Page 250 of Mine Again
Her words strike deeper than I want to admit. I’ve always defined being “the best” as doing it all myself. But the past few days have proved otherwise.
Uberto’s code. Maximo’s muscle. Even Mia’s impossible bargain. They gave me what I could never give myself with certainty.
Isa. Safe. In my arms. Alive.
And I finally understand. Strength isn’t just surviving alone. It’s knowing who to trust to fight beside you.
We’re quiet for a while, watching the scenery whiz past outside. My eyes start to droop, and I let them close, resting my head on Isa’s.
But then she seems to remember something and shifts to look up at me again.
“What about Maximo? He’s not known for generosity. How did you convince him to help?”
I let my head fall against the headrest but never take my eyes off hers. She won’t like what I have to say.
“I offered him a favor. No questions asked.”
Her mouth parts. “From someone like you, that’s worth millions.”
“Yes. But even that wasn’t enough.”
Her brow furrows. “Then what tipped him?”
I hesitate, tightening my arm around her. “Your sister.”
Isa goes still. “Mia?”
“Yes,” I reply carefully. “I tried to tell you earlier, but you were toobusy salivating over me.”
She laughs softly, the sound easing the shadows around my heart. “I so was. But what about Mia? What did she do?”
“She offered to marry him,” I say.
Isa jerks back to stare at me, eyes wide. “What?”
“It’s what he wanted all along. But listen.” I catch her before she can fully sit up, pressing her back to me. “I promised her I’d get her out of it. She insisted on honoring her word, but she’s not opposed to escaping afterward. The moment she gives me the sign, I’ll help her.”
“Why not get out of it before she’s in it?” Isa huffs.
“You know your sister. She’s stubborn and wants to do the right thing.”
A little more quietly, I add, “And she did it to make sure Maximo gave me everything I needed to bring you home alive.”
Mia risked her future for Isa. For me. And that debt will never leave my bones.
Isa’s breath stutters, and she buries her face against me. I hold her, even as my body begs for rest. Every muscle is heavy, every nerve still buzzing from the adrenaline crash.
But a memory needles me. She’d looked pale and horrified yesterday, staring at whatever Hale left for her. It gutted me just to watch through the screen.
“Isa,” I murmur, stroking her hair. “What was in that folder Hale gave you that upset you so much?”
Her body stiffens. “You saw that?”
“Yes. I told you I managed to hack into Hale’s system. The video feeds were my way in.”
I stroke her arm to soothe her, reaching for her hand to intertwine our fingers.
“I saw him waiting for you, saw you rifling through that folder after he left. You seemed distraught. What was in it?”
