Lie, Baby, Lie ✔️

chapter fourteen- mia

Chapter Fourteen

There's a moment of confusion when I wake up in a strange motel room with my sneakers off on a bed I don't remember crawling into. As I look around, I see nothing at first. When my eyes fall on Wade, I relax a little. He's passed out on the couch across the room, snoring peacefully. He probably carried me in earlier.

A look at the clock reveals it's after three am, and I'm not entirely sure why I'm awake. I've always been a light sleeper, and being stressed out probably doesn't help much.

For the sake of comfort, I finally peel away that stupid dress from last night. My pajamas don't do much to help my mood, but they're certainly better than my last outfit. I throw my old clothes in a trashcan, resolving to leave all traces of that disastrous meeting behind in Mexico.

I lay back down and tuck myself further under the blankets. The sweet bliss of waking up unaware fades, leaving me to recall the last few hours. From the failure of a meeting with a dangerous drug lord to going back to my brother, it's all too much to process. I don't know if I regret coming with Wade, but the burden of Purgatory is already eating at me.

Good luck falling asleep again.

I used to have trouble sleeping as a little girl. Whenever my parents would stay out all night, I'd wait up for them. I waited up for Thomas when he took over because I still loved him in those days. I'm no stranger to insomnia, no stranger to keeping myself up. I almost wish I had Wade beside me, knowing he could probably help me. He brings me peace, sometimes without knowing it. It's strange to think a friend could have that effect on me.

Ten minutes go by. Twenty. Thirty. Eventually, it's been an hour and I'm still awake, dragging myself deeper into paranoia.

At first, I think I imagine the sound of engines roaring, the rush of a couple of sets of tires in the parking lot, but when bright headlights flash in the window, I know it's real. Brakes screech, doors slam, and I'm wide awake now.

Goosebumps cover my arms and all the breath escapes from my lungs. As my heart pounds, my gut twists.

I just know Romero isn't done with us yet.

"Wade," I squeak out.

He's waking up now, probably from the lights. He blinks a few times, propping himself up on one elbow. "Mia?"

"Someone's outside," I whimper. "Wade, someone's outside."

He gets up from the couch, rubbing his eyes. From the edge of my bed, he puts his hand on my knee to comfort me. His voice is soft and reassuring. "I'm sure it's nothing. Probably just some people who need a room—"

That's when the first bullet is fired through the window. The glass splinters and makes an awful cracking sound. Another one sails through, and I swear it's only seconds away from shattering.

Immediately, Wade grabs me and hauls us both to the floor beside the bed. The weight of him on top of me is heavy but protective. His knee slides between my legs as he cradles my head to his chest. I feel the muscles in his torso tighten and clutch his shirt, my whole body shaking.

He holds me tightly, consoling me.

"Shhhh," he whispers, running his hand through my hair. "You're okay. It's okay."

His words would be more comforting if he wasn't as panicked as I am.

He pulls back, framing my face. "They're gonna be here soon."

I whimper audibly, and he shushes me again.

"You've got your gun right?" he asks.

"In my bag," I whisper. "Did you bring it in?"