Page 66 of Power

She pouted and let out an exasperated sigh before turning away from me, walking over to the bed, and plopping down on the edge of it.

“Fine, I’ll talk. But you have to promise to listen to everything I say before you say no.”

“I’m not in the habit of saying no to you, but I promise to listen.”

She pursed her lips, looking as if to feel me out before going on.

“Okay. I have a favor to ask you,” she said, running a hand through her long hair. “Wait. Two favors, actually.”

I shrugged. “I’m listening.”

“First,” she said, lifting her chin, “I want to be there when you confront Ozias.”

I blinked, the duvet cool under my fingertips. “Why?”

“I want to watch.” Her voice was steady, but a faint tremor trailed her words like a ghost.

My stomach knotted. “Calista, I’m not sure I want you to see that part of me.”

I was being entirely honest with her. The last thing I wanted was to ever frighten her in any way. What if she didn’t look at me the same afterward? What if she didn’t trust me anymore?

The thought of that was too much to bear.

She leaned closer, as if ready to throw down a challenge. “Are you afraid I’ll think differently of you?”

Had she read my mind?

“You’re very perceptive. Yes, I am,” I admitted.

She smirked. “And yet you are the one who presented the idea of gifting me Ozias’s heart. Were you not afraid of the same thing then?”

That was a good question. What was the difference?

“I don’t understand why you’d want to be there. Can you explain better?”

“I’m done with the past, Leon.” She stood, staring intently at me, searching for understanding. “I want to walk into this new life with you, free and clear of all the baggage I’ve been carrying. Seeing the life drain from Ozias’s eyes will finally help me put that chapter behind me. I’ll be able to move on, fully, completely, and without the demons of the past holding us back in any way.”

My heart broke for her.

For all the shit she’d been through. All the shit she never asked for, plopped on her shoulders like a death sentence.

Cali was beautiful and kind, and her heart was pure.

She was special.

She never deserved any of this, and she deserved to be able to find a way to put it all behind her.

Her request to watch Ozias die, brutal as it sounded, felt almost tender in comparison to the cruelty she’d endured. If I’d been trapped in her shoes, I might have wanted the same.

I couldn’t blame her. I certainly did not judge her.

“I understand, darling,” I said. “But I need you to agree to something before I agree to your request. I need you to promise me that if I think you’re in danger, for any reason, you will let my people remove you.”

Her brows drew together, lips parting in silent protest.

“It’s the only way, Cali. Take it or leave it.”

I hated to be so firm, but without that vow, I’d never be able to concentrate on the task at hand. I realized I would constantly worry about her safety throughout. Ozias held great power. He would be highly protected.

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