Chapter 262: I’ll Try**
Alexander took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the water as he seemed to gather his thoughts. "I almost lost you today, Rain," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I kept thinking... what if I hadn’t reached you in time? I’ve never felt fear like that."
Rain’s heart tightened as she heard the vulnerability in his words. She hadn’t seen him this shaken before. "But you did reach me," she reassured him, placing a hand over his. "I’m here because of you."
He held her tighter, his eyes finally meeting hers, searching. "I don’t want to ever feel that again," he murmured, his voice low. "You’re everything to me now, Rain."
She leaned into him, feeling the intensity of his words resonate within her. "I promise, I won’t put myself in harm’s way like that again," she whispered, resting her forehead gently against his. "But promise me... no matter what happens, you’ll keep moving forward. Don’t make me your whole world. Remember, you were strong before I came into your life."
Alexander didn’t respond right away, but she felt the subtle tremor in his body as he pulled her closer. In the warmth of the water, they held each other in silence, both unwilling to let go. "Promise me," she repeated softly, not wanting him to lose himself, even if the worst should happen.
After a long pause, he finally spoke. "I’ll try..." he murmured, his voice low and full of emotion.
She smiled, brushing a wet strand of hair from his face. "That’s all I ask. Please... try."
They sat together in quiet understanding. Rain gently took a body sponge and began wiping Alexander’s face, her touch tender as she removed the smudges of smoke and soot. As she moved down his arms, she noticed a reddened patch on his skin and gasped softly. "You have burns?" she whispered, concern deepening her gaze.
He shrugged it off, muttering, "It’s nothing." But his hands mirrored her care as he started washing her shoulders, working down her arms as if needing to reassure himself she was safe.
"Nothing?" she repeated, frowning slightly as her fingers hovered over the burn. "You threw yourself into that fire to get me."
"Of course, I did," he murmured, meeting her gaze with a quiet intensity. "You’re everything to me."
They lingered in the quiet, comforting warmth of each other’s presence. When they’d finally finished cleaning up, Rain gently cupped Alexander’s face, a soft pout forming on her lips. "Come on, let’s get out of the tub," she murmured, brushing a thumb over his cheek. "I need to put some ointment on your burns."