His gaze darkened as his lips parted, but no words came out. I took a small step back, but he mirrored my movement forward, his expression unreadable.
"Tell me," he said slowly, his voice low and steady, "how long were you going to hide this from me?"
My lips trembled. "It's not what you think…"
"Then what is it?" His tone rose just slightly, enough to make the air grow heavy. "That mark belongs to me, Aeris. I know it as much as I know my own heartbeat."
I turned my face away, clutching the side of my neck as though I could erase it just by pressing harder. My throat felt dry, and my chest tightened painfully. "You're mistaken… this mark… it doesn't mean anything."
His hand shot out, gripping my wrist, but not tightly. His touch was warm, trembling even, yet it made me flinch. "Don't lie to me again."
