Page 121 of Blood in the Water

Her head snapped to look at me. “What for?”

“You pushed me out of the way. You saved me from that bullet. No one has ever done that before.”

She shrugged and looked forward again. “It’s not a big deal.”

I gently picked up the arm closest to me to inspect the bandages covering her forearm. They wrapped up and down the entire length, and even a little pink tinged the gauze where it had started to bleed through. She’d need these changed soon.

“This is a big deal to me,” I finally said. “You could have died. If that glass cut you the wrong way—” I shook my head. “Thank you. You could have let me take the bullet. I thought…”

I thought she was a spoiled mafia princess who only wanted her bodyguard back because she was afraid of doing the hard work herself. I thought she was someone who used and abusedothers until they were nothing left but husks. That’s what had always happened to me.

“I couldn’t let you get hurt because of me, Ryuji. That’s not fair or right.” She sighed and pulled her arm away. “It’s not like it was even that conscious. I just pushed you out of the way. I barely even knew what I was doing.”

She didn’t even know what she was doing. In some ways, that instinct spoke louder than if she had carefully considered taking the hit instead of me. She didn’t even think. She just did it.

Maybe I had misjudged her.

“And you were right,” she continued. “I was being selfish earlier. Even if I didn’t say it out loud, some of me assumed or hoped that the Shadows would take my contract even if I couldn’t pay. That was wrong of me. You nailed me right on the head when you said I was trying to take advantage.”

I let out a heavy sigh. I couldn’t have been more wrong about her. She was intelligent, capable, and compassionate. She had just been in pain like all of us were. When I heard over the radio what her father had done, I’d assumed she would crumble. But here she was, still trying to forge a path forward.

I could still help her.

“I’ll hold up my end of the bargain.”

“What?” Her eyes went wide. “What do you mean?”

“I’ll still pay for your contract,” I said firmly. “You earned that, fair and square. You caught me in a trap of my words, and I’ll hold up my end.”

She shook her head. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Why not?” I didn’t want her to leave. I wanted her to stay. I’d pay for her to stay.

“Because, Ryuji, I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness anymore.” She shifted on the bed and leaned her head in her hands. “You all have done so much for me that I can’trepay you. I owe you enough, and I still need to figure out how to get you the money you deserve.”

“So then what?” I asked. “You’re just going to leave us? Volpe is still searching for you. Where will you go?”

Just yesterday that would have been exactly what I wanted, but now I couldn’t bear the idea that she’d be out there all alone. I’d follow her around the city myself if I had to.

Fuck,I was starting to sound like Wynn.

“Your soft side is showing, Ryuji, better hide it.” She lifted her head with a small smile. I flipped her off, and she snorted a laugh. “Well. I won’t leave yet, and I have a few ideas. Maybe I have a different proposal for you this time around.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m working on something that will benefit us all. I’m not ready to give up yet.” She sighed and turned to face me again. “I won’t take your money, but will you at least hear me out when the time comes?”

I nodded. Of course, I would. She deserved that much for pushing me out of the way.

“Thank you. When Cas wakes up, I want to talk to everyone. If you all decide no, I’ll respect that and be on my way.”

Outside of my brothers, no one had listened to what I had to say or respected what I wanted to do until I had enough power tomakethem. But the truth to her words made something shift inside my heart.

“Leona…”

Those deep brown eyes looked up at me through those lashes, and I could no longer resist. I cupped the back of her neck and pulled her to me, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

She was so soft. This time around, she tasted like sunshine andhope. The kiss ignited something inside me that felt different than anything I’d felt before.