Angel (Book 4)

Chapter 18. Too Late

"From the look on her face, I'm going to guess that you told her," Austin said and chuckled. "Same fucking look your mother gave Carlos when he told her."

We both stared at them in silence.

Austin let out a low whistle.

"Need an extra minute?" Dad asked.

"Yes," I muttered. "Come on," I said. I let go of Mia to assess what she would do.

She stormed out of the study.

I followed Mia down the hallway. When I realized she was heading for the front door, I quickly caught her around the waist.

"Let go of me!" Mia shouted.

"We're not done, Mia," I growled. I carried her into the living room down the hall to one of the spare bedrooms. I sat her down and shut the door, blocking her way out. I flipped the light on and stared at her.

She looked over at the bed and knitted her eyebrows together before she looked at me.

My gaze fell to the bed too. I was sure she was thinking about the last time we were in this bedroom, but I couldn't let my head go down that path right now.

"Mia, I plan to get them back alive. Okay? Keep in mind that I don't have to do anything. I'm doing it for you. Your parents mean nothing to me at all, apart from the fact that I care about you and you care for them. I can't keep you safe if you leave. Do you understand that? You want to go separate ways after this, that is fine. I'm not trying to make you forgive me. Yes, I lied to you, and I shouldn't have, but I was in a hell of a situation. I had to choose between my family and you. I have been walking on thin ice since I met you. You have to understand that you can't tell anyone. Actually, if you did, I would have no choice but to silence you."

Her expression became horrified at what I said. She swallowed hard. "F-fine. When this is over, I will not tell anyone, but I never want to see you again!" Mia hissed.

Whatever was left of my heart shattered until there was nothing left. I stared back at Mia with a blank expression and nodded. I turned around and opened the door.

Mia and I walked back into the study. Someone had flipped my desk upright. Mom was placing things back on it. I noticed some were missing.

"What's going on? Where is Dad, Austin, and Benny?"

"They left to go see what they could find at Mia's and on the Mexican Mafia," Joey answered.

"We thought it would be best to be certain that; that is who took Mia's parents," Luis said.

"What happens after that?" Mia asked.

"We find where they are keeping them," Abel said tiredly.

"And then..." I trailed off.

Mia spun around to face me.

"It's war," I murmured.

Mia swallowed nervously.

"I'm really sick and tired of these wars," Luis muttered as he plopped down on the couch.

"Wait until you have lived through as many as I have," Papa said as he came into the study.

"I don't even want to think about that," Mom murmured and looked sadly at Luis.

Luis's father was lost in a war.

"What are we supposed to do?" I asked.

"Wait for them to call," Joey muttered.

"How long?" I asked.