UNTIE ME

AARON

The cough came out of nowhere. A sharp, jagged sound that rattled in my chest, the kind of cough that makes you stop and wonder if your lungs are still working properly.

I didn't have time for this.

It had been days, maybe weeks, since it started. I'd been ignoring it—mostly. But now, here I was, leaning against the wall in my room, eyes closed, waiting for the spasm to pass, feeling the tightness in my throat and chest. My body was telling me things I didn't want to hear, things I couldn't afford to think about.

Not now. Not when everything was so fragile. Not when the team was depending on me. Not when i've got everything to lose.

The cough stopped as quickly as it had come, but the lingering ache in my chest refused to leave. It burned, a constant reminder that I wasn't invincible, that I couldn't keep pushing myself forever.

I hated it.

I could hear the rush of blood in my ears, the thrum of my heartbeat as it settled into something normal, something I could pretend was fine. But I knew better.

It's too hot, I unbutton my shirt and run a hand through my hair, pacing the length of the room. The walls felt like they were closing in, and the silence was suffocating. I hadn't told anyone. Not James. Not Kenji. Not even Ella.

But I couldn't hide it forever.

I gripped the edge of the table, trying to steady myself. I didn't have time to get sick. There was no room for weakness, no time for distractions. There was always another mission, another strategy to consider, another crisis to handle. And Ella... she depended on me in ways that no one else did.

The thought of letting her down made my stomach twist.

I shoved the idea away, focusing instead on the meeting we'd just had. We had so many pieces in motion now—so many things that had to fall into place. The rest of the team needed me sharp. Needed me clear. And if I wasn't... I didn't even want to think about it.

I took another deep breath, holding it in, feeling the weight of the air fill my lungs before I slowly exhaled. It didn't help much, but at least it steadied me enough to move.

I had to keep moving.

I grabbed my jacket from the chair and tossed it on, eyes catching the reflection in the mirror across the room. The face that looked back at me was a familiar one—sharp jawline, piercing green eyes, the same expression of someone who never had the luxury of slowing down. But now... now there was something off. With some gray hairs hidden and the faintest shadows beneath my eyes. I didn't look like I was in control anymore.

I sighed, pulling myself together. I couldn't afford to get lost in it. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.

The cough flared up again, and I clutched my chest, fighting against the wave of discomfort that threatened to drag me down. I could hear it in my head—the voice of reason telling me that this wasn't just exhaustion. It was something more. Something that had been brewing for a while.

But I ignored it.

There was no time for distractions. No time to admit that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as invincible as I wanted to be.

I reached for my phone and dialed a number, my fingers steady despite the pounding in my head. It was a familiar number, one I'd called a thousand times, but this time, I wasn't sure what I was hoping for. She didn't answer, though.

And maybe, that was for the best. I didn't need to talk to anyone right now. I didn't want to.

I ended the call, letting the silence fall around me again. My hand trembled slightly as I lowered the phone, but I ignored it. I had to. There was no room for weakness in this life. Not anymore.

I turned toward the door, taking one last look at the room I'd made into a sanctuary. It didn't feel like a refuge anymore. It felt more like a cage.

I stepped out into the hall, forcing my legs to move, even though my body begged me to rest. I had no choice.

Because there was always something else to fix. Always someone depending on me. Always another fight ahead.

And I would keep fighting. Even if it killed me.