The rain had stopped two days ago, but the world outside still smelled like it, fresh and new, like the earth itself was trying to wash away the blood and chaos that clung to me.
I sat on the wide windowsill of Luca's bedroom, knees drawn to my chest, staring out into the gray morning. My wrists still ached from the ropes. My heartbeat still stumbled when footsteps echoed down the hall. And yet, here I was, in the safest place I'd ever known… terrified of what that meant.
The door creaked open. I didn't need to look to know it was him.
"Still avoiding me?" Luca's voice was soft, uncharacteristically so, like even his words didn't want to startle me.
"I'm not avoiding you," I murmured, eyes fixed on the dripping eaves outside. "I'm… thinking."
He stepped closer. "About what?"
I bit the inside of my cheek. "About how close I came to disappearing. Again."
