Chapter 154

### You Were My Favorite Hurt, And My Hardest Goodbye by Ava Knight

**Chapter 154**

A faint smile graced her lips, a stubborn curve that fought against the weight of the moment. “Almost dying, or getting taken twice in a year? That’s got to be some sort of record,” she quipped, her voice light yet laced with something deeper.

Nico felt a lump form in his throat as he observed the way Enzo was simultaneously breaking and holding himself together. He leaned over her, his thumb brushing against her cheek with a tenderness that Nico had never witnessed from him before. It was a reverence, a sacredness that seemed to envelop them both, and for a fleeting moment, Nico felt like an intruder in their shared space.

When Enzo finally pulled back, his forehead lingered against hers, their breaths mingling in the charged air. He remained there, as if tethered to her, unwilling to sever the connection. It was too intimate, too raw, and Nico found himself looking away, unable to bear the intensity of the moment.

Eventually, Enzo straightened his posture, his shoulders squaring as if he were donning armor once more. “I’ve got a meeting with Dmitri,” he said, his voice low and firm. His piercing gaze shifted to Nico. “You get her home.”

The weight of those words crashed down on Nico, a heavy mantle of responsibility, trust, and command settling squarely on his chest. It felt like a gauntlet thrown at his feet. As Enzo brushed past him, his hand landed heavily on Nico’s shoulder—a simple gesture, yet it felt monumental, as if Enzo had placed the very crown of his empire upon him.