Page 195 of Where Broken Wings Fly

“No. You can’t leave us!”

I’m unprepared for him to seize hold of my suitcase and throw it against the wall with unimaginable rage. Clothes explode everywhere, raining down on us. His chest is rising and falling with each furious breath.

Taking a step back from him, Killian looks sickened by the fear on my face. I put even more distance between us, hating the way his anger causes me to recoil from the man I know and love more than anything.

“Willow… please.”

“Stay back,” I warn him.

“I’m not trying to scare you. Fuck! You’re safe here. I swore that I’d protect you and I will never break that vow. Let the bastard make his threats.”

He launches across the bedroom and imprisons me in his arms before I can run for my life. With his calloused hand cupping my cheek, my body betrays me. It longs to curl into the protection of his embrace.

“You have to stay here,” he begs. “Where you belong.”

“I can’t stay,” I whisper heartbrokenly.

“We can protect you, dammit. It’s what we do.” His voice cracks, the faintest sheen of tears glowing in his eyes. “Please don’t do this to us.”

“None of you know what we’re dealing with. You can’t stop him.”

“Then tell us! Don’t just run like a coward!”

Shoving him backwards with a snarl, I manage to break free from his grasp. Killian watches me sweep up the fallen clothes and stuff them back into the suitcase. I bolt from the room before he can capture me again.

“Willow, wait!”

Following me into Arianna’s bedroom, his laboured breathing fills the silence as I grab the barest essentials from her wardrobe and create a small pile. We’ll have to buy more stuff on the road. I can’t carry it all.

“Mr Sanchez isn’t h-human,” I stutter out. “There’s nothing you could do to keep us safe. He knows where we are. It’s only a matter of time until he comes for us.”

“Give us a chance. The safest place is still here.”

“No, Kill. I have to leave. I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” a voice interrupts.

Lingering in the doorway behind Killian, Zach’s panting hard from running over here. His expression is bleak, with so much pain radiating over him, he looks more like his green-eyed twin than the lovable goof I know.

“I’m so sorry, Zach.”

“If you’re really sorry, then stay,” he pleads. “Don’t run from your family and home.”

“I don’t want to go!” I explode, more tears soaking into my aching cheeks. “Arianna’s safety is all that matters now. This isn’t about what I want anymore.”

“Bullshit!” He fists his short hair. “You can’t do this.”

Brushing past him with the handful of belongings, I return to the bedroom and throw them in the suitcase. There’s no time for weakness. No space for stupid emotions or attachments. I was weak once. I let myself care. Pedro died because of it.

His death is on me.

I won’t let it happen again.

Mr Sanchez won’t blink before he kills every single person that stands between us and him. Innocent or not, they will die protecting us. I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.

“Please, Willow,” Killian implores.

I look up at him. “Stop making this even harder.”

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