Chapter 28 Twenty Eight
Mira’s breath caught in her throat.
As she stared at the words on the glass … the red liquid sliding slowly downward as if it had been written a few minutes ago.
“You shouldn’t have come here.”
“Who would do this…” she whispered, shaking her head.
Something inside her snapped.
Her body shaking, her thoughts screaming at her to get out of here and put out of the mansion.
Mira stood up quickly without a second thought and ran. Her feet hit the ground hard as she sprinted away from the building, her breath coming in uneven bursts. The darkness around her felt thicker now, heavier, like it was closing in on her.
The wind rushed past her ears.
Branches shifted. Gravel crunched beneath her feet.
And behind her.. She could hear footsteps someone was following her.
Her heart slammed harder.
“Don’t look back,” she muttered under her breath. “Don’t look back…” But her body didn’t listen.
She glanced over her shoulder as she ran but.. Nothing. Nobody.
Just darkness.
But the feeling didn’t go away.
If anything… it got worse.
She ran faster.
Her lungs burned. Her chest tightened. Her legs ached but she didn’t stop.
She reached the gate. Pushed through it without slowing down. The metal creaked loudly behind her as it swung back.
Still… she kept running.
Within a minute the mansion came into view in the distance.
“Almost there…” she whispered.
Her steps faltered slightly. Her ankle twisted just a little on the uneven ground.
Pain shot up her leg.. But she kept going.
Then— suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder.
Mira screamed.
A sharp, terrified sound as her body jerked forward and she lost her balance.
She fell hard.
The ground knocked the air out of her lungs.
Her heart pounded wildly as she scrambled back, her hands shaking as she tried to push herself away.
“No—! Don’t—!”
“Miss Voss.” The voice cut through her panic.
Familiar. Calm.
Mira froze.
Her breath hitched as she looked up.
It was Salvatore.
Salvatore was standing in front of her.. Looking at her with those same cold eyes.
Her entire body was still shaking.
For a second… she couldn’t speak.
Couldn’t think. All she could see was the image from her nightmare.
The knife.. The blood.
Him. He stepped closer. Then bent down slightly.
Mira instinctively shifted back.
Fear flashed across her face before she could hide it.
His eyes caught that.
He paused.
Something unreadable passed through his expression.
“Are you okay, Miss Voss?” he asked. His voice was steady.
Mira swallowed hard.
Her throat is dry.
“I…” she started, but her voice came out weak.
She cleared it quickly.
“I’m fine.”
She wasn’t. Not even close.
She tried to stand.
Her weight shifted… And pain shot through her ankle.
She gasped slightly, her body tilting.
Salvatore noticed immediately.
Before she could protest— He moved.
One arm slid around her waist.
The other under her knees.
And just like that— He lifted her.
Mira froze.
Her hands instinctively grabbed onto his shirt.
Her breath caught.
“W—what are you doing?” she asked, her voice unsteady.
“You can’t walk,” he said simply.
Stating the obvious.. Leaving no room for argument.
She opened her mouth to protest— Then stopped.
Because he was right.
Her ankle throbbed.
Her body was still weak from the panic.
Slowly… her grip on him tightened just a little.
Without thinking.
Her head leaned slightly against his shoulder.
The warmth of him caught her off guard.
Solid.. Weirdly she felt safe in his hands. And that confused her more than anything.
She didn’t push away.
Didn’t fight him.
She just… stayed.
Her breathing is slowly starting to calm.
Salvatore walked inside without saying a word.
His hold firm.
Careful. Like she weighed nothing.
After a moment, he spoke.
“Why are you running around so late?” His voice was quieter now.
She could feel his breath on her face.. Mira’s fingers tightened slightly against his shirt.
Her mind raced.
She couldn’t tell him.
Not about the building. Not about the birds.
And hell no about the message.
She swallowed.
“I… I was exercising,” she said.
The lie sounded weak even to her.
He didn’t respond immediately.
She felt it.
That pause… That silence.
Then.. He shifted pulling her close, glancing at his watch.
“It's 10 p.m.,” he said
Mira forced a small nod.
“Yeah.”
Another pause.
Then his gaze dropped briefly. Taking in what she was wearing.
A tan top. Jean shorts.
Then he stopped moving. His eyes now on. her face.
“Dressed like this?” he asked.
Mira swallowed hard..
“…I couldn’t sleep,” she muttered.
That part wasn’t a lie.
He studied her for a second longer.
Like he was deciding whether to believe her or not.
Then… he said nothing.
Just continued walking.
Mira stayed quiet too.
Still in his arms.Still too aware of how close they were.Still too aware of the steady rhythm of his breathing.
Her head rested lightly against him again before she could stop herself.
And this time.. She didn’t move away.