“Stefan?” I call out from the top of the stairs. The soldier Lucas assigned to keep me in my room unhands me on Stefan’s signal and I run down the stairs. “What’s happening? Where’s Rafa?”
He takes my arms and studies me for a long moment. “I need to go to Catania.”
“Now? It’s late.”
“Did you talk to your brother?”
I shake my head. “He was asleep, but I talked to Melanie. They’re fine. Safe. In a house upstate.”
“Good. Go pack what you need. You’ll go to them. Tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“I’ll make some calls on my way to Taormina and Paulo will be in touch with you soon.”
“Paulo?”
“Just a back-up plan, Gabriela. Until everything’s settled.”
I feel the color drain from my face. “You mean you may not come back.” I don’t ask it as a question.
He looks at me like he’s memorizing me, and I touch his face, pull him to me.
“Come with me, Stefan.” I hug him tight, but I can’t get close enough. I feel him slipping away. Slipping right through my fingers.
“I need to go,” he says.
When he pulls back, he cups my face, wipes tears with his thumbs.
“Don’t leave me alone, Stefan.”
His hands tighten a little and his eyes are intense. On fire. “I have no intention of leaving you alone. I love you, Gabriela. There’s nothing more precious to me than you. I love you.”
I have no words. I can’t find them. I just feel all the emotion bubbling up in my throat and he must see it because he hugs me to him, and I’m desperate to hold on to him. Desperate to keep him. To never let him go.
“Paulo will take care of everything until I’m back. You’re to trust him. Only him.”
“Please don’t go. Just don’t. Come with me.”
He pulls back. “I can’t do that. Get what you need. Just what you need. But hurry.” He breaks free, signals to a soldier who takes my arms and holds me back as Stefan walks away.
“Stefan!”
“I won’t leave you alone,” he says, giving me one more long look. “I promise.”
But he’s promised before.
He’s sworn.