Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 32532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Calixte studied his friend for a long moment, his gaze sharp and assessing in a way that made Zacharie want to look away.
“You still haven’t told me why the two of you have broken up,” Calixte murmured.
“We were never in a relationship.”
So his friend said, but the shuttered expression on Zacharie’s features said differently. “Be that as it may—” Calixte moved to the window-side table, where a breakfast tray remained untouched, and set his phone down beside it. “Perhaps this will change your mind.”
He pressed Play.
And Tanya’s voice filled the room.
‘The other girls from your case are all thriving in their new identities. New cities, new names, new lives. Clean breaks, just as intended.’
Zacharie froze, every muscle in his body locking into place.
‘And yet here you are. Still creating problems.’
His jaw clenched, but he told himself that protecting Mira was no longer a duty he deserved to perform. She had made her choice. She had looked at him bleeding on a stretcher and walked away.
‘Agents like him don’t grow on trees. Civilians who get them killed, unfortunately, do.’
A muscle ticked in his cheek.
‘You’re a liability to him, Ms. de los Reyes. And we both know your selfish choice to stay by Zacharie’s side will get him killed.’
No.
No, no, no.
Everything crystallized in a single, devastating instant.
Mira hadn’t left because she thought he was weak.
She had left because she thought she was a liability to him.
Zacharie didn’t stay a second longer to hear the rest.
He burst out of the room, tore through the crowd of paparazzi—cameras flashing, questions shouting, none of it registering—and caught sight of her just as she was about to step inside the elevator.
“Mira, wait!”
She turned to him.
Pale-faced. Tear-streaked cheeks. Eyes red and swollen from crying.
And when she realized it was really him—
Her lip started to tremble, and then she was rushing inside the elevator, jabbing at the buttons like her life depended on escape. But because he was who he was, he was swifter than she anticipated, and he slipped inside just as the doors slid closed.
The world outside disappeared.
It was just the two of them now, suspended in a metal box between floors, the fluorescent light harsh and unforgiving.
Mira let out a gasp as he slammed his hand on the emergency stop button.
The elevator shuddered to a halt.
“W-What are you doing?”
Zacharie turned to face her, and the pain in her eyes nearly ripped his chest apart. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Like she had been crying for just as long. Like the weight of the world had been pressing down on her shoulders and she had no idea how to set it down.
“Mira—”
He reached for her, but she jumped back like his touch would burn her, pressing herself against the elevator wall.
His arm fell back to his side.
“I’m sorry,” he said tautly.
“You don’t have to apologize for anything.” Her voice was uneven, but her gaze was trained on the wall behind him, refusing to meet his eyes. “I’m the one in the wrong here. I should never have—”
“Did security tell you I’m with my girlfriend?”
She didn’t answer.
She didn’t have to.
The way her lip started trembling again said everything, and Zacharie could no longer bear it.
“D-Don’t—”
But he was already moving, already closing the distance between them, already pulling her into his arms before she could finish the protest. She struggled against his chest, her small fists pushing at his shoulders, but he held on.
He held on like she was the only thing keeping him tethered to the earth.
“It was a lie,” he said hoarsely against her hair. “I made them lie.”
Her struggles weakened but didn’t stop.
“Because I knew you’d be the type to feel guilty about leaving me for being weak.”
And then she just...stopped.
Went still in his arms.
And when he looked down at her, her dark eyes were swimming with tears, but something else was breaking through. Hope, maybe. Or disbelief.
“I lied too,” she choked out. “I never thought you were weak—”
“I know.”
“H-How?”
“Calixte had me listen to the recording of Tanya’s interview with you.”
“She wasn’t saying anything that wasn’t true—”
“But she also didn’t get everything right.” His hand came up to cup her face, his thumb brushing the tears from her cheek. “She says you’ll be the death of me if you stay. But she doesn’t realize that I’m only alive when you’re with me.”
A sob escaped her, raw and broken.
“I’m just so scared of putting you in danger again and again.”
“It’s okay.” His forehead dropped to rest against hers, their breath mingling in the small space between them. “It’s just a matter of adjusting my parameters.”
“P-Parameters?”
“I thought you could only be half foolish and half impulsive.” His voice was dry, but warmth bled through the edges. “Now I understand you’re one thousand percent both.”
She choked out a laugh, tears still streaming down her face. “I d-don’t know what to say.”