“You won’t lose me.” His voice was surprisingly quiet. “Not as long as I’m breathing, Victoria. We’re stronger together than apart. We have a better chance of winning this if we fight side by side. So, stop trying to protect me by leaving." He clenched his jaw. "You’re not saving me... you’re breaking me.”
With those words, Victoria finally surrendered. Her hands slipped from his chest to wrap around him, burying her face against his shoulder as a shuddering sob escaped her. He tightened his embrace, one hand cradling her head, the other pressed firmly against her back, as if to anchor her against him.
They stood there in silence until Victoria’s voice emerged in a soft, broken murmur. “I’m so scared, Alex. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to stand beside someone like you.”
He pulled b
