his bed when I push open his door, making her jump.
Catching her breath, she chuckles. “I’m sorry. You scared me.”
“I apologise. How is he?” I ask, keeping my voice low as not to wake him.
“He’s been in a comatose state since your last visit.”
Walking farther into the room, I notice he’s not sleeping. His eyes are wide open and unmoving.
“Comatose?” I murmur.
“We don’t know what brought it on. He’s been like this for days.”
I wave my hand in front of his eyes, but there’s nothing. No reaction at all.
“How strange.”
First, he has a vision of me dying, and now he’s in no condition to answer my questions.
“Could you please let me know as soon as he snaps out of this?”
“Of course.”
Making my way outside, I inhale deeply and fail to push past the foreboding settling in the pit of my stomach.
Trey stomps his cigarette out when he sees me crossing the street and opens the door for me.
“That was quick,” he points out needlessly.
“He was sleeping.”
There’s no need to lie, but that’s what slipped off my tongue.
I close my eyes once I’m seated. Father Luke is the last person who’s still around from my childhood. I remind myself he’s not dead, that he’ll come around, and when he does, he’ll be able to help me—if it’s not too late.
Chapter Ten
Raphael
Fire and burning bones. The people of Vita wearing black. Blue eyes weeping.
I long ago pulled the chair closer to my mother’s bed and watched her, never once taking my eyes off of her. The machines keeping her alive are humming away, and I wait.
If she wakes again, going off on another tangent, I’ll be ready. Minutes roll by, but there’s nothing.
Minutes turn into hours, and I slowly close my eyes, unable to fight the urge to sleep.
Mila was supposed to meet with me at noon. She’s barely replied to my texts, and it took her four hours to reply to my last one, agreeing to meet me today. I haven’t laid eyes on her since the dinner at the mayor’s mansion, and I’m growing worried.
What could be keeping her? From the day we met at the old well on the edge of her estate, we’ve been meeting here and not at the church.
I debate on whether to sneak to her house when she appears out of the trees. There’s no smile, and she keeps her head down. Crossing the grass, I can barely force myself not to run to her.
Her perfume hits me first, and I can’t help myself. I reach out and pull her against me. When she tenses, I quickly back off, stunned by her reaction.
“Mila?”
I go to move the hair away from her face when she flinches at my touch. Anger overrides my concern, and I drop to my knees so I can look up at her face as she refuses to look up at me.
Anger overwhelms me when I see why. A purple and black bruise surrounds her eye.
Jumping to my feet, I tip her chin up so she has no choice but to look at me.
“What caused this?”
Her lips stay firmly locked together, and I’m losing the last scrap of patience I possess.
“Jamila!” I snap, causing her to jump. “Answer me!”
“My father.”
Her voice is barely audible, but I heard her clear as day.
“Why?”
A tear falls over her bruise and I swipe it away, careful not to cause her more pain.
“Because I spoke out of turn at dinner the other night. I embarrassed him.”
“But he defended you when my father—”
“Yes, because he couldn’t be seen to take orders from him. Once we were in the car, he slapped me so hard, it felt like my brain rattled.”
I wrap my arms around her, thankful she can’t see the fury in my eyes.
If I hadn’t planned to kill her father before, I most certainly am now. How fucking dare he! Pressing my lips to the top of her head, I keep them there until her cries fade to quiet sobs. We stand there, in the middle of the grassy field, holding on to one another for far too long. Our time is precious, and there’s so much I want to say before I have to leave her again.
“I thought you might’ve been angry with me over Annalise, but this is far fucking worse.”
I’d rather her be angry with me. At least I could make it right with her. But her father striking her will never leave her memory.
“I hated every second of watching her with you, but I