Chapter 43 Forty Three
No matter how hard she tried, sleep refused to come.
Mira lay on her back staring at the ceiling, her blanket pulled up to her chest. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw it again.
Salvatore.
The blood on his face and the gun in his hands. The cold look in his eyes after he pulled the trigger.
Mira squeezed her eyes shut, but it didn’t help. The image only came back stronger. A frustrated groan escaped her as she rolled onto her side.
She should have called Anna and told her. The thought had been eating at her for the last hour.
She should have reported everything about the attack and the intruder. The fact that someone had tried to kill her.
And Salvatore… God.
Salvatore.
But she hadn’t made the call.
And she hated herself for it.
Because now she was stuck.
If she told Anna the truth, she’d have to explain why she was wandering around the mansion in the middle of the night.
Why had she ignored protocol?
Why had she gone snooping again despite her warning to be careful?
Mira buried her face in the pillow. “Stupid,” she muttered.
Everything about tonight was stupid. Because she wasn’t being careful look the mess it got her in.
And worst of all…The way Salvatore’s words kept replaying in her head.
I killed for you.
Every time she replayed those words, a stupid little shiver ran down her spine.
Mira immediately sat upright. “Oh, absolutely not.”
She pointed a finger at herself. “We are not doing this tonight.”
She threw the blanket aside. “Why the hell do I find that hot?”
The silence offered no answers.
Mira groaned loudly and flopped backward onto the mattress. “God, I need therapy.”
She slapped a pillow over her face. “A normal person would be traumatized right now.”
She paused then .“I am traumatized.”
She paused again “So why is my brain fixated on the fact that a homicidal psychopath basically said he killed a man for me?”
She let out a muffled scream into the pillow. “This is exactly how people end up making terrible life choices.”
Mira yanked the pillow away and stared at the ceiling. “ What is wrong with me?”
The ceiling, remained silent. Probably because it was judging her too.
Then a sound cut through the room.
A voice muffled outside her door. Mira froze so hard her fingers locked around the blanket. For a split second, her mind went straight to the intruder.
Even with guards outside, even with locked doors, her body didn’t care.
Her pulse spiked.
She didn’t move…
“Mira.”
Her breath caught.
That voice… Salvatore.
The tension in her shoulders loosens a little. Still cautious, still tense, she sat up slowly, listening.
“Mira.” He called again. Softer this time. “I know you’re not asleep… open the door.”
Mira stayed still for a second longer, making sure she really heard his voice. Her grip on the blanket slowly loosened.
It really was him… Not the intruder not another nightmare.
It was Salvatore.
She swallowed, forcing her breathing to slow down.
“Why are you here?” she called out, trying to steady her voice.
For a second no response then “Open the door, Mira.” He said calmly.
“I’m not opening the door it’s late,” she shot back. “Especially after everything that happened.”
Silence again. Then he spoke again this time his voice low “ You’re safe Mira no one would hurt as long as I'm here.”
Mira let out a short laugh, but it came out shaky.
“Wow, what an assurance from a guy who literally shot someone dead.”
For a second, he didn’t say a word, then he banged the door softly. “Don’t make me repeat myself.” He let out a frustrated growl.
Mira hesitated, then slowly swung her legs off the bed. Every step toward the door felt like she was walking to a bad decision.
When she reached it, she stopped with her hand hovering over the handle.
“Mira,” he said again, softer now. “Open the fucking door.”
She exhaled… Then clicked it open just a little.
The chain was still on creating a space between them.
She saw him.
Salvatore stood in the hallway, hair still damp, shirt partially undone like he hadn’t fully bothered to fix himself after the shower.
His eyes immediately found hers.
And Mira hated the immediate, traitorous reaction in her chest.
Because staring back at her wasn’t just the man who had terrified her hours ago… But an unfairly attractive one in a way her brain absolutely did not need right now.
One she definitely should not be noticing like this.
Mira swallowed hard and tightened her grip on the door.