Page 18 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

“Just fucking do it, Killian. Take Selena and get the fuck out of here.” I nod my head ever so slightly, trying to convey with my eyes that it’s okay.

He doesn’t say anything. So I try harder, mouthing, “Trust me.”

With a pained but understanding look, he turns to Geraldo. “Okay. But I am taking the men that are left with me. My brother’s bodywillalso be coming with us.”

Diego’s deep voice cuts through the silence before his uncle speaks. “I will deliver him to you myself. Can’t promise he’ll be in one piece.” Killian’s face pales at that, but he nods.

“You’re just like your father,” Geraldo scoffs at Killian.“Deal.”

“Your cage was open,Mariposita. Yet you didn’t fly away.”

Diego is packing a bag for us in his room. His uncle surprisingly kept his word and let Killian, Selena, and the rest of the men leave. There were a few casualties. Mostly the men Diego was hoping would be killed. Which I guess is a win—considering his sister is safe, Liam and Killian are alive, and some truly detestable men are now dead.

I’m leaning over the sink in his bathroom scrubbing Liam’s blood off my face with a washcloth. Part of me is tempted to leave it there as a reminder that he was here. That he was holding me in that closet and his lips were on mine.

He came for me.

And I forced him to leave here without me.

“Your uncle had a gun to your sister’s head.” My words are muffled behind the washcloth.

Diego walks into the en suite, grabs a few items, and tosses them into a small cosmetic bag. He pauses his task, leans a hip against the countertop, and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Liam hadn’t even been discovered. Youbothcould have fled here and left me to deal with the consequences of the mess I created.”

The washcloth leaves my hand as he grabs it and cleans the rest of the blood off of me. He lifts my chin, looking down at me. Topaz-blue eyes pierce mine with an emotion so intense, so raw, it makes my stomach take a nose-dive.

“So, I’ll ask you again,Mariposita. Why didn’t you fly?”

“I didn’t have much of a choice,” I mumble, pulling my face out of his grasp.

“Bullshit.” Strong hands, capable of crushing my skull, cup my cheeks so gently. He swivels my head back, forcing me to look at him. “You did have a choice. And I would have let you leave, had you not decided to walk with me into the hallway.”

My eyebrow raises in astonishment. “You would have let me go?”

“Yes. You knew that though. So why did you stay?” His fingers fan out so the tips of them slide into my hair. The pad of his thumb now rests against my lips.

I release an exasperated sigh. “Becauseyouneed me.They—need me.”Ocean Eyesnods in silent understanding.

His uncle and right-hand man Mateo are still alive, along with a few corrupt stragglers. That still leaves too many innocent people exposed to his sadistic ways. Now that shit hit the fan with Diego’s original plan, maybe Selena will be able to convince Killian to help—once the dust settles.

Problem is, we can’t move too soon. Geraldo will be expecting another attack.

“We need to get your uncle vulnerable again,” I whisper. “So if that means playing the role of your little…pet,”I glare at him. “Then so be it.”

“I like the sound of that,” he winks at me. “Mmm…maybe I’ll even get you a pretty diamond collar.” His index finger traces the column of my neck.

I playfully punch him in the ribs. He instantly doubles over. “Coñoooo,” he groans.

“Oh,shit. I forgot! I’m sorry!” I can’t help the nervous giggle that escapes.Liam did this.I bet he was so proud of himself for getting a few good hits in on my captor and tormentor—The Bone Breaker.

“Jesus, Madison.” He whooshes out a breath while clenching his side. After a few moments of him catching his breath, he grabs the bag and my hand. “Come on, let’s get moving. We have a pit stop to make before we get the fuck out of here for a little while.”

Ocean Eyesplaces the cosmetic bag inside the overflowing weekender bag. With a zip he tosses it over his shoulder, wincing and clenching his teeth. He walks to his dresser and beginsrummaging through it. Finding what he was looking for, he tosses me a pair of gray drawstring sweatpants and a black zip-up hoodie.

“Put these on—or yourboyfriendwill have a heart attack when he sees you looking likethat. I think it was too dark in here earlier for him to notice you injustmy tank top. Surely he would have tried harder to kill me if he had.”

“We are seeing Liam again?” My heart picks up speed at the possibility of it. I step into his sweatpants, push my arms into the hoodie, and slide the zipper up.

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