Page 203 of Barinov

She looks just as radiant as the last time we spoke. And judging by the way my heart just kicked into overdrive and a sudden, desperate heat rushed through me despite this stupid hospital gown, I am so not over her.

Bella was right.

Fuck. Me.

Bella lets out an aggressive groan. “What are you doing here, Mar?”

“Bells,” I snap, trying to find my voice. “It’s fine, she can—”

“The hell she can!”

“Nice to see you too, B.”

Her voice. Jesus Christ that smooth as honey, sultry voice of hers hits me like a fucking wave. Memories of the brief and intense life we shared come flooding to the surface. Her dark eyes shift from Bella to me, softening instantly.

“Are you okay?”

“He’s fine,” Bella answers for me, her snarky defense mechanism locked and loaded. “What do you want?”

Marisol ignores her and walks to the side of my mattress. “I just…” She hesitates, that tough Vega exterior her father drilled into her cracking for a moment as she rests a hand on my forearm. “I just wanted to talk.”

“Well talk then,” Bella snaps, crossing her arms.

Marisol sighs. She looks between the two of us. “Look, I know I’m not either of your favorite people right now.”

Bella scoffs loudly. “Ain’t that the truth.”

“Bells,” I warn, giving her a pointed look.

“Fine.” Bella’s posture stays rigid, but she drops the hostility in her voice. A little. “What do you want to talk about?”

“For starters,” Marisol says, reaching into her back pocket. “I brought you something.”

Bella gasps. Her hand flies to her mouth and tears flood her eyes as Marisol dangles her mother’s golden heart-shaped locket from her fingers.

“How?” Bella breathes, her voice trembling as she reaches out. “Where did you get it?”

“Tex,” Marisol says plainly, letting the locket slide into Bella’s palm. “They were pulling in when I was walking up the steps outside. Said he grabbed it from that house and told me to give it to you.”

Marisol’s gaze drops back down to me. “And he found this too.”

I suck in a deep breath as she places the little red swan in my hand. “Thank you,” I whisper, clutching the smooth glass tighter. “You have no idea what this means to me.”

Bella’s hand finds mine. “To us,” she corrects gently, offering a tearful smile before looking across the bed. “Thank you, Mar.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Marisol’s smile falters. “Well,” she says quietly, glancing toward the door. “I should probably go.”

She takes a step back and my chest clenches. For some reason, the thought of her walking out of this room feels worse than anything I endured in Eden.

My hand reaches out for her before I can stop it. “Wait.”

Bella’s eyes immediately narrow. “Oh no.”

“Bells.”

“What?”