~Alistair's POV~
I leaned up and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the spot, whispering an apology against his skin.
Alex sighed, leaning into my touch before gently pulling away. "You should change your shirt, love," he murmured, glancing at the damp patches where his tears had soaked the fabric. "Before we go down, there's something we need to discuss."
He led me to the edge of the bed and gently sat me down, but the softness in his touch didn't match the sharp, calculating look that crossed his face.
"When we go downstairs," he said quietly, his voice calm and deliberate, "we can't let them see us like this. We have to keep pretending as if we're fighting, as if we're on the verge of breaking up."
I blinked, taken aback. "Why? I thought the point was to stand together."
