Page 142 of Offside Angel

“I want that, too.” She swallows and it looks painful. I know Dante is already dead, but the sight of Mira hurting because of him makes me want to bring him back to life and kill him all over again.

“Have you talked to Aiden?”

“Not yet. I didn’t want him to hear me like—” She gestures to her throat, and it’s self-explanatory. “Daniel and Taylor are with him. He knows someone tried to hurt us, but he also knows we’re okay. Daniel said he keeps asking for you.”

“Well, as soon as I’m uncuffed, I’m ready to get the fuck out of here.”

“You need to stay and recover, Zane. Dante did a lot of damage. I thought you might not—” Her voice catches. She stops herself, blowing out a long breath. “I want you to rest and recover as long as you need to.”

I hold out my hand for her again. I’m itching to touch her. But she doesn’t reach for me. Doesn’t move.

“Mira,” I plead.

She looks towards the window, ignoring me. “I told the police what happened.”

“Yeah, Hollis told me he had to talk you into it. He said he’ll be able to get me off easily.” I curl my fingers, urging her closer. “Come here. Touch me.”

Again, she ignores me. “I told the police everything that Dante had been doing for the last few months. The stalking, the threats. I told them everything they needed to know to prove you’re innocent. The officer I talked to said they’d come and uncuff you in a few minutes… once I’m gone.”

“Gone? You’re not going anywhere. They should come uncuff me now. Mostly so I can drag you into this bed with me,” I growl. “Come here, Mira.”

Her eyes land on me, and they’re glassy. A tear rolls down her cheek. “I hope you’re not mad, but I told my one truth for today to someone else.”

I can’t explain why, but my heart is slamming against my ribs. “Mira…”

“I told them what happened to my dad—what I did. I told them who I really am and how I killed him.”

“Okay. Okay.” I can practically hear the gears turning in my head, trying to process everything. “Hollis had a plan for this. He’s sending evidence about Dante to the police, so he can send the stuff about your abuse by your father, too. He’ll take care of everything.”

She gives me a sad smile. “If you could tell him to hurry it up, that would be great.”

There’s something she isn’t telling me. There’s a piece of this puzzle I don’t have, and I don’t like it.

An officer steps into the doorway and clears his throat.

When Mira looks over her shoulder at him, she turns just enough that I see her hands behind her back for the first time.

There are shiny metal cuffs around her wrists.

The final puzzle piece snaps into place, and I lurch towards the door. “No fucking way!” I splutter as agony rips through my torso like a lightning bolt.

“It’s okay, Zane. I’m fine.”

“You’re in cuffs!” I spit. “You’re not ‘okay.’ You’re being arrested for saving your own life. It was self-defense!” The officer in the doorway doesn’t budge. I strain against the handcuff strapping me to the bed, and it doesn’t budge, either. “This is bullshit, Mira!”

“This is what I should have done seven years ago.” She takes one step away from me. And another. And another. “Call Hollis for me, will you?”

“Mira!” My own cuff rattles against the bed, leaving deep dents in the hard plastic, but I’m trapped. Stuck here while my wife is hauled away from me.

I confessed to killing Dante to avoid this. I was supposed to save her from this.

The officer in the door steps aside to let her into the hall and my heart rate monitor is beeping off-the-charts fast. A couple nurses come in, worried, but I don’t give a shit about them or my heart or anything but the woman walking away from me.

I arch off the bed, ignoring the pain that sears through my midsection with every breath, every motion, every cry. But it doesn’t stop me from shouting her name again and again, as little good as it does me.

“Mira! Mira! Mira!”

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