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Anna
I wander through the house, feeling the eyes of everyone on me. As soon as I walk into the kitchen, everyone stops talking. Rafael glances up from his phone, his gaze flicking over my body. One simple act has changed everything. He feels more vital, more engrained on my soul than he ever did before. Still, the silence reigns throughout the kitchen until he clears his throat.
“Avecita.” He beckons me forward, pushing his chair away from the table. I walk over to him, just to escape everyone else. Taking my hand, he pulls meinto his lap and kisses my temple.
Maria places a cup ofcoffee in front of me, a watery smile on her face.
“We’re so glad you’re back.” She places a hand on my head and then retreats. I glance sheepishly around the table,catching the eyes of Samuel and then Carlos. Do they know? Do they think I’m some crazy girl who tried to kill herself?
I look for the one missing face in the room and whip around to face Rafael.“Lucas?” I whisper. For a second I’m right back in that eucalyptus grove with his blood pouring uncontrollably through my fingers, watching him die, completelyunable to do anything about it.
“He’s recovering.” I release a tense breath.
“Good. That’s…that’s really good.”
“Anna,” Carlos says. I glance at him.“Thank you. For calling me. You saved him.”
“He was shot because of me.”
Rafael’s hand grips the back of my neck in an iron hold. His breath whispers over my neck before he whispers in my ear.“The Russians shot my men and took you. I’d love to hear how that’s your fault, little warrior.”
“He’s your bodyguard. It’s his job,”Carlos says dismissively.
Rafael’s fingers tighten on my neck as if daring me to argue, but I will never see Lucas as my bodyguard because he was my onlyfriend back when I was still nothing more than a whore to anyone.“Is he here?” I ask quietly.
Rafael checks his watch.“He should be in the gym now.”
I nod and push to myfeet. He lets me go without a fight.“Make sure you eat,” he says as I walk toward the door. Was he always so demanding?
I make my way to the gym, expecting to find Lucas working out. What I find has my stomach balling into a tight knot and bile rising in the back of my throat. There are two white railings set up in the middle of the gym at waist height, and Lucas is holding onto them, slowly taking one step at a time as a woman watches on, giving him encouragement. Discarded to the side is a wheelchair. Lingering in the doorway, I press my hand to my chest, trying to relieve the lump in my throat.
When he catches sight of me, his young face breaks into a wide grin. Still smiling.
“Anna!”
I walk further into the room, forcing a smile on my face for him. “Hey.”
He hobbles to the end of the railing and throws one arm around my neck in a tight embrace. “I’m so glad you’re okay. Rafael wouldn’t let anyone see you.”
“I uh, wasn’t exactly good company.” He stares at the ground, nodding awkwardly. “Lucas, I’m so sorry you got shot.”
He rolls his eyes. “I’m your bodyguard.” Why do they all say that like it makes it okay? I don’t say anything though because I don’t want to hurt his pride.
“How are you?” It seems a stupid question when he can barely walk.
“The bullet lodged in my spine. No permanent damage, but its like learning to move all over again. It’s harder than it looks.”
“It looks hard.” He smirks, and the woman brings the wheelchair around for him to sit in. He slowly lowers himself and glances up at me. “Do you have to do more rehab?”
“Nope. I’m done for the day.”
“Well then, let’s go and do something.” I missed him, and I hate that he went through all this without a friend.
He grins. “I’m all yours.”
I grab the handles of his wheelchair and push him through the house. “What do you want to do?”
“We could go outside?”
