Chapter 41 Forty one
“Mira.”
Victor’s voice broke through the fog in her head.
She looked up.
For the first time she saw the uncomfortable worry look in his eyes. Like he was trying to say something but he wasn’t sure what to say.
“Let’s get you back to your room.”
Mira laughed. A short, hollow sound.
“My room?” She looked toward the door Salvatore had disappeared through.
“A man just died. And you’re okay this ?”
Victor remained silent.
That only made her angrier.
““No. Say something.” Her voice rose.“Tell me I’m not the only one losing my mind.”
Nothing.
Victor simply stood there. Not saying a thing.
Mira wiped angrily at her eyes. “I just watched him kill somebody.”
Still nothing.
“How are all of you acting like this is normal?”
Victor sighed. The sound was tired.
“Mira—”
“No.”
She shook her head. “No, don’t do that.”
Her chest tightened.
“Don’t stand there and tell me there’s some explanation.”
“There is.”
Mira laughed again. This time it sounded like every strand of sanity in her was about to break.
“Oh, good. I’d love to hear it.”
Victor looked away briefly. Then back at her.
“The man who entered this house wasn’t there to rob anyone.”
Mira froze.
“He came for you.”
The room suddenly felt colder. Victor saw the change in her face.
“He knew where your room was.”
Mira’s grip tightened around the phone.
“He knew the security routes.”
Victor paused.
“And he knew exactly where you’d be tonight.”
Fear twisted in her stomach. Because that wasn’t random. That wasn’t a burglary. That was something else. Something planned.
Victor took a step closer.
“Whatever is happening, it’s bigger than you think. No one has ever dared break into a Corvin house. This is the first time.”
Mira stared at him. Then toward the door again.
Toward the direction Salvatore had gone.Her mind replayed everything.The intruder. The knife.
The way Salvatore had looked when he saw the man touch her.
The rage. The complete lack of remorse.
A shiver ran down her spine. “I need to leave. I don’t think I can stay here.”
Victor’s expression immediately hardened. “No.”
Mira blinked. The answer came fast.
“I wasn’t asking.” Mira said meeting his eyes
“You’re not leaving.”
The words settled heavily between them.
Mira stared at him. Then slowly shook her head.
“You people are insane.”
Victor didn’t argue. That scared her even more.He simply held out a hand toward the door.
“Come on.”
Mira didn’t move. For a moment neither did he.
Then Victor sighed. “The boss is already in a bad mood.”
“I don’t care .. when is he ever in a good mood.”
Victor almost smiled. Almost.
“You really don’t know when to stop, do you?”
“No.” The answer came instantly.
Victor nodded once.
“You’re feisty .” He said his eyes shining in amusement. Then he gestured toward the hallway again.
“Let’s get you upstairs before he changes his mind and comes back down and I advise you don’t tell him you wanted to leave or all hell would break lose.”
Mira swallowed hard
Because deep down… She wasn’t sure which possibility scared her more.
Mira hated that she couldn’t tell which one was worse.
“Come on,” Victor said again, this time more gently.
Mira looked down at the phone still clutched in her hand.
Then she nodded. She was exhausted physically, emotionally to argue. She felt like she’d aged ten years in the last hour.
Victor stayed close as they left the room.The hallway was quiet. Neither of them spoke as they walked.The sound of Mira’s cane tapping against the floor echoed through the corridor.
Eventually she broke the silence. “Has he always been like this?”
Victor glanced at her. “ You’ll have to be more specific.”
Mira stopped walking. “Victor.”
He sighed. “Yes.”
She stared at him. “A man died tonight and you’re acting like it’s just another horror movie night.”
His expression tightened.
“Trust me,” he said quietly. “Tonight wasn’t normal night.”
Mira searched his face.Looking for a lie. She didn’t find one.
“If this isn’t a normal night care to explain why everyone is so cool about this?”
Victor looked away. “ For the same reason you’re still standing.”
Mira frowned. “What does that mean?”
“Whatever you understand it as.”
The answer only confused her more. Before she could ask another question, they reached her bedroom.
Victor opened the door. The room looked exactly the same as when she’d left it.
Which somehow felt wrong.
The world had changed. Her world had changed . She had seen death but not someone murdered in front of her.
Mira stepped inside. Victor remained by the door.
Watching her. As if he expected her to bolt the second he looked away.
“Get some sleep.”
Mira let out a tired laugh.
“Sleep?” Her voice cracked.” I just watched a man brain blow out I doubt sleep would fine me.”
Victor’s face softened slightly.
“You’ll be fine..”
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Mira looked at him.
“Who was he?”
Victor’s expression immediately closed off.
“Victor.”
“Goodnight, Mira.”
“Who was he?”
Victor hesitated.
Just long enough for her to notice. Then he shook his head. “Someone who shouldn’t have been here.”
It wasn’t an answer.
And they both knew it.Before Mira could push further, Victor stepped back into the hallway.
“Lock the door.”
Mira stared at him.” Will that even keep me safe?”
A shadow crossed his face.
“Tonight?”
His gaze drifted briefly down the corridor.
“Yeah.”
A pause.
“Tonight no one would hurt you.”
Then he pulled the door shut.
Leaving Mira alone. The lock clicked a second later.
Mira stood there staring at it.Listening to his footsteps fade away. Only when they were gone did she finally allow herself to breathe.
She dropped the cane.Sat heavily on the edge of the bed.And buried her face in her hands.
The image hit her immediately.
The gun. The blood.
The look in Salvatore’s eyes. When he shot the man on the head. The joy in his eyes. Mira squeezed her eyes shut.
“Nope.”
She stood up immediately.
Pacing. Because the second she stopped moving, she started thinking. And thinking wasn’t helping her right now. Especially when every road somehow led back to the same man.
Salvatore Corvin.
The monster who had saved her life.
And somehow what was the most terrifying part of it all deep down was thankful.