Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

Chapter 1169

Suddenly, just as Whitney reached out to check his pulse, the man's hand shot out and gripped hers tight.

His grasp was strong-surprisingly strong for someone fresh out of surgery-but his fingers were cold and trembling.

Whitney froze, startled. She looked up, only to find herself staring into the deep, hollow eyes of a man who'd just clawed his way back from the brink. Ludwik was awake, his gaze dark and stormy, his brow furrowed as he fixed her with a look that could pierce steel.

He was clearly upset-but not because of anything she'd threatened. No, it was something else. It was what she'd said earlier, about him being "old."

Getting called old-especially by the woman he loved-hit Ludwik like a truck. That's just not something you say to a man, especially not when he's fighting for his life and trying to win you back.

His eyes, usually sharp and intimidating, now looked almost... wounded. He pressed his lips into a thin, stubborn line and dropped his gaze down from her rosy cheeks.

"What, you think I've been treating you so badly?" Whitney huffed, rolling her eyes at his pitiful look. "If I hadn't stayed by your side through that surgery, you'd still be lying on that table-nobody would even bother to claim your body!"

She tried to sound tough, but the tears brimming in her eyes gave her away. She was worried sick, and they both knew it.

and concern in her face. For a moment, his battered heart

just had surgery. I'm at my weakest right now, and you go and

let go.

as you used to be, and you still insisted on chasing after Bryce. What if

tightened his grip, wrapping her whole hand in his. He tried to sit up,

you dare

panic in her voice. "Just because

prove me right by getting yourself killed, you idiot. Abdominal

her with a piercing stare. "So tell me—am I really old? Am I not

course not!" she

a shaky breath, finally letting his head rest back on the pillow, pain etched in every line of

he couldn't resist trying to trip her up. Men and

grip, she couldn't stand up herself.

in turn, saw the glint of tears in her dark eyes, the kind of

a promise," Ludwik said, jaw clenched against the pain