Page 97 of Ruthless Commander

38

Mateo

I pressed the button, ending the call. My focus split from the highway as it blurred in front of me. But really, I was back there, in my past…a place where I didn’t want to be. My mind was racing, trying to find out who had taken out a contract on my brother.

It was the only thing that made sense. It had to be…but Kurti, my contact back home in Albania, assured me there’d been no whispers of retribution aimed at me or Edon.

It didn’t make sense.

None of it.

Albania was the only ‘personal’ thing my brother had. So there had to be something I was missing. The white lines blurred as I kept pushing, taking us far from Constance as we headed for Colorado. The sun rose, shining brightly as I pushed the car harder, until I realized Xael hadn’t spoken in hours.

I glanced her way, finding her staring out the window, lost in her own thoughts.

She was pulling away from me.

I’d felt it before.

But it was even more noticeable now.

I should never have brought her with me.

Should’ve never let her get on that goddamn plane.

She could be hurt.

She could be…I clenched my jaw and strangled the wheel, turning back to the road ahead. I could be handing her and her entire family on a platter to the goddamn Salvatores and there wasn’t a fucking thing I could do about it. If I left her behind, then I’d damage what we had.

Maybe to the point it was irreparable.

I glanced at the GPS and signaled then pulled the car over into a diner parking lot. Xael glanced at me, but said nothing as I braked to a stop. We climbed out, stretching, before we headed inside. She disappeared toward the restroom while I ordered then headed to the restroom myself.

By the time I came back out, she still hadn’t returned.

I sat down as the waitress approached, carrying a tray with plates of burgers, fries, and cokes, and set them down. I was so focused on the bathroom I didn’t even say a word. When Xael came back out, I could tell she’d been crying…again.

Xael never cried.

She was a tower of strength, even in the most brutal of conditions.

To see her now, her eyes red-rimmed and her face blotchy, was like a bullet to my fucking chest.

I watched her slide into her seat, her focus on the food in front of us.

“I figured you’d be hungry.”

She gave a nod as she poured some ketchup, then plucked a fry from the plate and dipped it before eating. I watched her for a second before picking up my burger and taking a bite. We ate in silence, just like we’d done everything in silence since last night.

I didn’t like it.

Not one bit.

“How’s your burger?” I asked, nodding to the food she hadn’t touched.

“Fine.” She answered, grabbing another fry and eating.

Until, with a heavy sigh, she pulled the plate closer and attacked the food with savage ferocity. I stared, mesmerized as she bit, chewed, and swallowed. She was hungry and no doubt exhausted. I finished my food and wiped my mouth as I watched her