Page 126 of Babalon

“Please? It’s just a moment.”

I didn’t wait for his compliance. They say it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission after all. And I have gotten that wrong my entire life, so why would I change things now? In my eyes, Matias is a part of Kace, and I need him so fucking bad right now.

Walking up to the bars, I gave the inmate a slight smirk while looking him up and down.

“You managed not to get sent away?”

“Nope, they liked me right where I’m at. Don’t ask why, I don’t know. You look like shit, by the way.”

“Charming as always, Matias. What do you want? I am on a tight schedule and all. Jail is waiting.”

“I just want you to know that you will be taken care of.”

Angling my head to the side, brows furrowing in confusion at what he said. If I were a normal person, someone without any experience in prison, I’d assume that his words were a threat, but I know better. This man, he makes things happen one way or another. Stepping closer to the bars, I lower my voice a little more, eyes focused on where his orange jumper hugs his waist, right where his sleeves are tied.

“What are you talking about?” I probe.

“We know you’re not coming back. Wherever you go, you will be taken care of.”

“How?”

“Your man.”

My gaze shoots up to his, the black pupils resting amongst the coffee brown irises. They dilate slightly like he is communicating a whole country’s worth of history in that single look, right as my heart feels like it was about to burst from my mouth.

He… he what?

“He loved you, you know.”

I… I can’t look at him.

Dragging my stare away from his, I look at the crossbar of the gate that separates us. My eyes watering beyond what my lashes can contain, fat droplets rolling down my cheeks as my chin starts to quiver. It’s undeserved, I never had a chance with Kace, no matter how hard we fought for what we wanted. Not when I…

“Stop it, mami. I can see the guilt written all over your face. He didn’t tell me much about what went on between you two, but I know you were it for him.”

“M— Matias, stop.”

“No, you listen to me. Kace would have given you the whole damn world, don’t be upset with yourself. You being who you were to him, is what he couldn’t get enough of. To him, you, Nadia Pierce, are everything, and he loved you so fucking much.”

“Nadia, let’s go,” the officer calls out.

Looking over my shoulder at him, I fight to school my features as much as I can despite the salty tracks leading down my face—my cheeks feeling warm from the inevitable pink splotches across them. I haven’t cried in a long fucking time, but I’ll be damned if I haven’t shed a lifetime worth of tears over the past week.

I don’t want to cry anymore, but I know I’m just getting started.

“I lo…”

“No. That’s not for me to hear.”

Matias reaches through the bars and cups my face, swiping his thumbs over my cheeks as he draws me to him, and presses our foreheads together. This is the softest I have ever seen this man be.

“Asi es como los villanos se forman.”

“Let her go, inmate!” the officer snaps.

Matias pulls back, releasing me only to hang on the metal partition again with that signature smirk of his trailing across his mouth. He gives me a little goodbye wave as I step back from the bars. I didn’t look away from him as he makes his way back to the center of the prison. When he slips from sight, my eyes flare at the shadow that lingers on the other side of the hallway.

If I could growl and snarl, I would— looking at the devil that stands behind the safety of the bars.

---