of her standing there, flustered and wanting, was already burned into my mind.

Emilia's POV

I tried to focus on my work. Really, I did. The camera was in my hands, the lighting was perfect, and Maria was posing exactly as I instructed. But none of that mattered because Valeria was right there-leaning against the wall like she wasn't the most distracting thing in the universe. Arms crossed, tattoos on display, that smug little half-smile on her face, watching me like she was plotting something-or someone's death. Hard to tell with her.

My fingers fumbled over the camera settings, adjusting the focus unnecessarily for the fifth time. I was supposed to be a professional, but Valeria's presence was like an unsolvable equation stuck in my head. And the fact that Maria was also here? Great. Just fantastic.

"Are you trying to seduce the camera or having a mental breakdown?" Claire's voice broke through my thoughts, full of that signature mischief.

I flinched slightly, lowering the camera. "I'm fine," I muttered, adjusting the lens again even though it was already perfect.

Claire snorted. "Sure you are. You've been photographing the same spot on the floor for the past two minutes."

I glanced down. Oh. Yep. Not even the model. Just... the floor. Great.

"Okay, wrap it up for now," I mumbled to Maria, pretending I needed to adjust the lighting. Maria shrugged and walked off to grab some water, thankfully out of earshot.

Claire didn't miss a beat. She leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, full of amusement. "You know, you could cut the sexual tension in here with a knife. Or, better yet-just go have sex with her and get it over with."

I nearly dropped my camera.

I shot Claire a sharp glare. "Are you insane?"

Claire grinned like she'd just won the lottery. "Oh, absolutely. But not as insane as you look, trying to pretend you're not thinking about jumping her."

I glanced over my shoulder. Valeria was still there, leaning lazily, looking like she had all the time in the world-and none of the patience.

Claire followed my gaze, then whispered, "Seriously though, if you're not going to do anything about her, I will. I mean, come on-tattoos, that 'I could kill you or kiss you' vibe? Hot."

I clenched my jaw. "Claire."

"What? I'm just saying what we're all thinking. If I weren't so invested in watching this slow-burn disaster unfold, I'd be making a move."

My grip tightened on the camera. "Claire."

She grinned wider, clearly having the time of her life. "Relax, I'm not actually going to steal your terrifyingly attractive... whatever she is. But someone needs to address the fact that you're one longing stare away from combusting."

I tried to scowl, but laughter bubbled up despite myself. I turned to her, my face probably ten shades of red. "You're impossible."

Claire shrugged, unapologetic. "You love me."

"Unfortunately."

She winked. "And I'll be your best friend forever if you just admit you're this close to tackling Valeria right now."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't stop the smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Because honestly?

She wasn't wrong.

The photoshoot wrapped up faster than I expected, mostly because my focus had been all over the place. Maria stretched, giving me a smile that felt a little too familiar, and I could already see her making her way toward me.

Oh no, not now.

Before she could get more than a few steps, Claire materialized out of nowhere like the chaotic savior she was. She slid between us with an exaggerated grin, slinging an arm around Maria's shoulders.

"Hey, Maria! I need to show you something super important," Claire blurted, dragging her toward the opposite end of the room.

Maria looked confused but didn't resist. "What is it?"

"Oh, you'll love it. It's, uh... life-changing," Claire replied, waving her hand dramatically as they disappeared around the corner.

Bless her.

I took the chance and made my way toward Valeria, who was still leaning against the wall like she had all the time in the world. She didn't say anything, just watched me with that unreadable expression.

I stopped in front of her, crossing my arms, trying to seem casual even though my heart was doing cartwheels. "So... how was your meeting with Claudia?"

Her eyes flicked to my lips for the briefest second before she replied, "We can talk somewhere else."

Valeria leaned against the counter, her fingers drumming lightly, while I hovered awkwardly before finally perching on one of the stools.

"So?" I prompted, unable to hide the slight pout in my voice-not just from curiosity but also from the lingering sting of her walking away earlier without kissing me.

Valeria's lips twitched like she wanted to smirk but was trying to be serious. "We agreed on everything. Juan knows what to do. He'll plant the seed with Dominic, make him think Carlos was the traitor."

I nodded, absorbing her words, but all I could focus on was how close she was, the way the light caught on the faint curve of her jaw, the small scar near her temple.

She glanced at me, her gaze softening. "Are you pouting?"

I straightened immediately. "I'm not pouting."

"You're definitely pouting."

I rolled my eyes, but my heart wasn't in it. "Maybe I just didn't appreciate you walking away earlier when I thought you were going to kiss me."

Her eyebrow shot up. "Oh? You wanted me to kiss you?"

I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. "You're impossible."

She chuckled softly, the sound low and warm. Then, without warning, she stepped closer, standing between my legs where I sat. She gently pulled my hands away from my face, her touch sending shivers down my spine.

Valeria's forehead rested against mine, her breath warm against my skin, mingling with mine in the small space between us. The tension crackled like static, unspoken words hovering, heavy and fragile.

"I didn't kiss you because I knew if I started, I wouldn't want to stop," she murmured, her voice low, rough around the edges, like the words cost her something to admit.

My breath hitched, heart racing with the weight of her confession. "That's a terrible excuse," I whispered back, my lips brushing hers ever so slightly.

Her mouth curved into the faintest smile-barely there, but enough to make my chest ache. "Maybe," she replied, her thumb absentmindedly tracing slow circles against my waist. "But I'm here now."

I swallowed hard, the heat between us thick and magnetic. My hands slid up to the nape of her neck, fingers threading into her damp hair, pulling her just a fraction closer. "So what are you waiting for?"

She didn't answer with words. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her lips ghosting over mine-a near-kiss that made my heart stutter. Her hesitation wasn't from doubt; it was the weight of something deeper, something she didn't know how to name.

I couldn't take it anymore.

I closed the distance, pressing my lips softly to hers. It wasn't rushed, not desperate like before. It was slow, deliberate, like we both needed to memorize the feeling. She responded instantly, her hands tightening on my hips, pulling me flush against her, and I melted into the warmth of her.

Valeria's POV

The faint buzz of my phone against the wooden table cut through the quiet like a blade. Emilia's warmth was still lingering on my skin, her fingers lazily tracing the faint outlines of my tattoos, but now it all felt distant-muted-like the world was holding its breath.

I glanced at the screen.

Claudia: "It's done. Juan's meeting Dominic tonight. Be ready."

My jaw clenched instinctively, the knot in my chest tightening. The plan was in motion.

Emilia noticed the shift immediately. Her fingers stilled against my skin. "What is it?" she asked softly, but her tone was already laced with tension.

I didn't answer right away. I just stared at the message, like if I glared hard enough, it might disappear. But it didn't. This was happening.

Finally, I exhaled sharply, locking eyes with her. "Juan's meeting with Dominic tonight. I have to be there."

Her body went rigid. "What do you mean, be there?"

"Not inside," I clarified quickly. "I'll be nearby. With Claudia. In the car."

She sat up straighter, her brows furrowing as frustration crept into her expression. "Why do you need to be there at all? I thought the whole point was for Juan to handle it."

I stood up, pacing across the room like the floor could give me answers. "Because it's Dominic. Things go wrong around him fast. If Juan screws up even a little, I need to be there to clean it up."

Emilia followed me with her eyes, her jaw clenched tight. "So you're just going to sit in a car like it's some casual errand? What if Dominic suspects something? What if Juan sells you out?"

I stopped pacing, my heart racing for reasons that had nothing to do with Dominic and everything to do with the woman standing in front of me. "I've done worse," I muttered, trying to sound like it didn't matter. But it did. It mattered because she cared.

"That's not the point," she snapped, standing now, her voice rising. "You're not alone anymore, Valeria. You don't just get to risk your life like it's nothing."

I felt my chest tighten. I wasn't used to this-someone giving a damn whether I came back or not. It made me reckless in ways I didn't understand.

"I'll be fine," I said, softer this time. But it sounded hollow even to me.

She crossed the room in two quick steps, grabbing my wrist, her grip firm. "You can't promise that."

I looked down at her hand, then back up into her eyes. The fear there gutted me.

"I can't promise I'll be fine," I admitted quietly. "But I can promise I'll come back to you."

Her breath hitched, and for a second, the tension broke just enough for her to pull me into a kiss-brief but fierce, like she was trying to memorize the feel of me.

When she pulled back, her forehead rested against mine. "You'd better."

----

The faint glow of the streetlights outside flickered against the windshield, casting shadows across the dashboard. Claudia's cigarette burned low, the faint orange ember the only thing steady in the chaos unraveling inside me. The radio was off. The world outside was quiet. But inside my chest, a war was raging.

"Relax," Claudia muttered, lighting a cigarette. "Juan knows what he's doing."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about," I snapped.

Claudia smirked. "Someone's tense. Trouble at home?"

I shot her a glare, but my mind was already drifting back to Emilia-her hands on my face, the way her voice broke when she told me to come back. I clenched my fists.

Claudia chuckled darkly. "Ah, she is making you soft."

"Shut up," I muttered, my eyes locked on the door Juan had just disappeared through.

Because I wasn't worried about her making me soft. I was worried she made me human.

Juan's voice crackled faintly through the small earpiece connected to the bug Claudia had discreetly planted on him. It wasn't the best equipment-Claudia never was one for finesse-but it worked well enough to catch every word.

Dominic's voice came through first-smooth, cold, like silk stretched over a blade. "So, Juan," Dominic said, the words dripping with skepticism. "You sitting here because you're bored or because you've got something worth my time?"

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached.

Juan chuckled, the sound forced. "Wouldn't waste your time, Dominic. I've got information. About Carlos."

There was a pause-a heavy, loaded silence that made Claudia flick her cigarette out the cracked window.

"What about Carlos?" Dominic's voice lowered, a dangerous edge creeping in.

Claudia gave me a sharp glance, her eyes narrowing like she was calculating every possible way this could go south.

Juan cleared his throat. "He was a traitor."

The silence that followed was suffocating. My fingers dug into my knees, and Claudia's grin faded, replaced with a taut line of concentration.

"Traitor?" Dominic repeated slowly, as if tasting the word. "That's a bold thing to say. Carlos was loyal."

Juan didn't miss a beat. "Loyal to himself. He was the one who helped Emilia Hayes escape. Thought he could make a deal behind your back."

Another silence. It stretched out so long I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

"And you expect me to believe that without proof?" Dominic's voice was colder now, sharper.

Juan's voice stayed steady, but I could hear the strain underneath. "Valeria found out. Confronted him. It got ugly. She put him down when he tried to cover his tracks."

Dominic didn't respond right away. I could practically hear him leaning back, processing, dissecting, deciding whether to believe any of it.

"Valeria," Dominic repeated slowly. "Why haven't I heard that name before?"

Claudia and I locked eyes. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was rattling my ribs.

"Because she's the type you don't hear about unless she wants you to, they often refer to her as el alacrán." Juan replied smoothly. "She handles problems quietly."

Another pause. Then Dominic chuckled, low and dark. "And where's this Valeria now?"

My pulse spiked.

"Laying low," Juan answered. "She doesn't like attention. But she's loyal. Always has been."

Dominic hummed thoughtfully. "Loyalty's easy to claim. Harder to prove."

Juan kept his tone casual. "She's already proven it. Carlos was her crew once. Didn't stop her."

Another stretch of silence, then Dominic's voice, softer, more dangerous. "Let's put that loyalty to the test."

Claudia's fingers twitched against the steering wheel. My stomach twisted into knots.

"What kind of test?" Juan asked, his voice a little too high, too shaky.

Dominic didn't answer right away. Then, with a chilling calmness, he said, "I'll be in touch."

The connection cut with a soft click, leaving nothing but the sound of my ragged breathing and Claudia's soft curse.

"Well," Claudia muttered, starting the car, "that could've gone worse."

I didn't respond. I couldn't. My mind was racing, already a thousand steps ahead, wondering what Dominic's "test" would be.

And whether I'd survive it.

"Get us out of here," I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended, cutting through the tense silence.

Claudia didn't argue. She jammed the keys into the ignition, and the engine roared to life. The car lurched forward, tires skimming against the cracked pavement as she sped away from the meeting spot. But the farther we got, the tighter the coil in my chest wound.

My leg bounced uncontrollably, hands clenched into fists against my thighs. The streets blurred past the windows, but all I could hear was Dominic's voice echoing in my head.

"Let's put that loyalty to the test."

What did that mean? What kind of test? And why the hell did it feel like the walls were closing in on me?

Claudia glanced at me, her jaw set, clearly trying to read me like she always did. She scoffed, her eyes flicking back to the road. "Relax, Val. Whatever the test is-you'll handle it. You always do."

But her words didn't land. They didn't touch the part of me unraveling from the inside.

"It's not that simple," I muttered, my voice low, rough.

Claudia let out a dry laugh, shaking her head slightly. "Of course it is. You've done worse. You've survived worse. This is just another job."

But it wasn't. It wasn't just another job.

My chest tightened, breath catching like there wasn't enough air in the car. I stared out the window, jaw clenched so hard I felt it in my temples.

What if the test wasn't about me? What if Dominic wanted to use Emilia-hurt Emilia-to see how far my loyalty went?

The thought hit me like a punch to the gut.

I'd killed for less. I'd bled for less. But this... this was different. She was different.

Claudia's voice cut through my spiral, sharper now. "What's your problem? Since when do you panic over shit like this?"

I didn't answer right away. Couldn't.

Finally, I forced the words out, my voice barely a whisper. "What if the test isn't about me?"

Claudia frowned, glancing at me like I'd just spoken in a foreign language. "What the fuck does that mean?"

I swallowed hard, fingers digging into my thighs. "What if it's about her?"

For the first time, Claudia didn't have a smart-ass comeback. She just stared at me for a beat, her expression unreadable. Then she snorted, shaking her head.

"Oh," she muttered, like it suddenly made sense. "So that's it. You're scared."

I didn't deny it. What was the point?

Claudia sighed, drumming her fingers against the steering wheel. "Look, whatever this 'test' is, you'll figure it out. You're good at that. Just... don't lose your head over it."

Too late.

I stayed silent the rest of the ride, the fear gnawing at me like it had teeth. And for the first time in a long time, I didn't know if I was going to be able to fix this.

Because this wasn't just about survival anymore.

It was about her.

When I stepped through the door, the first thing I saw was her-Emilia.

She was pacing, her arms wrapped around herself, her bottom lip caught between her teeth like she was holding back the flood of worry threatening to spill out. The second her eyes met mine, she didn't hesitate. She ran toward me.

I barely had time to react before her arms were around my neck, her body crashing into mine like a wave I didn't know how to stand against. I wrapped my arms around her instinctively, pulling her in, grounding myself in the feel of her warmth, her scent, the way she fit perfectly against me.

"You're back," she breathed against my neck, her voice tight with something that twisted in my chest-relief... mixed with fear.

I closed my eyes for a beat, swallowing the lump rising in my throat. "Yeah," I murmured, forcing my voice to stay steady. "I'm back."

She pulled back slightly, just enough to search my face, her fingers brushing against my cheek like she was checking if I was real. "How did it go?"

Lie.

The word echoed in my head, sharp and cruel. But it was the only option. I couldn't tell her about the test. Couldn't let her carry this weight, too. It was mine to bear.

"It went fine," I said smoothly, slipping the mask back on like armor. "Nothing we didn't expect."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, like she could feel the edges of my lie even if she couldn't see it. But she didn't push. Instead, she nodded slowly, then reached up to cup my face with both hands, her thumbs brushing softly over my skin.

"I was worried," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if admitting it out loud gave it too much power.

My chest tightened. I know, I wanted to say. I was scared too.

But I didn't. Instead, I leaned in, pressing my forehead against hers, closing the space between us because words felt useless.

"I'm here," I whispered. "I'm okay."

It wasn't the truth. But it was close enough.

She let out a shaky breath, her fingers threading into my hair, holding on like she was afraid I'd slip away if she didn't. "Good," she murmured, her lips ghosting over mine in the softest touch. "Because I can't-"

She didn't finish the sentence, and I didn't ask her to. I just kissed her instead. A slow, lingering kiss that tasted like everything I couldn't say.

When we finally pulled apart, she smiled-a soft, tired thing-and tugged me toward the room.

"Come on," she whispered. "You need to rest."

Rest. I almost laughed.

How could I rest when I didn't know what Dominic's "test" would be? When the possibility of losing her felt like a ticking time bomb in my chest?

But I let her pull me down beside her, let her curl into my side like she always did, her head resting on my shoulder.

And as I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close, I made a silent promise to myself.

No matter what the test is... she'll never know.

I'd carry it alone. Even if it destroyed me.