Page 55 of Cat and Mouse

"Alright," I mutter under my breath, unlocking it with shaky hands. I pull the door open, and when he looks up, I freeze.

Leonardo.

Oh fuck, no.

Before I can react, he shoves the door wide open and pushes me inside, slamming it shut behind him. We collide, and I'm instantly wrestling against him. I shove at his chest, twist my body, but he's too strong, his hands too quick. He pins me down to the floor, one knee pressing into my thigh, his face inches from mine.

"Get the hell off me!" I snap, struggling beneath him. "You're insane. What the hell are you doing here in a cop uniform, you freak?"

He smirks, his grip tightening on my wrists. "I've been up almost all night watching you."

I stop fighting for a second, just staring at him. "You're… you're fucking crazy," I gasp, shaking my head. "Why would you come here? To kill me? Is that it?"

Leonardo's eyes widen for a brief moment, like I've genuinely surprised him. "No. No, I didn't come here to kill you, Elizabeth." His voice lowers, sounding almost… sincere. "I came here to keep you safe."

I don't know whether to laugh or scream at him. "Safe? You? You're the reason I'm in this mess! You—"

"Jesus, calm down," he snaps, finally letting my wrists go. He sits back, running a hand through his hair, still hovering over me. "I didn't kill Whitmore."

"I don't believe you." My voice is low, harsh, and I can see it hits him.

"Ipromisedyou, I'm not killing anyone." He says it quietly, but there's something in his voice that catches me off guard. It's not the usual cocky, smug tone. This is different. He almost sounds... tired.

I don't say anything. I just keep staring at him, trying to process the fact that he's in my house, in a fucking police uniform after Whitmore was gunned down.

He sighs, rubbing his temples. "This was Marco's doing. It had to be. Marco must've found out Whitmore was looking into Miguel, and that thread leads right back to him."

I sit up slowly, rubbing my wrists. "You really didn't kill him?" My voice is softer now, though I don't know why.

Leonardo looks me dead in the eyes. "Why the hell would I kill him, Elizabeth? What would I get from that?"

I don't answer. I just stare at him, feeling something strange twist in my chest. Guilt? For accusing a killer of murder? Jesus Christ, what's wrong with me?

I start laughing, hysterical, uncontrollable laughter bubbling up from my throat. Leonardo's eyes narrow as he watches me.

"Are you losing your damn mind?" he asks, frowning.

"Maybe." I stand, still laughing like a maniac, and hold my hand out to him. "Come on, get up."

He raises an eyebrow but takes my hand, letting me pull him to his feet. Once he's standing, I take a step back, shaking my head.

"You seriously stayed up all night, watching me?"

Leonardo's smirk returns, that familiar glint in his eyes. "Yeah. What can I say? You're captivating."

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms. "Do you want coffee or something, since you're clearly not leaving?"

He nods and follows me into the kitchen. I start setting up the coffee machine, my hands moving automatically even though my mind is still racing. As I fumble with the filter, he suddenly steps behind me and grabs my wrist gently. I turn to face him, his body warm and close, way too close.

"You okay?" he asks, his voice low, serious now. "You're shaking."

I bite my lip. "I'm... I'm a little scared."

"I won't let anything happen to you," he says, his fingers brushing my cheek. "You know that, right?"

And damn it, I believe him. I hate that I believe him, but I do.

I fiddle with the button on his uniform, trying to distract myself. "Where the hell did you even get this uniform?"

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