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Zain maneuvers us so that I’m lying on the bed before he stands and slips into the bathroom. While he’s gone, I attempt to right my clothes.
“Take ‘em off,” he says, watching me from the bathroom door. He takes the three steps to the bed and kneels on one knee, a warm wet washcloth in his hand that he uses to smooth over my thighs, then between my legs.
When he stops abruptly, I follow his gaze and find his eyes fixed on my thighs. Or more specifically, on the bruises between my thighs.
“I’m fine,” I say quickly. “You didn’t do this.”
“Who the fuck did?” he growls.
Throwing the blanket over my legs, I sit up, averting my gaze. I don’t want to tell him about Raul. I’d rather forget it ever happened. “It doesn’t matter.”
Both knees on the bed now, Demon balls his fists. “Damn it, Isa, tell me! Was it your brother? Because I swear to God, I’ll fuckin’ kill him.”
I shake my head hard. “No, no, it wasn’t Diego. Please, Zain… I can’t,” I beg.
He huffs in annoyance while he stares at the wall, avoiding eye contact with me.
“You want me to bare my scars when you won’t even show me yours,” I say in frustration.
He gets off the bed, grabs the washcloth and goes back to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. When the shower starts, I let out a resigned sigh and roll over, closing my eyes andrealize that I’m gonna have to give to get. No matter how much it’s going to hurt.
Chapter 15
Demon
“You’re too hard on her, Zain.”Sara’s soft voice enters my mind. I open my eyes to find her standing at the end of the bed. She glances at Isadora’s sleeping form, then shifts her eyes back to mine. “You know…”
“Sara, STOP!” my tone brooks no room for argument.
She huffs. “Fine, I’ll go. But you need to be nice, you don't know what she went through.” Something in Sara’s tone tells me she does, and I wonder if she’s been watching Isadora from afar.Is that even possible?I sit up and open my mouth to ask the question, but Sara’s gone.
In her place, Azrael stands, stoic and calm as usual, as though he doesn’t have a fuckin’ care in the world.Jesus fuck.“What?” I ask, knowing he’s about to spout some deep metaphorical bullshit I’ll no doubt have to decipher.
He chuckles and raises a brow. “You know me well.”
I shake my head. Slowly, I’m learning it’s better to shut my mouth and let Azrael speak. Then when he’s gone, I can go back to pretending my dead sister and the Angel of Death don’t visit me on the regular.
Keeping my voice low so as not to wake Isadora, I say, “Why don’t you go back to watchin’ Priest. His life’s a lot more fuckin’ peachy than mine.”
“Priest knows his path. He’s mindful of where he is, where he came from, and where he is headed. You, on the other hand, are lost. Tethered neither to this world or the next.”
“The fuck does that mean?” I ask. I glance at Isadora when she rolls over. Long strands of dark hair fall across her brow. I reach out and brush the strands back.
A throat clearing has my attention back on Azrael. “You’re severing connections at every turn.”
Not taking my eyes off Isadora, I say, “I have my reasons.” I ignore him for a few minutes until I finally give in and turn around. Beside Azrael, Sara stands, and I sigh. “You can’t use her to change my mind.”
Azrael shakes his head, a sly smirk pulls at the corner of his lips as he waves a hand toward Sara. “I have no control over Sara, the same as I have no control over you. While we reside in similar realms, our actions are our own.”
“I want more for you, Zain.” She crosses her arms over her chest, frowning.
I clench my teeth until my jaw aches. “What about what I wanted for you, huh?”
“Zain, please,” Sara begs. “This won’t bring me back.” She takes a step forward and reaches out, but when her hand passes through me, she frowns. “I’ll still be gone. Don’t you understand? Nothing you do will bring me back, not killing those men, not drugs, or women. I’m gone, Zain, I’m gone and I’m not coming back.” Glistening tears fall from Sara’s eyes, but before I can speak again, she disappears.
Azrael stares at me, blue eyes brimming with light. “I will tell you the same thing I told Priest all those years ago.No matter the path chosen, the outcome will have a ripple effect that will alter the lives of countless others.” He glances at Isadora, then bows slightly and leaves.
For a long time, sleep eludes me. I toss and turn, Azrael’s words play over in my mind.A ripple effect? Alter the lives of countless others?No. Fuck this, and fuck him and his fuckin’ riddles. I will do what needs to be done to avenge my sister and end the cartel once and for all.
