𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 |𝟏𝟖+|

58

Etta Valentine's POV

Mafia? Isn't that a book trope?

"Etts, say something baby?"

Blinking, I swallowed hard and went into autopilot. "Should you be driving? Your face is bleeding. Maybe we should get you checked out."

Miguel stuttered. "Baby? Did you hear what I just said?"

Yes. And I think I'm in shock. "You were in the mafia? Okay, but I think you should pull over so I can disinfect your wounds."

Miguel cast a sideways incredulous glance at me as he continued ripping through the city streets. "Etta, you okay darling?"

No. "Yeah? I think so?" My stomach went round. "Actually no. Stop the car! I'm gonna throw up."

Screeching to a halt, the car only stopped in time for me to awkwardly open the car door and vomit onto the side of the road.

I think adrenaline was the cause of that but I could be wrong. It could've been the fact that Miguel just dropped a bombshell on me. Could've been the fact that he was fighting with my ex. could've been the fact that my ex had shot someone in my apartment then got shot himself. Or could've been the fact that my ex ran me over.

Take your pick, I guess.

"Shit babe." Miguel unbuckled and held my hair back before hopping out the car to rush to my side. "Are you okay E?"

My eyelids fluttered. "Not really, no." I huffed a laugh with a dopey smile before Miguel pulled out a tissue and wiped my mouth.

"Fuck, I just keep fucking up don't I baby." He placed a kiss to my forehead, passed me a water and then apologised when he said we had to get back on the road.

My head was spinning.

Long gone was the sad girl whose only drama happened in the pages of a book. Because it seemed that I was living in my own distorted version of a fantasy.

And not one of my own making.

Miguel didn't pressure me to talk whilst he tore through New York, but he did keep a reassuring hand to keep me anchored whilst my mind raced.

And somewhere along the way, I passed out from overexertion, waking up only when Miguel gently coaxed me back to consciousness.

"I just gotta get some gas babe, will you be okay for a second?"

I blinked myself awake. "Y-yeah."

He cupped my face before pecking my cheek. "Good girl. I love you E."

And so I watched him pump gas before rushing in to pay.

I took a moment to catch my breath.

What the heck is going on.

The burning need to dial Meg was rising by the second, but something in my gut told me this wasn't the type of thing I could shoot from the rooftops.

But I'm still in shock over the whole Brady situation. I mean...what the hell? I'm reeling and don't feel any closer to making sense of things.