Chapter 19 – Bound by Fire
The blood on my hands wouldn’t wash away. Even as I pressed the torn fabric harder against Adrian’s wound, even as his breathing grew shallow, I could feel Alexander’s burning gaze on me. It was as if his eyes alone could chain me to him, branding me with the reminder that I was his.
My heart pounded painfully, every beat a drum of fear, guilt, and something else I didn’t want to name.
Adrian winced, his jaw tightening. “You shouldn’t be here, Liana. You shouldn’t even look at him, not after what he’s done.”
Alexander’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “What I’ve done? He’s the one who dragged you into this mess. If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t be standing here with blood on your hands.”
I snapped my head up, my tears blurring into fury. “Stop
