Page 58 of Fighting for Ella

No anything.

After waiting a full minute without getting any response, a tingle of unease wiped away the butterflies.

Ella was home, he knew that because the men watching her had texted to tell him. The car parked across the street confirmed that she’d also been watched since she got there. Nothing should have happened to her, she should be safe in her own home, and yet …

Scarlett had been kidnapped from her house.

Only a month ago this entire ordeal for Athena Team had begun when Scarlett was snatched from her bed in the middle of the night and spirited away to Mexico where Raul Castillo had attempted to torture the formula for the drug out of her.

Was it really outside the realm of possibility to believe that the mole couldn’t get to Ella even if she was being watched?

No, it wasn't.

Not wanting to alert anyone else yet, because Miguel was all too aware of the fact that he was more than likely overreacting, he picked the lock and slipped inside Ella’s house. There was every chance she was just sleeping, or maybe taking a bath, butuntil he saw her with his own two eyes, nothing was going to calm his racing heart or remove the knot of fear constricting his chest.

With his hand hovering above his weapon, he moved through the house. It was quiet and dark like nobody was home, but Ella wouldn't pretend to come there only to sneak away. Why would she? She wasn't a prisoner. If she wanted to go somewhere then she could, there was no need for theatrics.

He was halfway up the stairs before he heard it.

The soft sounds of music.

Amazing music.

Since he knew Ella had been a child music prodigy before she’d decided to take a different road in life, he knew it was her playing.

Knowing she could play, knowing she must have been good to be performing to sold-out audiences before she hit the first grade, knowing that she was good enough to still put on concerts even though it wasn't her primary job, couldn’t have prepared him for this.

Feeling like he was being pulled in by a siren playing classical music on a cello, Miguel climbed the rest of the stairs and followed the strains of music coming from one of the spare bedrooms.

The door was open, and when he stopped outside it the sight before him took his breath away.

Ella sat on a chair, her hair hanging down her back, catching the light from the moon that shone through the open window and shimmering like threads of spun gold. With her eyes closed and her head tipped back she was lost to the music she was making. Dressed in a pair of leggings and a tank top that molded to her beautiful breasts and accentuated her arms as they weaved the bow and made magic happen.

He had no idea how long he stood there watching her, listening to her, completely and utterly enthralled.

This was amazing. Ella was out of this world good at what she did, and even knowing the good she did at Prey and what a valuable member of the team she was, he wondered how she could have given up doing this for anything else.

Watching her, it was more than obvious that her gift wasn't just being able to play with proficiency it was being able to play with her soul. You didn't just hear what she was playing you felt it. Each note hit felt like it was speaking directly with the deepest parts of you, talking in a language you didn't even know existed.

How did the woman get to be even more amazing?

After seeing firsthand her determination to save her family and protect her drug in Mexico, Miguel hadn't thought it was possible to think more highly of her. But then she’d killed Raul Castillo herself, been brave enough to ask him for the things she needed, and forgiving enough to give her team another chance.

Now she was there bewitching him with the most perfect melodies and he had no idea how he was supposed to keep pretending he could handle just being her friend. Reminding himself that keeping some emotional distance was the only way to ensure that Ella was able to keep making beautiful music like this, touching hearts and souls, was only going to work for so long before he cracked and did something he shouldn’t.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

February 9th

8:42 P.M.

Panic bubbledto life inside her when she realized someone was standing in the doorway to her music room.

Then disappeared as quickly as it came.

Miguel.

It was only Miguel.

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