Page 204 of Barinov

“Just give us a minute,” I plead to my sister.

Bella looks between us one last time, her expression a mix of fierce protectiveness and reluctant surrender. “Ugh, fine.”

A heavy and thick silence settles between us as the door clicks shut behind Bella.

“I’m surprised you came,” I finally admit.

“Me too.” Her eyes drop to the linoleum floor. “I just…” She swallows hard. “I just needed to see for myself that you were okay.”

My fingers tighten around the swan. “I’m okay.”

“Good.” A fragile smile touches her lips, though her eyes never leave the ground. “I’m glad.”

“Mar,” I mutter, my voice rough. “What is it?”

The cardiac monitor beeps a steady rhythm, echoing off the walls in the quiet room.

“It’s just…” Marisol drags in a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Z. For everything that’s—”

“Don’t,” I cough, the movement jarring my ribs as I force myself to sit upright. I lean over to the bedside table and set down the swan. “Don’t do that to yourself.”

She lets out a harsh laugh, tears brimming over her long lashes. “Why not? I’m the reason everything is so fucked up. Everything’s so… so broken between us.”

“I still love you.” The words fly out of my mouth without a fucking ounce of regret.

Marisol freezes. Her dark eyes widen as they snap to mine, absorbing the weight of the confession. “What?”

“You heard me,” I whisper, keeping my gaze locked on hers. “I never stopped. Trust me. I tried. Hell, Bella tried plenty of times for the both of us.”

A soft, tearful chuckle escapes her. She reaches up to wipe a stray drop from her cheek. “I bet.”

“Come here,” I whisper, patting the edge of the stiff mattress. “Sit down.”

She hesitates for a moment, then slowly sinks onto the bed.

“When I was in that house,” I start, my chest tightening as I try to steady my voice. “A lot of shit happened to me. A lot I can’t talk about. Not yet anyway.”

Marisol nods, her hand hovering the space between us. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.”

I shake my head. “No. I-I want to, it’s just…”

Flash-bulb memories of Luca slam into my head. The suffocating weight of that house. His hands on my body and his voice in my ear. His lashes on bare skin. A wave of heat rushes through my veins. I shake out of it, sucking in a deep breath.

“It’s just I don’t really know how to… well—fuck!”

“Hey.” She reaches out, her warm finger sliding between mine. “It’s only me.”

“I’m not the same person you left,” I admit, glancing down at our joined hands. “Not anymore.”

“We’ve both grown up since then, Z.”

I shake my head. “No. I mean yeah, we have, but that’s not what I meant.” A deep sigh escapes my mouth. “He broke me, Mar. And I’ve tried to be strong for Bells but he’s in my head and I can’t—”

“You can’t what?” Marisol presses gently. “Just talk to me.”

I try to fight the burn in my eyes but it’s a losing battle. One tear slips free. Then another. “I can’t get him out.”

The words barely leave my lips before my gaze drifts toward the window. My stomach drops the second I see him. Luca, standing there in a dark suit. His emerald eyes blaring into mine. He rests one hand against the glass and strides toward the bed.