“It’s okay. It’s okay.” His hands grab her back, letting her cling to him.
“Oh God…Leon.”
“I’m so sorry.”
She pulls away abruptly. “No. Don’t you dare. I’m sorry. I got us into this mess. It’s my fault. You just…you did it. You killed her.”
“She would have killed you.” His voice is stony, cold, unwavering, and entirely ruthless.
I daresay, looking at him now, that there’s something missing from him. Something has fundamentally changed about the brutish leader of the Prince’s Hand.
But I don’t ponder it. I leave the Natali siblings to their reconciliation and stagger back to where I left Rocco.
He hasn’t moved, but luckily, his eyes follow me as I approach.
“You bastard, you left me behind,” he groans.
I want to roll my eyes at him as I help him up. “You were slowing me down, as always.”
Rocco yelps as I yank him to his feet. “You gotta give me the chance to save your life sometime. This is getting embarrassing.”
“Yeah, well?—”
“Rocco?”
We turn in sync to the sound of Cassandra’s approach.
I can barely get out of the way fast enough before she’s throwing herself at her husband. My cheeks ache as I smile at the sight of them. Their love for each other has a warming effect on everything around them.
I take joy in Rocco’s relief and Cassandra’s gratitude. But I can only watch them for a moment before it feels like I’m intruding on something immensely private.
Around us, the smoke of the house begins to die down along with the flames. All that happened couldn’t have lasted much more than five minutes, yet time seemed to stretch impossibly as it happened.
Only now do I begin to hear the sirens that will no doubt force us all to flee.
I turn back to Isabella and Leon. Both are still locked in a serious embrace, whispering to each other desperately. I try to make myapproach slow and loud to give them some time, but the truth is, we’re running short on it.
“We need to go,” I say quietly.
Matching chocolate eyes snap to my face.
Leon apprehensively looks me over. “You need a hospital.”
“Perhaps you should worry about your own mess,” I snap back instinctively, gesturing to the body that lies between us.
“Teo,” Isabella hisses.
I ignore her. “He started this fire. As much as I appreciate you saving my friend, this doesn’t mean you and I are square.”
Leon untangles himself from Isabella to draw himself up to his full height. “I didn’t do it for you.”
“We have something in common that we care about.” I match his stare carefully. “Something that we both love.”
I try very hard not to acknowledge Isabella stiffening at his arm.
“It appears so.” His words come out as a growl.
“I propose a truce. Until such a time that we are both in a position to sit down and discuss the matter at hand more formally,” I say evenly.
