Page 28 of Burn for You

“Already tried that,” Isla sighs.

“You could come stay with me, you know I’ve got the space,” Heath suggests.

“I hate to squash the idea, but that’s gonna be a pain when you have split shifts,” Marina says.

“Well, it’s kind of the only option I’ve got.”

“Merda,” Caio curses.

The bell above the door sounds, and everyone’s attention drags to Rafael walking through the door. My heart sinks at the darkness laying under his eyes, knowing the reason for their appearance.

His eyes flick between all of us looking over at him. “Ciao?”

“There’s one other option,” Marina whispers.

Rafael’s eyes meet mine before he quickly looks away, and it feels like a dismissal.

The way his eyes didn’t linger for even a second, as if he wasn’t the one to hold me tightly in his arms and tell me I was going to be okay. As if he didn’t force a paramedic aside when I so much as coughed.

Any glimpse of the man that held me together last night is long gone. After the way he so fiercely protected me, in the house and in the ambulance, somehow, I thought something might’ve changed between us. That after everything that happened, we could be different, but apparently not.

“What are we talking about?” Rafael asks. Kind of a dumb question, in my opinion.

“We are talking about where May is going to live now that the cottage is…no longer inhabitable.”

I shake my head. “Marina, don’t.”

“Right,” he murmurs, looking lost in thought. It’s like he’s not fully here, like his mind is someplace else. I know exactly where, because my mind is there too.

“I’ll get you a drink,” Marina says to him, going behind the bar to crack one open for him as he takes a seat in front of her.

I don’t know where to go from here.

Heath sidles up beside me. “He helped you out last night?”

I nod, taking another gulp of beer. That’s a mild way to put it.

“Why is he looking at you like nothing happened?”

“Back to business as usual, I guess.” I don’t know why I’m upset. It’s not like I ever had a problem with the usual between us, but now…I don’t know. I guess trauma bonding is not his thing.

I look over to where Marina and Rafael are now quietly arguing in the corner. His eyes flick to mine. I swear I see a hint of sympathy in them, and I hate it. I don’t want his sympathy, so I just look away. Last night the way he acted…it didn’t seem like sympathy, it seemed like worry, like care. But maybe I misread things.

“Come on then,” Heath says. “I’ll help you pack your stuff into my car.”

“No, you won’t,” Rafael says, finally facing us.

“And why is that?” I ask.

“You’re staying with me.” He speaks with such authority, and I fucking hate it.

“I don’t want to stay with you.”

“Tough shit, March.”

I stand up out of my seat, bristling at the new nickname I’m sure he’s super proud of. I am not in the mood today.

“Woah okay,” Heath stands in front of me. “Maybe it’s not the best idea that she stays with you,” he says to Rafael over his shoulder.

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