I don’t hesitate to kick it down, bursting into the room with my gun raised.
But it’s not breathtaking green eyes that stare down the barrel. It’s brown one. Eyes I never thought I’d see here.
29
MIA
It’s a ghost.
It’s a wrathful God.
And he’s pointing a gun at Carmen’s face.
“Leon!” I cry, my voice breaking.
Leon is there, shirtless and blood-stained, and his chest rises and falls with every labored breath. His eyes lock on me instantly, and for a moment, the entire world narrows down to just us.
He’s alive. He’s alive. He’s here. He came for me.
A sob wrecks itself through my body.
In my periphery, Carmen flinches at the sound.
Leon immediately turns back to the woman before him, his face set in ruthless determination.
“NO!” I half scream. I pant in desperate relief as his finger falls from the trigger. “Don’t hurt her.”
He doesn’t drop the gun, doesn’t look away from her. “Are you all right, Mia?”
“You’re alive. God, you’re alive.”
“Mia,” he barks, and Carmen takes a trembling step back.
“I’m okay. Leon, leave her alone. She has nothing to do with this.”
I watch as Leon considers my words, eyes narrowing as he scans the threat before him. Then, with a small gesture with his gun, he says, “Untie her.”
Carmen swallows but does not reply. She’s clearly gathering her nerve to turn away from the gun to approach me slowly. I can see the terror in her eyes—she’s too young to be shaped by this world as of yet.
She should be out there using her degree to do something that excites her, living a real life, changing the world.
She shouldn’t be here.
“Hey,” I say to her softly. “It’s okay. He’s not going to shoot you.”
“Mia,” his voice is a warning.
“He’s not,” I snap at him. “He’s going to put the fucking gun down.”
Carmen trembles as she steps behind me. I can feel it in her hands as she unties my bindings.
Leon stands before us, and I stare at him defiantly until he drops his gun. At his shoulder, I see the unmistakable outline of Dante crowding the doorframe.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to Carmen.
She says nothing, but the bindings drop, and I sigh in relief. I turn to her immediately, wanting to reach out and comfort her, but she’s already retreated into the corner of the room.
“Get out,” she whispers.
