He took her hand, his thumb grazing over her knuckles in a gesture of quiet reassurance. “I’ll take care of myself. I promise.”
She didn’t flinch, but the skepticism in her eyes was sharp. “Liar.” A faint, wry smile tugged at her lips. “You’re going to go rushing into danger at the first opportunity, and we both know it.”
Maybe. Probably. The thought didn’t bother him as much as it should have. He brushed his thumb across her skin again, as though grounding himself in the connection between them. “What if I promise to be as careful as I can be?”
“It’s better than nothing, I suppose.” Her gaze dropped to their joined hands, fingers intertwined, as if seeking strength in the simple act. “I don’t like the idea of losing you, Roberto.”
His chest tightened at the words, a raw surge of panic
