Page 32 of Fighting for Ella

Maybe.

But she found herself consumed with the need to check.

“I know it’s dark, but can I check?” she asked uncertainly, so very aware of the fact that he was there because it was his job, because even if she wasn’t going to jail, she had important knowledge of a wanted weapons trafficker. Just because she got all warm and tingly every time he touched her didn't mean that he felt the same way.

“You can check,” he agreed, the husky quality to his voice making her shiver in a way that had nothing to do with her soaked clothes and wet hair.

“Your left shoulder?” she asked, noting the slightly stiff way he held that side of his body.

“Yeah.”

Her hands trembled as she stepped closer and reached up to probe the area. She quickly found the wound, it was low on his shoulder, the fact that he’d sensed the guard’s presence a split second before the man fired his weapon likely meant the bullet hadn't plowed through his body and instead grazed along his skin.

He was right, it was just a flesh wound, he was going to be fine.

Still, tears burned the backs of her eyes.

Miguel had been shot because of her.

Because she’d distracted him when he should have been focused on his job.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered, standing on tiptoe to touch a kiss just beneath the gash.

A shudder rippled through the large body beside her, and when he spoke there was emotion she couldn’t quite name in his voice. “You don’t have to apologize, Ella. It wasn’t your fault.”

Some of the tears building leaked out and she wished she could stop crying. It made her feel weak, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Weariness seemed to steal whatever strength she’d managed to recover, and she swayed and braced her hands on Miguel’s chest.

“Of course it is. This is all my fault. I panicked, and I honestly didn't see a way where I could contact anyone at Prey without possibly alerting the mole. I love my family, they’re everything to me, and I couldn’t risk them. I'm sorry,” she whispered again. While she knew in her heart she’d made the best choicesshe could with the situation she’d been thrust into, she still understood she’d created one giant mess that wasn’t going to be easy to clean up.

“Hey.” Turning, Miguel hooked an arm around her waist, lifting her off her feet so they were eye to eye. “You did what you had to do while still protecting your team and the drug. I respect that. Do I hate that you got so close to Raul? Yes. Hell, yes. Absolutely. But you had a plan that you thought through, were prepared to see through, and were prepared to risk your life to do. I respect that, Ella. And so will your team once they get their heads on straight.”

Maybe they would.

Maybe they’d regret suspecting her, believing she could betray them, but she was pretty sure the damage was already done. How could she trust them going forward?

Call her naïve, but she honestly hadn't thought they would doubt her. Not deep down. She had just assumed they would believe she knew what she was doing and that whatever she was doing was in their best interest.

“Your team, they headed home, pretending they had me in custody?” she asked.

“They did.”

“My family … do you think the mole is still watching them?”

“Probably is. But I don’t think they’re going to do anything stupid. Besides, I think there might have been a little “incident” on their street that necessitated evacuating the whole block.”

That coaxed a smile out of her. Whatever had happened to have the street evacuated she had a feeling that Miguel had something to do with it. A big something. He’d managed to get her family to a safe place where they were no longer in danger. “You got them out for me. Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

The urge to kiss him was strong. Heat was building between them, and she didn't think it was them sharing body heat. It was something deeper. There was a thread of something there, she could feel it. The problem was, she didn't know much about Miguel but what she did know was that they wanted different things out of life. He wanted casual and she wanted serious when it came to the opposite sex. And even if he didn't, she had a huge mess to clean up when she got home. Her future was uncertain and she was in no place to start anything up with anyone.

“You shouldn’t thank me too soon,” Miguel said, a light teasing tone to his voice now that made her smile again.

“Yeah? Why not?”

“Because you need rest and the best place for us to hide out is one you're not going to like.”

“Why? Where is it?” she asked suspiciously.

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