AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The fact he just shot someone so close to me, someone who would have sliced my throat given half a chance.
“You could have killed me,” I say.
The blood on my throat where she also nicked me tickles, and the wound stings a little as I talk.
Tizio breathes out. “I didn’t.”
“I know. Do you want a prize?”
Then, to my utter horror, I burst into tears. The tremors racking my body give way to a full body shaking as I make ugly, loud crying sounds. My eyes burn as the tears come and come, and I almost fall from the force of them.
I don’t, though, because strong arms come around me. I cry louder into his shirt, probably getting his shirt bloody and wet. Which serves the fucker right—he could have shot me.
Tizio rocks me in his arms, his voice a low litany of sweet words that have no meaning, just comfort and the ability to soothe the ugly crying beast back into hibernation.
I wrap my arms around him because if this is it, I don’t want to let go.
This is not how I pictured any epic goodbye, but I’ll take what I can get.
“Karlee, I’m an expert marksman. I knew I could shoot her faster than she could draw the knife.”
“You didn’t even look at me. You didn’t?—”
“Sweet Karlee . . .” He brushes the top of my head with his mouth, then eases me back a little, hand gentle on my face, and he moves my chin up to look at the wound. “I didn’t look at you because if I had, I would’ve started shaking. You undo me, and that’s the unvarnished, simple truth.”
I gulp in air.
“It’s not bad. How is your side.”
Of course, he saw that. Tizio sees everything, which is why it hurt he didn’t look at me. Only now, he said he would’ve started shaking, and I try and unravel it, shape it, see where it fits.
“It’s fine, just a nick.”
Those eyes go hard. “I wanted to make her fucking suffer, but I needed her not to slice your throat. I prefer your throat in one piece. It’s pretty. Kissable.”
“Are you flirting?”
“Come on. I need to get you away from here. Back to the compound.”
I nod and go with him.
Honestly, I’d follow this man anywhere.
I’m not sure if it’s pathetic, a sign of love, or both.
Mia comes flying out when we pull up, but Tizio steps between me and her to lift my chin and kiss me before she can drag me off.
The kiss is sweet, cathartic, and I don’t know if it’s ‘to be continued’ or a goodbye. So, I take it for what it is without question.
“Go with Mia, Karlee. She’s gonna fuss, and so will Blake if she hasn’t fallen asleep. Blake’s the one with the kids. But Mia’s good people. Special.”
“Stop talking about me, Tizio,” Mia says.
He laughs and kisses my cheek. “They all are, but Mia secretly loves to fuss. Let her. It’ll stop her worrying over Christian.”
I grab at him, hating myself but doing it anyway. “Where are you going?”
“Clean up, gotta go help with the others, make sure this is done. I’ll be back.”
