Damian’s hand was still tight around my arm, his grip biting into my skin. His breathing was ragged, as if he was holding on to more than just me—like he was clinging to the last pieces of control slipping through his fingers.
“I won’t let you leave me.” His voice was low, shaking with something between desperation and anger. His eyes, wild and fractured, bore into mine, but I didn’t look away. Not this time.
“You have to,” I whispered, forcing my voice to remain steady even though my heart was pounding. “There’s no way out of this if you keep fighting.”
Damian’s grip tightened, and I could see the conflict raging inside him. His face twisted, torn between the man he used to be and the one his paranoia had turned him into. For a moment, I thought he might snap, might drag me down with h
