Chapter 6 - The Aftermath
The estate was on high lockdown for the next forty-eight hours.
Dante doubled the perimeter guards, and nobody was allowed in or out of the main house.
I sat in the large bathtub in my private bathroom, trying to scrub the dirt and the smell of gunpowder off my skin.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard the deafening crack of the sniper bullet hitting the tree.
When I finally stepped out of the bathroom wearing a thick robe, I found Ricardo sitting on the edge of my bed.
He was wearing a simple black t-shirt, and he looked incredibly exhausted.
"Leo is asleep," Ricardo said quietly, looking up at me.
"He was incredibly brave today," I replied, wrapping my arms around my waist to stop myself from trembling.
Ricardo stood up and walked slowly toward me, his dark eyes filled with an emotion I could not quite name.
"You threw yourself over him, Clara. You used your own body as a shield," he whispered, stepping into my personal space.
"I love him, Ricardo. I would never let anything happen to him," I answered honestly.
He reached out and gently traced a small, bleeding scratch on my cheek caused by the exploding tree bark.
His touch was surprisingly tender, completely contrasting the violent man I had seen in the park.
"You could have died because of me, because of the life I live," he said, the guilt heavy in his voice.
"I made my choice the night I got into your car," I reminded him, holding my ground.
He looked down at my lips, the air between us suddenly growing thick and electric.
"I do not know how to be a good man, Clara," he confessed, leaning closer until I could feel the warmth of his breath.
"I think you are much better than you realize," I whispered back.
He closed the final inch between us, pressing his lips against mine in a kiss that was desperate, hungry, and full of unspoken promises.
I tangled my fingers in his dark hair, kissing him back with a fierce intensity that completely surprised me.
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We were two broken people seeking shelter in the middle of a war zone.
For the first time in years, neither of us felt completely alone.
