"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I understand what you are and what you have todo. You don’t hurt people just because you want to. You only hurt people who deserve it. Or who you think deserves it. People who steal from you, betray you, threaten what’s yours." She lifts her shoulder. “I’m not scared because I’m not like that. I would never do any of those things. I’d never go against you or betray you.”
“You’re sure of that?”
“Yes?”
“Why?”
“It’s simple. This is how you are. I don’t mind.”
"Most people don’t see it that way."
"I'm not most people."
No. She's not.
This girl, barely a woman, looks directly at the violence in me and doesn’t flinch. She understands the rules of my world and promises to never break them.
I’m done for.
I’m so far gone for Nala. She doesn’t even realize she’s just given me something more valuable than her gift. Complete loyalty.
CHAPTER 13
NALA
"There’s blood on you. What happened?"
I’m in front of Roman, panicking as I take in the dark red splatters on his jacket and along his neck. Did someone shoot him? That can’t be, he wouldn’t be standing if they had.
"Are you hurt?" I reach for him without thinking, my fingers brushing his hairline, skimming down his face.
“It’s not my blood,” he says quietly.
His eyes flicker and for the briefest moment, he leans into my touch.
"Whose is it? Are you sure none of it’s yours?”
"I'm sure."
I drop my hand, panic returning. “Oh no. Did your father find out about me? That you took me?”
“No. Nothing like that.” He takes a step back, raking a hand through his hair. “It’s the Albanian from your reading. Arben. I found him and his brother."
"You killed them?"
“Arben,” he says, his tone even, no emotion. “I took care of him. I had help with his brother and the others.”
“Others?” I frown. “Roman, what did you do?”
“We found the place you described. I didn’t have a lot of time.” His face hardens. “I had to slit his throat to keep him quiet. He would’ve warned the others my men were coming.”
My stomach twists at the image. This is my new world, I remind myself. I suck in a breath and touch the front of his jacket, whispering, “There’s so much blood.”
“I need to burn it,” he says, his gaze going toward the kitchen.
