CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
It took me a while to recognize my surroundings. Still in a hazy sleepy state, I looked around to understand what had woken me up.
Mia’s bed was comfortable, but it wasn’t as inviting without her in it. Mia was sitting at the side of the bed getting dressed when she heard me moving. She looked behind her shoulders and beamed at me.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
Her quiet voice made my cock harder, and I was impressed that it still had enough energy to stand up after Mia drained me.
I pulled her to me by her waist, and we fell back lying on the bed. “Then you shouldn’t be trying to sneak out. Why are you already up?”
I wondered if she was trying to run away. Maybe we moved forward faster than she was ready to. She touched my face and kissed me slowly.
“I’m taking Hugo for a walk.” She giggled. “I think he’s a little jealous. And I promised Gabe I’d take him to school today. I’m heading straight to the company then, but you can go back to sleep. The last couple of days were hard for you.”
I tightened my arms around her. “They were. But you managed to make them better. Maybe later we could visit Pop.”
“I’d like that.” She scratched my stubble and nestled closer, both of us enjoying the moment of comfortable silence. “See you at the company?”
I nodded at her and pecked her lips before letting her go.
I thought I had a good life before. But it was only after meeting Mia that I realized my life was mediocre at best.
Even though I arrested her, she set me free. Free of my loneliness. Free of my seclusion. Free of my dull life.
My Spitfire warmed my life.
After so many years with no connection to a person or a place, I realized I should be thankful for wrongfully arresting her.
Maybe she wouldn’t be that thrilled at my epiphany.
Or maybe she’d be game for using handcuffs again. It was worth the shot.
I arrived at the company and waved at Haley, who was on the phone at the reception. Instead of walking up the stairs to the offices, I headed to the conference room since its door was open
It was a big and comfortable room, with a large wooden table in the middle. The space was tastefully decorated, with few elements to be professional, yet with enough touches to be inviting. On the opposite wall, there was a door in each corner that led to the storage.
I stopped in my tracks as soon as I walked in. Mia had one of those doors open and was facing the storage, but instead of going in, she was crouched and had her head down between her legs, struggling to breathe.
I ran to her side but approached her slowly. I squatted beside her, balancing one knee on the floor, and touched her arm. “Mia, are you okay?” When she didn’t answer, I inched closer, rubbing her back, took one of her small hands in mine, and pressed my forehead on the side of her head. “Breathe. Breathe with me, Fire.”
Following my lead, she regulated her breath slowly. I sat down on the floor and pulled her onto my lap. I wasn’t even sure she realized what we were doing, but when she leaned against my chest, I hugged her tightly in comfort. And protection. I just didn’t understand what I was protecting her from.
Ben and Danny walked into the conference room and were ready to run to us when I shook my head. Haley entered the room, and her eyes rounded at the sight of us. She asked me what to do, only mouthing the words, and I shrugged, completely lost.
Danny whispered to her that they should get Mia’s medication and something for her to eat. Haley nodded and left with worry and tears in her eyes, so Danny went after her.
I rested my chin on Mia’s head and played with her hair until I noticed her body relaxing against mine, yet her left hand still shook a little.
“I just wanted to grab a box,” she said in a broken whisper.
I tightened my hold on her, and Ben squeezed his eyes, somehow understanding her pain. I could only assume it involved her brother.
“It’s been so long, I thought I could do it. But I can’t. I just can’t go in.”
She fisted my shirt, and I pressed a kiss on the side of her head. Ben squatted beside us. “Why don’t you go home? We can handle things here.”
She shook her head against my chest. “There’s too much to do. We need to see this investigation through.”
We disentangled, and she stood up on shaky legs. I got up helping her steady herself, but the fire was already showing in her eyes.
“Salazar is on the run, and I still need to get to Keyes, not to mention Gomes. There’s no time to waste,” she said in a hard voice. “I just need the box.”
Ben nodded. “I think I know which box you’re talking about. I’ll get it for you and bring it to your office.”
“Thank you, Benny.”
Mia watched Ben go to the storage and fisted her hands. I prodded them open gently, turned her to me, and took her hands, interlacing our fingers.
“What do you need?”
She looked down at our hands. “I need to feel hatred again. Anger. Anything other than pain and despair.”
“Then let’s go upstairs and come up with all the ways we could use to make the Alacráns hurt. Let’s find their weakness. Let’s make them pay.”
Mia stared into my eyes and squeezed my hands. “Let’s get to work. We have a cartel to dismantle.”