Page 146 of Vega

I stood up fast, blurting, “It’s over. This ends now.”

Vega’s weary eyes lifted to me, questioning.

“It has to stop. This is too much.”

“Roman’s not going to stop looking for you.”

“Then find another way.”

“What you saw and heard can destroy him. He can’t let you live. I don’t have a choice. I have to kill him. I’m trying to keep you alive.”

“Lowe is fighting for his life! You’re trying to keep me alive, but everybody around you keeps bleeding for it.”

His face went still.

“I’m not worth all of this,” I said.

His eyes darkened. “Don’t say that.”

“I’m not worth all this hurt in your eyes. I’m not worth Lowe possibly dying! I’m not worth Lux sitting in some hospital begging his brother not to die. I’m not worth your whole family and crew tearing itself apart behind me!”

“You don’t get to decide that for me.”

“Then I’ll decide it for myself.” My hands shook at my sides. “Find another way, or I’m leaving.”

His expression hardened. “You’re not leaving.”

I folded my arms across my chest defiantly. “I’ll leave this house and never fucking come back.”

“Sonnet—”

“No, listen to me!” I stepped closer, sobbing. “I’ll leave. I swear I will. I’ll run. I’ll take my chances. I’ll go to the police, press, internet, wherever I have to go. I’ll scream Roman’s name to anyone that will listen before I sit in this house and watch you come back with more blood on you because of me.”

I wiped my face, but more tears came right after. Vega just stared at my tears as if they were causing him even more pain. For a few seconds, the whole room went silent except for his breathing and mine.

Then Vega stood, crossed the space between us, and took my face in his hands. His palms were still stained with blood, but I didn’t pull away.

“Okay, baby,” he said.

I stared at him, barely able to see through my tears.

His thumbs wiped tears across my skin. “Okay. I’ll find another way.”

My body almost gave out from relief and grief at the same time.

Vega pulled me into him carefully, holding me against him and could feel how wild his heart was beating.

“I’ll find another way,” he said again. “I promise you.”

I held on to him even though blood got on my shirt.

Vega told me to pack whatever I could carry because we were going to stay in a hotel until he figured out another way to handle Roman.

He stood in the bedroom doorway with his gun in his hand on ready while I threw clothes into a bag with shaking fingers. The way he watched the hallway confirmed shit had gotten real, and Roman could come at us at any moment.

I didn’t understand how my life had gotten here. I had spent most of my life alone, burying myself in books because stories were easier to survive than the truth. Books gave me somewhere to put my mind when the real world kept reminding me I didn’t have parents, a home, or anybody who had to choose me.

Now I had people choosing me everywhere I turned. That should’ve made life feel beautiful, and in some ways, it did. I felt more wanted than I ever had. I felt more protected and connected to something that felt bigger than any of my trauma. But I was also hiding from a madman who wanted me dead.