Chapter 66

The room was warm with the steady hum of machines, but Tamer still felt cold.

Avery’s hand rested in his, delicate and trusting, her pulse faint against his palm. She looked fragile beneath the white sheets, her dark lashes resting against pale cheeks, but when she stirred and turned toward him, her lips curved into a sleepy smile that stole the air from his lungs.

“Husband.”

The word slipped from her mouth like it had always belonged there.

Tamer forced his features into something gentle, though inside he was knotted tight with conflict.

“Yes, Avery,” he murmured.

She squeezed his hand weakly, as if testing whether he was real. “Don’t let go. Promise me.”

“I promise.”

The lie felt like glass in his throat — sharp, dangerous — but when she sighed in relief and closed her eyes again, he told himself he’d bleed on the shards if it meant keeping her safe.

Later that morning, a nurse rolled in a tray of bland hospital food: oatmeal, weak tea, and a small bowl of fruit. Avery wrinkled her