Page 52 of Twin Deception

“We will discuss this later,” I said again as I continued toward the dresser, letting her come with me at my side. Her cool, soft hands stayed on my back as if she worried I’d topple.

She’s not running. She’s staying.

“But not here.” I met her gaze as I grabbed a shirt for her to throw over that red dress. Like a flag for a bull, it was too noticeable, too recognizable in the light of the day for anyone else lining up to take a shot at her next.

“All that noise won’t go unnoticed. Multiple gunshots will have security rushing here any second, and that’s why when I say we need to go?—”

“But you’re bleeding.”

I huffed a bitter laugh even though I was touched by her concern. “I’m still standing.”

“You need help, Miguel.” She took the button-up shirt I thrust at her and shoved her arms into the sleeves. Brow furrowed, face pinched with worry, she kept a close eye on me.

“I don’t needhelp.” I lowered my chin to look at where the bullet had grazed over my skin. Peeling my hand up, I winced at the steady stream of blood leaving me. “I just need stitches.”

“WhichIcan’t do.” She tugged the shirt over her and grabbed her small clutch. As she leaned over to jam it into the cargopockets of my shorts, she stared at me, so concerned but not freaking out.

She’s not running. She’s still here…

I was gripped and alarmed by how much that fact mattered. Keeping Isabel with me wasn’t just a defiant action against the hit that I was supposed to fulfill. It was my mission. My purpose.

“We’ll go and?—”

Holding my arm, she eased me into walking next to her and letting me lean on her while I babied my ankle. “Where? Where can we go and be safe?”

“I’m not sure.”

We hobbled out of the room, and I tried to shield her view of the gore.

“I’m not thinking past the first step of getting the fuck away from this.”

She nodded.

She’s not running.

The more I let the phrase feed through me, the stronger and more determined to overcome this I became.

Dizziness hit me as we got in the elevator, but I closed my eyes and breathed through it. I wouldn’t admit it, but I was losing too much damn blood.

On top of all the running, fighting, and getting injured, I was suffering from a crappy lack of sleep to feel halfway refreshed and recharged to keep on fighting like this. Fighting to keep her alive and with me.

But she’s not running. She’s right here, with me.

Isabel pushed the button to move the elevator again. Her movement jostled me slightly, but she quickly wrapped her arm around me again, holding me tight.

“I have an idea.”

I grunted a weak, wry laugh as exhaustion threatened to drop me to my knees. “Good.” I sighed and willed this thing to move faster. “Because I’ve got none.”

My only idea was to runwithher. To keep her alive and at my side forever.

But I had no clue how to make it happen when it seemed I was far from the only person dispatched to kill her.

20

ISABEL

Miguel sighed heavily.

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