Falling with Grace

20. Grace

20

Grace

G entle rays of morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room, the tails of the material undulating with a quick snap.

I raised my hands above my head, stretching my sore muscles, my thighs burning. A small, strained whine pushed through my pursed lips as muscles loosened with relief, my feet sliding out from beneath the black covers.

They were a nice change up from five days ago when he'd left me in the shower, his argument trailing away with an irate Nadia who didn't appreciate him in the shower half-naked with another half-naked woman.

He'd kept his distance for the first two days, catching glimpses of him at the breakfast table or making food in the kitchen with Rosa, but after, it was as though the event written on my heart never took place— the look in his eyes, his gentle touch, and caring soul disappeared into the dust of space and time.

And then there was Nadia, who would smile, pretending as if the whole house didn't hear their argument.

I avoided her as much as Elias did me, but one could only do so much hiding before it brought about attention.

Ironic.

What will today bring?

Will he look at me?

Talk to me?

" Ugh ." I tossed the covers off with disgust and an eye roll to the ceiling.

A refreshing breeze kissed my moist skin, and my night attire, saturated with sweat, clung to me despite gravity's indifference.

The nightmares had subsided since Elias ushered me indoors, but the perspiration persisted, leaving my salty skin yearning for a shower .

Nine thirty-eight A.M.

Shit.

There goes breakfast.

Dashing into the closet, I tossed my night clothes to the side and grabbed the first shirt I could find. I pulled it over my head, the bottom trailing below my butt.

Dammit .

Too long.

Tossing off the shirt, I reached for another and spun towards the pants, catching a tall, dark blur from my periphery.

"Shit."

I threw my hands over my breasts and stumbled back into the wood cabinets, holding dress shoes I could only dream of wearing. My throat tightened, and the sweat on my skin evaporated into a cold chill.

"You scared the crap out of me." I pressed my hand to my chest to calm my erratic heartbeat.

Elias positioned himself in the closet doorway, a glint of anger ablaze in his eyes. His fist clenched at his side, and his jaw pulsed as if containing unspoken words. The tense cords in his neck strained against his sun-kissed skin.

"Sorry, I… I'm making my way down now."

He moved nearer, his gait tense, and his narrow eyes glazed over my arms.

"Did he do that to you?"

The color drained from my cheeks, causing me to sway.

I clasped the shelf beside me.

He saw.

"I won't ask again."

Elias took my shoulders in his massive hands, his towering frame like a shadowed vestige of the man before, and spun me around. My listless muscles offered no resistance as I exposed my back to him, his fingers tracing the dense, intersecting scars that adorned my shoulder blades and beyond.

"N… no." I shuddered, his touch sending a searing inferno across my skin.

"Then who?"

His finger traced along my spine, reaching the deepest cut on my lower back. I drew in quick breaths, my body trembling as I struggled to hold back the tears that threatened to escape .

"One of Andrés' clients."

"Does he have a name?"

My head spun, the air rushing in and out of my lungs, with my chin tucked into my chest. "Carter Petraeus."

" Hmm "

His knuckle popped as he squeezed, waves of anger emanating from him.

"When he saw what Carter did, he broke both legs and banned him from returning."

Elias' hand fell away from my tormented flesh. "I'll do better." His whispered tone enveloped me, an ominous threat lingering as his footsteps faded from the room. "Breakfast is over, but I left you a plate in the refrigerator."

The door clicked closed, and I crumpled to my knees, the wheezing inhale echoing through the hollowed space.

I lie sprawled on the bed, a sacrificial offering to his depravity. His oppressive weight anchors me down, the bony points of his knees burrowing into my hips. The reek of sweat hangs thick in the air, a palpable vapor of dread.

My wrists, bound to the bedposts, are taut against their restraints, veins pulsing with desperate urgency.

His blade glints out of the corner of my eye, catching the dim light in a sinister dance.

My heart thunders in my ears as the point touches my skin, my hands tugging on the restraints.

A grotesque symphony of steel, flesh, and my screams echo through the room.

He drags the knife from shoulder to shoulder, my skin splitting with subsequent ease. His laughter weaving its malevolent symphony into each cut, my skin his canvas of crimson rivers.

The metallic perfume of blood intermingles with the stale air, a nauseating aroma of suffering.

My shrieks muffle the door slamming against the wall, his laughter stifled.

A single tear dropped to the floor, splattering across the marble like my blood-soaked sheets.

My hands quivered against my chest as I squeezed my eyes shut. Nausea churned in my belly.

He's not going to win.

I worked past it the best I could .

I moved on.

And now this…

I rose on unsteady legs, the shelves laden with items not my own glaring at me.

Wiping the tears from my cheeks with a trembling grunt, I sniffled and threw my sweaty pajama shirt back over my head, hiding from the world for a split second it took to pull it down.

There was time for a shower, after all.

I showered and donned the brown short-sleeve tunic blouse I had cast aside before Elias witnessed the worst of me. Pairing it with blue jeans and tucking Jorge’s rosary inside the pocket, I descended the stairs with bare feet padding against the marble.

"It's been an hour."

I spun around.

Elias stood with his arms crossed and his shoulder leaning against the doorway. His tan dress pants hugged his thighs, and his white polo accentuated his biceps and chest.

"I..." Running my fingers through my damp hair, I looked beyond him into a craft room Rosa used for her puzzle. "I decided to take a shower first."

"Hmm." He tipped his head back as he hummed. "Come. You can explain a few things to me while you eat."

"Explain a few things?"

He crossed the kitchen, and I followed, studying him. He opened the refrigerator, took out a covered plate, and then popped it into the microwave.

"Mamá would have my hands if she saw me using this on her Huevos Rancheros."

"How else are you supposed to heat them back up?"

I plucked a grape from the vine resting in a basket adorning the counter and bit it in half. Elias pivoted, placing his hands on the counter, his rear against the edge.

His intent gaze lingered on my lips from across the kitchen, his eyebrows furrowing as I chewed.

"You eat it cold, I imagine." His gravelly voice sent shock waves down my belly. "I've never had them any other way but fresh."

"Eggs cold?" I shuddered and feigned a gag. "That sounds like a new form of torture."

A smile tugged at his lips, lifting the corners as he chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."

I gulped and chewed the other half of the grape. "Is Nadia around?"

"No." He shook his head, turned to the dinging microwave, tested the food with his finger, and then placed it in front of me along with a fork. "It's hot."

"Oh." I nodded. "I wanted to thank her for the…" I grabbed my fork. "You know…" I shrugged and shoveled a steaming bite into my mouth, the awkward tension threatening to swallow me whole.

Fire licked across my tongue and the roof of my mouth. "Hot." I fanned my open mouth, exhaling steam as though I were a dragon, and rotated the burning bite of food around my mouth, my butt bouncing off the chair in an attempt to cope with the unexpected heat.

"Here." Elias poured me a glass of cold juice and slid it across the counter. "I said it was hot."

I chugged the juice, putting out the fiery inferno in my mouth, and swallowed the food. "My taste buds will grow back, eventually."

He raised a brow as I held my cup out. He refilled it, and I took another slow drink, holding the cold liquid in my mouth, and then swallowed.

Silence wove its web between us as he leaned on the counter, arms crossed over his chest.

"What was it you wanted to discuss?" I probed the sore spot with my tongue.

"We need to discuss the incident with Dr. Navarro."

I let my fork clatter onto the plate, though the chances of me finishing that bite dwindled. Glancing at him, I huffed. "You're talking about the guy who's practically hailed as a hero by Andrés' fan club? That Dr. Navarro?"

"I would have never brought him into my home if I didn't trust him implicitly."

"They said the same thing."

"He's a doctor." He scrubbed his hand down his shaved chin. "He treats a variety of people. Does that mean I shouldn't trust him?"

I scoffed, shaking my head. "You are surrounded by enemies. I thought maybe you'd be a little more leery of the people you allow into your inner circle." My gaze lingered on him, tracing his well-defined forearms, the cotton shirt clinging to his form, and the unassuming steel belt buckle at his waist.

He guffawed. "What is with you women and assuming you know the intricate workings of my business?"

"I don't presume to know anything about it." I shrugged, my hand searching for the familiar beads in my pocket. "But… never mind." My finger touched the plastic bead. "I just… I don't trust him."

He gave a slight head nod, his gaze moving over my face. "I appreciate your honesty." He took a deep breath and stood, his hands resting on the counter. "I'd like to know more about the couple he colluded with."

I sighed.

Would this put them at risk?

After everything he's done for me, I can give him something .

My eyes burned and prickled. "I uh…" I rubbed my sweaty palm against my jeans. "I told you before I escaped with a group of people, but Miguel and his men found us." I squeezed my eyes closed and inhaled through my nose.

"It's okay." His warm hand patted mine, then recoiled back to his side of the counter. "Why don't you start with the couple who found you."

I nodded, my throat tight, and took a gulp before releasing a shaky breath. "Well, I managed to dislocate my shoulder in the fall and thought I was going to drown in the river." Leaning back in my seat, I rubbed my shoulder with a jittery laugh. "And, you know, when I somehow made it to the shore, I thought I'd try to reset my shoulder." The haunting images swarmed me, clouding my vision. "Didn't turn out to be the genius move I'd hoped for. Passed out, and when I came to, there she was." I bit down on my inner cheek. "She's the one who told me about him."

"So he helped you?"

"Yeah, but the couple who contacted him had ties with Andrés. If I hadn't eavesdropped on that guy's phone call, they'd have hauled me straight back to him."

"So the couple made the call, not Dr. Navarro?"

"Yes, but—"

"So he didn't have anything to do with Andrés' men coming for you. It was the couple."

"Well, yes, but—"

"So it would be safe to say he wasn't involved. Correct?"

"Yes, but—"

"Alright, Now, tell me about the couple."

I leaned back. My eyes drifted to the food, fixating on the well-done egg as I envisioned the woman's cramped room.

They had betrayed me, indifferent to the impending consequences once Andrés laid hands on me again. Yet, faced with the decision, could I really betray them in return?

"What will you do to them?"

He tipped his head to the sky, his hand raking through his hair, then down his sharp jawline. "Why are your loyalties so misguided?"

I sat ramrod, my glare shooting up to meet him. "It's not loyalty, it's morals. I may hate them for what they did, but I'm not a murderer."

He leaned in. "You can sit your pretty ass right there with a clear conscience. Because no matter what I do to them, you'll never have blood on your hands."

"I'd be responsible for their untimely death."

"That doesn't brand you a killer." He circled the kitchen island, positioning himself in front of me. One hand braced on the edge, the other rose and then fell back to his side. "That's not who you are." His tone transformed into something soft and comforting, like a warm, weighted blanket.

Tension brewed between us, my heart squeezing as I focused on the plate, his proximity suffocating my senses.

He's engaged.

He's only being kind because he wants something from me.

He raised his hand, and I flinched, yet he pushed aside a damp tendril, his warm fingers brushing against my cheek. "You've been nothing but kind to everyone, even those who don't deserve it." He tucked my hair behind my ear as I eased into him, then slid his hand down, cupping my chin. With gentle pressure, he lifted my gaze to meet his. "However, there comes a point when we have to prioritize ourselves. You can't keep sacrificing yourself for those who wouldn't do the same for you."

My stomach somersaulted as he leaned in, his soft breath causing my lashes to flutter.

"Do you understand that, Grace?"

I nodded, my gaze pinned to his mouth.

What were we talking about?

"Good, now, tell me what happened. That's all I ask."

"But Dr. Navarro said he'd give you their information." I licked my dry lips with the tip of my tongue, my food going to waste before me. "Why do you need it from me?"

"He wasn't there when it happened."

I nodded. My racing heartbeat dipped as his hand fell away from my chin, and a pain in my gut shimmered.

"But I wonder if the woman had anything to do with it." I raised my brow and clamped my lips together. “I mean, she kept me there for days until her husband came home. He was the one on the phone." I shrugged. "But she told me I could trust Dr. Navarro. "

"I'll strike you a deal to clear your conscience." He leaned his elbow on the counter. "I'll spare her for taking such good care of you."

Nausea filled my belly.

Death.

Real-world consequences.

Elias stayed in my space, his domineering presence a comfort compared to the invasion others had made me feel.

"Deal." I quirked a brow. "Although, if I had a choice, no one would get hurt."

He smirked, a slight dimple appearing in his cheek. "Thank you. That was all I needed."

I frowned. "That's it?"

"That's it." He stepped behind me, his fingers trailing through my hair as he swept it behind my shoulders. The warmth of his chest pressed against my back, a sensual embrace that banished any lingering chills. "You were so brave." His words, a husky whisper, caressed my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

My stomach tumbled, and the organ in my chest faltered. "B-brave?"

He thinks I'm brave?

No…

He's just…

"Not many could survive what you have."

I mustered a tight-lipped smile, the urge to retreat into myself weighing me down.

"You're doing it again."

"What?" My breath caught in short, clipped bursts.

"Hiding. You don't have to do that with me." His warm knuckles traced a tender path across my cheek, and I leaned into his touch, seeking solace in the comfort he offered. "Not anymore."

I shouldn't want his touch or comfort.

I should run far away from him.

What is this strange draw?

Elias was my refuge, my sanctuary, and my...

" Patrón ."

I leaned away from Elias, clenching my molars together as I spun on my stool toward the voice behind me.

Javier stood in the hallway looking in, his broad shoulders and tattoos adding to the danger the man exuded by just being.

"Yes?"

"A word."

Elias held up his finger. "Just a moment."

Javier nodded before turning and leaving.

"Before I go, there's one more thing…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, then straightened it the moment we had dissolved. "Where did you get this?"

Elias slid the photograph on the counter with a finger.

Andrés…

My stomach twisted as I flicked my gaze up to his dark eyes. "That's um… Andrés. Your mother gave it to me."

"You see…" He leaned in a little closer. "I thought you'd say that, but here's the problem…" Elias turned the picture towards him. "I threw this photograph away, along with all the others with him in it. So, why don't we play the honesty game again and start over."

My pulse pounding in my temples. "But I am." My hand slid over his, touching the picture. "I've been here with you for how long now? Weeks? A month? Where would I hide this?" I shook my head with tight brows. "Think about it, Elias."

A peculiar heaviness nestled in my gut as our eyes met. "I get it, your life's a tightrope dance without room for coincidences, and paranoia's your lifeline, but this..." I bounced my finger between us. "I'm not someone scheming behind the scenes."

His finger twitched beneath mine, catching my attention.

I withdrew my hand from his warm touch. "All I want is to go back home and erase this from my memory." I shook my head. My voice softened as I rested my hands in my lap, the beads in my pocket hard and forewarning. I let my gaze fall away from his. "There's no reason for me to lie. Your mother told me who it was. She even shared a bit about her husband."

Inhaling, my shoulders rose and fell like the ebb and flow of a tide. A dense tension enveloped us, his silence standing as a palpable force.

"I'm not out to get you, Elias." My lip quirked on one side. "Look over your other shoulder. That's who you're hunting." I savored my orange juice, then glided the cup onto the counter before slipping from my stool. "Thank you for breakfast."

Elias stood frozen, an embodiment of a lion in the quiet before the pounce. His gaze lingering on the black and white photograph cradled in his hands.

A turbulent storm of anger and hurt surged across his face, each emotion etched deep into the furrows of his brow. A somber shadow danced in the depths of his eyes, a silent melody of sorrow that echoed through his rigid posture.

Every muscle held a whispered secret, and the air around him crackled.

The twisted game of life extended its influence beyond just me, ensnaring all the players in its macabre performance. And it pressed me flat against the bottom of its deep, dark hole, swallowed by the shadows of its relentless machinations.