Eve
The flicker of pain in his eyes was undeniable this time, but it was fleeting. He masked it quickly, his grip on my chin tightening ever so slightly. His breath was warm and ragged against my skin, the air between us thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension.
"So you that's why?" he said, his voice quieter now, but no less intense. "You think I don't know what you're capable of?" He leaned closer, his face mere inches from mine. "I see it, Ellen. I see it every time you stand against me, every time you defy me. But don't mistake my need to protect you for a lack of respect. The world is cruel, and if you get hurt—" His voice broke for a fraction of a second before he recovered. "Da--- Red, don't you see? I can't lose you."
