I'm Here to Fix You - Broken Souls Series #2

Her choice

"27 matches?"

"27, yes." She inhaled deeply. "I've won 19 times, so we're almost there."

"But-"

"It was the price Mr. Sokolov fixed to save your life."

"What?!" I shot up, having not seen that one coming, my ribs hurting in the process.

Silvia sighed, closing her eyes, clearly exhausted. "You went nearly there, Jake." She clenched her jaw and fists, angry. "How was it, as long as you breathe, I breathe. didn't you say that?" She scoffed. "Then why the hell did you get into this mess?" She snapped her eyes open, turning to me, to show me once again the fire in those hazels, the same fire I'd witnessed throughout her matches. "You said there wouldn't be a next time, because I couldn't handle it. You said you wouldn't get into life danger again, that you wouldn't do this to me." She spat, contempt in her tone as well as anger. "How many lies does that mouth of yours spit, Jake. How many fucking lies. And I'm stupid for believing in you."

I closed my eyes, dropping back against the wall. "I'm sorry." It was all I could say.

"Oh, you're sorry." She barked sarcastically. "Wow, thanks, now I feel much better!"

"Silvia ..." I reached out for her hand, but in response she slipped farther away from me. At least they didn't cuff us to the wall or something, it's a good sign, I suppose. But I don't hold many hopes. Sokolov may have said he'll let us go, but he won't. Especially not if he finds out who I am.

"Ugh, don't even start." She braced herself, turning to the other side. "You're nothing but a liar. You've spent months sweet-talking into my ears, making believe you actually meant anything of what you said. Bravo, Jake, bravo." She clapped her hands. "You're one hell of a pretender, I must say."

"I never pretended, I-"

"You've lied to me." Silvia spat, her voice somewhat breaking, yet she did turn to stare straight into my eyes, her fiery arrows pointing straight to my heart. They say you're never as vulnerable as when you love. I say when you love as much as I, you're not just vulnerable, you're too easy for her to destroy. "You've lied to me over and over and over again."

"No, I-"

"You said you'd do your best not to hurt me, yet surprise, surprise, you did. You said Olivia was your past, yet the moment she throws herself into your arms, you gladly welcome her. You said you wouldn't put yourself in life danger anymore, for my sake other than yours, yet here I find you, fighting, or rather, not fighting a death battle or whatever they call it." She growled. "Lies, lies, lies. So many lies."

"Baby, I-"

"But you know what, I don't blame you. I blame myself. I was too blinded to see it. I thought it was worth it, but was it really? Being with you has cost me much more than I could give, yet how do you repay me?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you! I didn't mean to sleep with Olivia, in fact I didn't! And this ... all this shit, it wasn't meant to hurt you, it was meant to hurt me!" I didn't want to cleanse my conscience, if anything, I sought the punishment I've always deserved. For all that I've done in my life, for hurting the one person I swore to protect and cherish, for being an impenitent screw-up.

"Then you're a moron more than just a liar and a cheater." Silvia scoffed, once again averting her gaze from me. "You keep saying us, yet you still thinks in terms of I." She spat. "You keep forgetting your impact on people's lives."

"No, I-"

"Did it ever occur to you that, if you got killed, it would have hurt me worse?" She snapped back to me, her eyes mere slits, even though tears were vivid in them. "Did it ever occur to you that your life is not just yours? That you have people around you, people that would be shattered upon losing you? Good God, Jake, hasn't that fucking accident taught you anything?!"