Red_Roses_and_Black_Dahlias_-_Macy_T

“Listen, it’ll only be for a few months, until we find another solution for
Valentina and finally close this case. The second man is still on the run
somewhere. I’m not risking you or Valentina getting hurt. It’s a two birds, one
stone situation.” Still sensing her hesitation, I added, “I live right outside of
town and my apartment is big enough that we wouldn’t even have to bump
into each other if we didn’t want to. You and Valentina would each have your
own room and bathroom too.”
Why did it sound like I was asking her to do me a favor by moving in with
me when it was supposedly the other way around? Why was I trying so hard
to convince her?
“I hate this.” She muttered, folding her arms, looking beat.
“Hate what?”
My voice was almost a whisper, I always found myself in awe whenever
she let her guards down. It was so fucking rare with her.
“I hate how much like charity this feels. I hate that I have no fucking
control over the situation. I hate that this is happening to us.” She seemed so
dejected, so tired.
Her spark was dying. It made me positively livid to see her like this.
“Hey,” Getting to my feet, I made my way to her and against my better
judgment, cupped her cheek.
As soon as our skins touched, she shuddered and my heart missed a beat.
She looked up and her eyes bore into mine. For a minute I didn’t even
remember what I wanted to say in the first place. The scent of flower and
sugar was fogging up my mind.
Knowing Sofia trusted me enough to be vulnerable in front of me just
enhanced that growing feeling in my chest.