Page 55 of Leave Me (Touch of Death 2)
Cobwebs instantly cover my face, and I cough against the cloud of dust that invades my lungs. I take a small flashlight from my backpack and sweep the beam over the cavernous space. Boxes and crates, statues and robes. It’s a tomb of long-forgotten worship, all covered in a layer of dust so thick it looks more like sand. I slide the hatch back into place, plunging the space into its familiar darkness once more. Using the torch to guide me, I find the flooring and move aside the thin layer of insulation that’s been haphazardly thrown down. When my fingers meet the wood, I feel around until I find a tiny hole.
When I peer through it, I can see a single spot on the floor. It’ll have to be enough. I settle into a supine position because once someone enters, I can’t move. I don’t know how long I stay there. My eyes drift closed, and I use the time to rest, catching up on the lack of sleep from the last few days. I’m pulled to alertness when the door below opens and closes with a heavy thud. The chamber beneath me goes from silent and empty to full of people and rising voices in a matter of seconds. I press my eye to the hole and watch as a guy in a suit passes under me. That’s the only view I get. For the next hour or so, I hear the chatter of Sicilian women. Every so often, one will pass through my line of sight, but I don’t see Adelina. I can only assume she’s here. The minutes tick by at an agonizing pace, and the loft space becomes more and more oppressive. The air is hot and thick, and it feels toxic and cloying as it fills my lungs. Sweat trickles down my spine and drenches the back of my shirt. I’ve been in worse situations, but this is close to torture.
Eventually, just as they all entered, everyone leaves, and silence descends. I don’t know if Adelina is even here, or if she’s alone. There’s the tiniest sound—a sigh. Someone’s here. I can only hope it’s her because I can’t see. Palming my gun and holding the light between my teeth, I slide the hatch open as silently as I can. And then I drop through the hole, landing in a crouch on the ground.
A small squeak sounds, and when I look up, Adelina is in front of me, clutching her chest. She looks…stunning. A white dress clings to her lean curves before layers of lace burst from her hips, cascading to the floor. Her hair is braided and pinned up underneath a clip that fastens to a floor-length veil. And her face looks perfect, too perfect. I can’t see the freckles that sprinkle the bridge of her nose, or the tiny mole that sits just a couple of millimeters above the corner of her lip. They’ve masked her beneath this sculpted creation.
“Sasha,” she breathes, her voice cracking.
We simply stand there, frozen, spellbound. Blinking, she steps back and hurries to the door. For a moment I think she’s going to run, but instead, she locks the door and rushes to me.
Her hands land on my chest, that huge diamond glinting on her finger. Her brows tug together delicately, and a small smile touches her lips. “You’re filthy.” She pats at some of the dust on my black shirt, and I grab her wrist, stilling her. She doesn’t lift her gaze, instead staring at my chest. “I didn’t expect you to come,” she whispers with a hitch in her voice.
“Neither did I.”
She inhales a deep breath and finally gifts me with that tranquil, blue gaze. “You left.” I know she’s talking about the night I came for Gabriella.
“Because I was done trying to convince you not to do this.”
She reaches up, brushing her fingertips over my jaw. “And now?”
“And now, I’m asking you one last time. I will not ask again. Please do not do this.” My heart thumps awkwardly in my chest because it knows it will be the one to suffer if she denies me again.
Her eyes close, and I see the pain etched into every feature. Her fingers slide up my face until her palm presses flush to my cheek. With a tug, I go to her, dipping my head. Those lips meet mine, soft and warm, like a home I never even knew I needed until her. Her lips part, and she invites me in, promises to keep me safe in this haven that I shouldn’t need or want but do. Warmth careens through my veins, dragging me under into an abyss where nothing outside of this moment exists. It’s just her and me and the entity that is us, existing against all odds. My fingers seek out her waist, and I pull her close, craving the feel of her.
