The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the hospital room. Machines beeped steadily, a cruel reminder of how close she had come to losing him.
Amelia sat at Alexander’s bedside, her fingers laced tightly with his, refusing to let go. She hadn’t slept, hadn’t eaten—she couldn’t. Not until she saw his eyes open again.
When his lashes finally fluttered, her breath caught.
“Amelia?” His voice was hoarse, rough from exhaustion.
She pressed his hand to her lips, tears spilling freely. “I’m here. You’re safe. You made it.”
His gaze softened, filled with something she had once believed he wasn’t capable of—tenderness. “Of course I made it. I had you to fight for.”
She let out a shaky laugh, brushing her hand through his hair. “You’re impossible.”
“And you love me for it,” he murmured, a fain
