Page 93 of Nemesis
A muted pop had rung through the room, the smell of metallic discharge and blood drifting into the night, reaching my nostrils.
My heart had pounded heavily against my chest, as I’d grappled with the onslaught of information washing over me in tidal waves.
My shock slowly had morphed into anger, only to settle on hurt. The bitter taste of her lies had exploded in my mouth and I’d swallowed harshly against them, until they’d coated my insides.
Part of me had expected her to come out and deny what I’d just seen, but I’d only watched her walk out in complete disbelief.
My blood seized in my veins, all the oxygen leaving my lungs painfully. My ears thumped loudly, the drumming of my over-beating heart echoing in my head.
My hands gripped forcefully the handle of my gun, betrayal coursing through my bitter veins. My chest grew heavier as the truth slowly crept in. The expression on her face told me all I needed to know. I studied her and watched regret etched in every line on her face.
“Sofia?” I questioned with a rasp, unable to say more as a knot formed in my throat.
As I stared at her, I wondered if anything she told me had ever been true.
CHAPTER36
SOFIA
Ifroze, a bolt of dread lashing through me, waves of guilt drowning me once my eyes met his. That same guilt that had been weighing on me ever since that night I left him seven years ago.
His eyes widened, arms limp at his sides. His mouth parted, my name falling from his lips on a breath like a question. “Sofia?” His voice broke, the devastation on his face pummeling at my chest, the breath previously lodged forcefully leaving my lungs.
It hurt to look at him, to see the damage my lies had done to him. But unfortunately, this was a price I knew I might have to pay one day.
My mouth parted, a soundless plea escaping as I took a step forward, but he stepped back before I could reach for him. He looked away, betrayal shaping the edges of his features.
His eyes bounced from Elena to me and he pulled at his hair, turning away from us. He shook his head repeatedly, murmuring “this can’t be happening,” while pacing back and forth.
Tires screeched over gravel and we all instantly drew our weapons, pointing them toward the source. We all watched as a black SUV rolled into view, the person we’d been waiting for sitting in the driver’s seat.
Both Elena and I lowered our weapons, holstering them, and Theo followed suit when he realized I was no longer aiming at our newcomer.
Valentina rolled down her window, the wind whipping her auburn hair, as she called after Elena.
“Coming,” Elena shouted before turning her attention back to me.
“Gracias por todo, Sofia. I would’ve never been able to do this if it wasn’t for you.” She wrapped me in a warm embrace, squeezing me tighter at the end, reminding me of my mother’s bear hugs.
Her gaze flicked back to the man behind me as she cupped my cheek. “It was nice meeting you, Theo. Take care of her, will you?”
Without waiting for his answer, she walked away, her gaze locking with mine over her shoulder one last time before she rounded the hood and climbed into the passenger’s side.
The sound of tires faded away as the SUV disappeared from our view and between the multicolored cargo containers. When I finally turned my attention back to him, my heart cracked at the sight of the betrayal painting his deep brown eyes.
“Were you ever going to tell me?” he finally asked, his voice low and quiet.
My eyes darted to his fists, watching him clench and unclench them repeatedly, his knuckles turning white.
“Theo, I can explain,” I began.
His eyes darted from my face to my hands before meeting my gaze again. For a split second, a flicker of concern flashed through his expression when he noticed the traces of what I just did marring my hands and face, but that quickly vanished, replaced by distrust.
He huffed out a laugh. “Explain what, Sofia?”
My eyes focused on the tense line of his shoulders, the slight tremor in his hands before he turned away from me. I watched him take a deep breath before he spoke again.
“Everything was fucking a lie,” he muttered.
