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Zin stood, leaned down, and kissed Jada’s forehead the same way I did so often with Luisa. We stepped out and closed the door behind us. Bones, as promised, was waiting right outside.
“She asked us to leave them alone,” said Zin, smiling.
“Who did?” Bones asked.
“Jada.”
Bones leaned against the wall and sighed. “That’s a good sign.”
“It’s the first she’s spoken a single word,” said Zin, turning to me. “She held out her hand.”
“That’s good too,” said Bones. “If it’s okay with you guys, I’m going to take a quick break. I’ll be close by, so if I’m needed, just holler.”
“Will do,” said Zin, leaning against the wall like Bones had. “You’re probably wondering why I never said anything about Jada and me.”
“I’m not.”
His eyes met mine, and I saw another ghost of a smile. “I don’t believe you.”
“Luisa said something to me a couple of days ago. It was actually something Seraphina said to her. This is not verbatim, but when you love someone, sometimes the two of you want to keep it just between yourselves for a while.”
“I do love her, Press.”
“I know you do,” I said, squeezing his shoulder. “It’s evident.”
He looked beyond me in the direction of the main rooms of the house, then leaned closer. “I killed the motherfucker,” he said, hardly above a whisper.
“Tank said something to that effect.”
“I know they wanted him alive, but I just”—he shook his head—“couldn’t.Ya know?”
“I do know. I would’ve done the very same thing.”
“Varilla needs to die too. He knew. I’d bet my own life on it.”
“I’ll admit I had the same thought.”
“It’s in Ares’ hands now,” he said, his voice still low. “But if thatsonuvabitchis ever let out of prison, I’ll hunt him down and torture him far worse than Jada was. Then I’ll kill him.”
“We’ll do it together.”
I hadn’t kept track of how much time Zin and I remained in the hallway, leaning against the wall, neither of us speaking again. I stood up straight when the door opened just slightly.
“She’s asking for you,” Luisa said, stepping aside to let Zin enter. She came out and closed the door behind her.
I opened my arms, and we embraced, her tears dampening my shirt.
“She wanted me to know she didn’t tell him to exchange me for her.” Luisa shook her head. “It was so important to her to say it, even though I told her I knew she hadn’t.” She bit her lip. “She wouldn’t talk about it otherwise.”
“That’s to be expected. Zin said she hadn’t spoken at all prior to your arrival.”
“How is she?” asked Bones, rejoining us.
“I’m not sure how to answer that other than to say Zin is with her now. She asked for him,” Luisa told him.
“I’ll check on them in a little while,” he said, returning to the main rooms.
Luisa took my hand, and we followed. Instead of joining those gathered in the living room, she led me outside and over to the porch swing we’d sat in so many times when she first came to stay with Laird and Sorcha.
