Falling With Grace

How did I forget?

“Elias—”

His finger pressed down on my lips. “Don’t say it. I’m fine.”

I parted my mouth and sucked his finger into my mouth, cradling it on my tongue.

He popped his finger from my mouth with a groan. “You’re making it difficult to refuse you.”

My chest swelled as I smirked, tucking my hand beneath my pillow, my other resting on his chest laden with random old scars. My finger traced the edges of his fresh bandage. “How did it happen?”

He sighed. “A meeting gone wrong.”

“Because of Andrés?”

His gaze trailed across my lips as his thumb moved in a repetitive pattern, his brows furrowing.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“I lost a few men tonight.” His brows knitted together. “That’s all.”

“I’m sorry.” My stomach hollowed—a terrible ache eating away at my soul. “Andrés has spies everywhere.”

His gaze flicked up to mine. “Are you one of them?”

I blanched, my entire existence radiating with ire. “I’d rather die than help him.”

Elias slid his hand down to my waist and gripped tight, giving me a slight shake. “Then help me find him.”

I studied his eyes, his face, the swelling brow hindering the movement of the other. “Do you know how my parents died?”

He pulled in a deep breath and exhaled. “A car accident.”

Metal crunching.

Tires squealing.

Glass shattering.

I closed my eyes and gnawed on my inner lip, my sinusesstinging. “I’d run away from home, and the police caught up with me two states away. My parents drove most of the night and well into the day to reach me.”

I’d been a rebellious teenager. Smoking, staying out late, bad attitude. My parents had tried everything and were ready to put me into a teen rehabilitation center. So, I tucked tail and ran, hitchhiking across the states.

“They checked me out of the holding facility, and we drove home right away, arguing nonstop.” I gulped a deep breath. “The sun had just risen, and we were about two miles from home when a…” My eyes welled with tears. “A drunk driver t-boned us.”

His hand squeezed my hip. “Why are you telling me this?”

I swiped at my tears pooling against my nose. “Because. I wanted you to understand why I’ll never jeopardize someone’s life again.”

“You blame yourself for your parent’s death?”

“Wouldn’t you?”

He propped up on his elbow, his hand resting in his palm. “You’re not responsible, Grace.”

“If I hadn’t been—”

“You can play this game your whole life, but sooner or later, you’ll need to realize it wasn’t your fault.”