Falling With Grace

I studied the picture of the man with a long nose, beady eyes, and dark skin.

Not him.

“You’ve got time. She’s painting right now.”

I placed the picture off to the side in the ‘not him’ pile, then grabbed another. “Does she have days like these often where she forgets things?”

He placed his hands in his lap. “Off and on.”

Three more pictures go into the ‘not him’ pile. “And there’s no treatment for it, is there?”

Elias shook his head. “No.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ve come to accept it for what it is.” He shrugged and leaned back into his seat. “All I can do is cherish my remaining days with her.”

A quivering smile tugged at my lips as my eyes burned. “You have two vastly different sides, and one confuses me more than the other.”

He leaned over, bracing his elbows on his knees, then picked up a photo and handed it to me as if it were a silent reminder to continue working. “And what side is that?”

“Your soft side.” I dropped the photo onto the ‘nope’ side. “I mean, I understand not everyone is born a hardened killer, but what baffles me is that you still possess a gentle side after everything you’ve done.”

I winced.

Rewind time, please…

Elias’ dark eyes turned towards me. “Everything I’ve done to whom, Grace? You?”

My hands turned cold and clammy, and my shoulders tightened as my breath jammed out of my lungs. “Well…” I sucked in a breath, his proximity too close to focus. “Yes.” I shook my head. “I…I don’t know.”

Silence filled the void oozing between us.

“Don’t know what?”

I focused on the pictures and added another face to the growing pile. “Why am I still alive? Why are you being nice to me? Why…” I lower my voice and lean in, “we had sex.”

“You’re still alive because I need you to be.” His hand brushed mine, sending flickers of confusion through me. “I’m nice to you because you haven’t given me a reason not to be.” He leaned in, his thumb swiping my chin. “And why we had sex…doesn’t need an explanation.”

My heart stopped dead in my chest, my ears ringing. “So.” I gulped. “If I’m no longer useful, I’ll end up like Carlos?”

He sighed, shaking his head, his gaze penetrating as his thumb traced soothing patterns across my cheek. “We’ve been over this. I won’t harm you.”

“But I know too much. I’m no different than Carlos.”

His brows furrowed as his jaws clenched, causing his muscle to bulge.

“You’re nothing like him.”

“I will be.”

“Are you trying to convince me to kill you?” He smirked with a subtle shake.

“No, but it’s true.” I stood, his hand wrapped around my wrist, tugging me back into my seat.

“You don’t get to walk away from me.” His hand drove into the hairs at my nape and pulled me close.

My mouth gaped. “I wasn’t.” I pressed my palm into his chest, his grip loosening. “You said so yourself. That isn’t how the cartel works. So why do I get a pass?”