Nothing Burns Like You | 18+ Mafia Romance

14 This Is Me, Broken

Glimpses of her private life asked for my attention, but I had to focus. Still. From the corners, I noticed. All the academic awards framed on her walls. The romantic books on the bookshelves. The melancholic drawings and words of wisdom to keep her company. No pictures of friends or family anywhere.

I brushed my hand over the back of the headrest, past the intricate woodwork, inch by inch.

Clara scowled. "What are you doing?"

I widened my eyes in warning and brought my finger to my lips. Shook my head when she blinked in surprise, before returning my gaze back to the furniture.

Nothing. I checked under the bed frame, behind the legs. Kneeled on the carpet and pressed my palms section by second until—

Right there.

I pulled out a small recording device.

Same size as the one I planted in Mexico, but only for audio.

Clara's face turned pale.

I moved to search the rest of her room. Found one more near the door, and the third one in the bathroom.

Tomasso was definitely paranoid. He wanted to eavesdrop, huh? Nice try.

Andrei texted the group chat, letting me know he cleared their room too.

I chuckled humorlessly, typing back to let him know the same.

Then said to Clara, "We should leave one of them on for tonight and pretend to fool around. It'll be a nice lesson to never—"

My words died in my throat when I saw Clara.

She was hyperventilating, or having a panic attack. Breathing too fast and not enough. Her wide eyes were darting between the cameras I put on the sheets, then all over the room, like she was afraid there were more left to find.

"I...I'm sorry...I didn't think—"

"It's okay—hey, Clara? I cleared it. There's no more. That's it."

Tears welled up. "I'm so fucking stupid—"

"No, you're not—"

"Why didn't I think of that—It didn't even cross my mind—"

"Hey—"

"I could've ruined everything—"

"I should've warned you—"

"No, I should've known better!"

"Look at me." I was getting anxious about her escalating panic. "Clara. Look at me."

She shook her head and tried to step back.

I grabbed her face in my hands and pulled her closer to me, lowering until her brown and tormented eyes were leveled with mine.

"Look at me. Now."

With a shaky breath and guilt, so much guilt, the same guilt that ripped her apart in Mexico, she looked at me. And it burned through my chest, demanded me to do something about it.

"I should've warned you. I'm sorry."

She looked so broken that I...God. She was bringing me to my knees again, making me want to open up, show her my own brokenness.

"I've spent the last six years of my life either being haunted by nightmares or staying awake and worrying about a thousand ways other people might hurt me. The fact that you didn't think to check for cameras has nothing to do with being smart. It only proves how I never feel safe."